Political Science Exam Review
1 SHORT ANSWER:
1. What were two different beliefs of John Locke that were quite controversial for his time and led to him having to
flee from Britain?
2. What type of governments do Thomas Hobbes and John Locke tend to support?
3. Both Thomas Hobbes and Jean Jacques Rousseau had negative views of natural man. What were each of their
views?
4. Of the 3 political philosophers we studied, which one tends to fit more with Canadian society? Explain why.
5. What is the difference between radicals at each end of the political spectrum?
6. What is the conservative view around government control? How is it different from the liberal view?
7. What are the three duties of governments?
8. What was Edmund Burke's view philosophy around governing and leaders?
9. What did King Louis mean when he stated, “I am the State.”?
10. A form of government where the power rests in the hands of a few people is called a(n) __________.
11. A democratic political order where the head of state is usually a president, not a monarch is a _______________.
12. A form of government where the authority rests in the hands of the upper wealthy class.
13. In this particular form of government and religion are closely linked. (Vatican City is an example of this form.)
14. This form of government has developed a bad reputation over the years but originally was simply a form of
government headed by a person who seized power from an established government.
15. The ability of citizens to replace one elected representative with another through a by-election is called a
_________.
16. What is one example of a referendum in Canadian history? Plebiscite?
17.What is a constitution?
18.What are the three types of constitutions?
19.What are the two main documents that make up our Canadian Constitution?
20.What is a federal system?
21.Before 1982 what step did Canada have to take in order to change its constitution?
22.To what institutions does the charter apply?
23.Describe the 7/50 amending rule? (Sec. 38)
24.What is laid out in section 91 of the 1982 Constitution Act? Section 92?
25.Why could Canada not amend its own constitution? (What did Britain require Canada to have before they would
give full power over the constitution?)
26.What amending formula is needed to amend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?
27.What was in place to protect the public’s freedoms and rights before the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was
signed?
28.What are the two methods of judicial review?
29.What is the legal name of the country?
30.How is our constitution different from that of the United States?
31.What is the unanimity rule?
32.What are residual powers? What level of government has these powers?
33.What is the maximum length of time between elections?
34.What is the purpose of royal assent?
35.Which house is considered to be the upper house of Canada's parliamentary system?
36.Who becomes Canada's Prime Minister?
37.What type of system is Canada's government?(be specific)
38.Are provincial legislatures unicameral or bicameral?
39.What are the three branches of the Canadian political system?
40.Who is Canada's head of state?
41.Who is the representative to Canada's head of state?
42.Where did our system of government originate?
43.What restriction does the Senate have regarding the introduction of bills?
44.How many seats are in Canada's House of Commons?
45.For what two reasons were Canada's Upper House created as it is?
46.What is considered Canada's Lower House?
47.At what age do senators have to retire?
48.Indicate two specific rights of the Crown.
49.Identify two of the three areas the Prime Minister must consider when trying to form a balanced Cabinet.
50.What is the breakdown of the seat distribution in the Senate?
2 TERMS:
1. Political Science
2. Congress
3. Politics
4. Government
5. Absolute power
6. Sovereign
7. Democracy
8. Fascism
9. Limited Monarchy
10. Authoritarian
11. Federal
12. Unitary
13. Communism
14. Single party state
15. Speaker
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
Private bill
Party Caucus
Minority Government
Coalition Government
Government bill
Legislatures
Private members bills
Backbencher
electorate
Public Bill
Republic
Residual Powers
Paramountcy Rule
Bicameral
Absolute Monarch
3 EXPLAIN:
1. What are the different views of the following groups towards change?
a. Radical
b. Liberal
c. Moderate
d. Conservative
e. Reactionary
2. Explain the origins of the terms “left” and “right”. From where did they come and what did they originally mean?
3. What the differences between Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau? How did each feel about the use of force?
Individual rights?
4. What is the difference between direct and representative democracy?
5. Why was democracy not a popular form of government before the 19th C?
6. Explain the two types of judicial review
a. reference procedure
b. Litigation
7. What is the purpose of a referendum and a plebiscite? What is the difference between the two? What are
benefits and drawbacks of each?
8. When ranking a countries level of democracy political and civil liberties are rated. What are some of the
questions studied in each of the two areas and why do you think the questions you have provided are important?
9. Explain the problems that you see as the problems with Democracy.
10. What are the benefits to a democracy?
11. Why is it better to have the Charter of Rights and Freedoms part of our constitution rather than simply a regular
piece of legislation?
12. Other than through judicial review, what are two or the other three ways to change a constitution? Explain them
13. Explain how a senator obtains and loses his/her position.
14. What three groups make up the executive branch?
15. What two bodies make up the legislative branch? What are the differences between the functions and
operations of the two? What is the difference between the members of each group?
16.Explain the role and the functions of the Governor General? Is it a powerful position? Explain.
17.Explain the difference between 1st passed the post system of election vs proportional representation. What are
the Pros and Cons to each?
18. Is there a need for Senate reform? Explain. Further, explain the “Triple E” Senate and the pros and cons of this
concept.
19. What are the differences between the Canadian and American systems of government? What are the strengths
of each? Is one superior to the other? Explain.