POLITICAL SCIENCE - TEST 1 STUDY GUIDE
INTRODUCTION
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What is the Logic of Collective Action
What is a Moral Hazard
What are Institutions; what is politics? Government?
What is power? What are its different types?
“All politics involves a clash of values” – what does this mean?
How do people get their values? What about the idea that people “get” values at all?
Why are values as presented as “Rights” or “Truth”
What is Counterintuitive Thinking
What does it mean to think in terms of Private vs Public Interest
What is Supply & Demand?
Who are Political Actors?
What is a political ideology? What are its components?
What do classical liberals believe? Why?
Who’s more classically liberal? Republican? Democrat?
Analyze the on-going role that free elections play in the governmental process and the power it gives those who participate.
What are some fundamental values in American politics? Which are “right”?
Political conflict occurs when different values clash. Give an example
Are there other ways in which people develop their political values?
Who’s classically liberal? Republicans or Democrats?
What is "The Lesson" as described in the Hazlitt article? Give an example.
CHAPTER 1
21. Government can legally do things to you that other institutions can’t; what are these things are WHY can government do
this?
22. Illustrate the reasons for the existence of government and identify its key functions; which are original purposes and which
are modern purposes of government? Why the change?
23. Aristotle distinguishes legitimate (public interest) from perverse (private interest) types of government. Explain how these
are different. Aristotle also says that each type has three distinct structures; explain these and give the pros can cons of
each.
24. Give the pros and cons of each of the two types of ideal democracies (direct vs representative)
25. Under the representative type of democracy, the authors distinguish the delegate style from the trustee style. Compare
and contrasts these two types IN DETAIL.
26. What is the difference between campaigning and governing? The permanent campaign means that “the line between
campaigning and government has disappeared.” What does that mean?
27. Describe the 7 causes and explain HOW they have led to this modern notion of the permanent campaign.
28. Why do we have so many elections?
29. Trace the evolution of the United States toward a more complex democracy that has necessitated a permanent campaign.
30. Describe the factors that shift power from the majority of voters to specific groups.
31. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the present political system in America and some of the requests for reform.
32. What do the authors say is the problem with “reform”?
CHAPTER 2
33. Who were the puritans? Separatists? Why did they acquire these labels? What was these people’s attitude toward the type
of government from which they fled?
34. What was the mayflower compact? As a set of rules, how did it differ from the rules from the old world? Why was it drawn
up this way?
35. Explain the reasons for the spread of democratic ideals before and during the Revolutionary War.
36. What are “natural rights”? What is the “social contract”?
37. What and WHY did we first adopt the AOC? Identify the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and illustrate how they
led to the drafting of a new Constitution.
38. WHY was owning property considered a requirement to voting? How does increasing land ownership in the early period of
the US alter the “average” voter? How does this change in turn alter policy?
39. What causes Shay’s rebellion?
40. Analyze the key proposals made by Constitutional Convention delegates and the major components of the final document.
41. What is the Philadelphia Convention? What 2 issues develop at the Philadelphia Convention?
42. Similarities/Differences of the Virginia and New Jersey plans.
43. What’s the Connecticut Compromise?
44. What’s the necessary and proper clause?
45. Describe the powers and issues associated with each branch
46. Describe the compromise on slavery? How role does economics play in this compromise?
CHAPTER 3
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Differentiate between federalism and other forms of government.
Trace key developments in the historical debate over dual sovereignty and nullification.
Evaluate the impact of specific Supreme Court decisions on the relationship of national and state governments.
Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of federal categorical and block grants distributed to state and
local governments.
51. Outline the organization and responsibilities of local governments and identify the key challenges they face.
52. Outline the organization and responsibilities of state governments and identify the key challenges they face.
53. Anything else we talked about.