Chapter One
American Political Culture: Seeking a More Perfect Union
Multiple Choice
1. Americans’ national identity rests largely upon
- ethnic kinship.
b. common language.
c. shared political ideals.
d. religion.
- federal law.
Answer: c
Page: 7
2. The American ideal of equality
a. promotes the idea that all citizens should be equal in their standard of living.
b. is fully consistent with individualism.
c. does not include the idea that everyone is entitled to fair treatment under the law.
d. has helped minority groups to achieve their goals.
- has always been fully implemented in U.S. history.
Answer: d
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3. The American political culture includes all of the following ideals except
a. liberty.
b. equality.
c. self-government.
d. individualism.
- economic equality.
Answer: e
Page: 11
4. Inalienable rights
a. belong to the government only.
b. belong to individuals but can be denied by government.
c. belong to individuals and cannot be denied by government.
d. do not exist in the United States.
- are not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence.
Answer: c
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5. Citizens of ______are most likely to believe that personal effort is the key to
success.
a. Germany
b. Italy
c. France
d. the United States
- Great Britain
Answer: d
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6. Cultural beliefs are said to be mythic ideas, which means that they are
a. almost completely unreal.
b. perfect representations of reality.
c. symbolic postures that reflect partly what is ideal and partly what is real.
d. perverted images of reality, as in the case of totalitarianism.
- specifically listed in the U.S. Constitution.
Answer: c
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7. Conflict in the practice of America’s ideals occurs because these ideals
a. are general principles, not precise rules.
b. conflict somewhat with one another.
c. are only one of the many sources of political action.
d. are enduring and powerful.
- All of the answers are correct.
Answer: e
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8. Which one of the following is not widely regarded as a political ideal in America?
- liberty
b. equality
c. self-government
d. freedom
- collectivism
Answer: e
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9. Until 1965, immigration laws were biased in favor of immigrants from
a. Asia.
b. the Middle East.
c. Europe.
d. Africa.
- Latin America
Answer: c
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10. The principle of self-government emphasizes majority rule whereas the principle of liberty emphasizes individual rights. These principles
a. are universal and the foundation of all legitimate governments.
b. have no real meaning in practice.
c. have the same meaning for all Americans.
d. are not fully consistent with each other.
- are not expressed in the Declaration of Independence.
Answer: d
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11. Political conflict is rooted in which two general conditions of society?
a. authority and scarcity of resources
b. differing values and scarcity of resources
c. differing values and competition
d. authority and competition
- authority and differing values
Answer: b
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12. Overt discrimination against Hispanics was eliminated
from U.S. immigration laws
a. after the Spanish-American War at the turn of the twentieth century.
b. during World War I.
c. during the 1960s at the time of the civil rights movement.
d. in the early 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union.
- after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Answer: c
Page: 15
13. The play of politics takes place according to rules that the participants agree to accept. In the American case, the rules of the game include all of the following, except
a. autocracy.
b. democracy.
c. constitutionalism.
d. capitalism.
- None of the answers are correct.
Answer: a
Page: 21
14. In a constitutional system,
a. there are no restrictions on the lawful uses of power, as long as this power is obtained by majority rule.
b. citizens have basic rights which government cannot take away.
c. the economy is based on the free enterprise system.
d. officials govern according to the traditions established by their predecessors.
- the judiciary is more powerful in all respects than the legislature or executive.
Answer: b
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15. America’s founding principles have roots in
a. beliefs about the proper use of war.
b. commercial practices.
c. systems of absolute rule.
d. the law of the seas.
e. religious beliefs.
Answer: e
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16. Which of the following is characteristic of a capitalist economic system?
a. free enterprise
b. self-reliance
c. private property
d. individualism
- All of the answers are correct.
Answer: e
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17. The statement, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” can be found in
a. the Declaration of Independence.
b. the U.S. Constitution.
c. the Federalist Papers.
d. the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- the Emancipation Proclamation.
Answer: a
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18. According to the historian Louis Hartz, the United States was “born ___.”
a. twice
b. free
c. united
d. in peace
- once
Answer: b
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19. A government’s authority
a. is evidenced when government officials exercise political power.
b. is by definition not coercive.
c. does not include the power to arrest and imprison.
d. ensures that lawlessness prevails most of the time.
- is based on pluralism.
Answer: a
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20. ______is the process that determines how a society will be governed.
a. Politics
b. Pluralism
c. Elitism
d. Socialism
e. Authoritarianism
Answer: a
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21. Who observed that Americans are a special case in terms of their national identity?
a. James Bryce
b. King George III
c. James Madison
d. William James
- Calvin Coolidge
Answer: a
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22. Americans’ emphasis on self-sufficiency and material accumulation reflects their belief in
a. liberty.
b. self-government.
c. individualism.
d. diversity.
- collectivism.
Answer: c
Page: 11
23. Among the following nations, the percentage of people who say that immigrants’ influence has been very good or somewhat good is highest in
a. France.
b. Germany.
c. the United States.
d. Italy.
- Great Britain.
Answer: ec
Page: 16
24. Since the 1960s the largest number of immigrants have come from
a. Europe.
b. Africa.
c. Asia.
d. Latin America.
- Canada.
Answer: d
Page: 15
25. In the Second Treatise on Civil Government, ______argued that all individuals have certain natural rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
a. Thomas Hobbes
b. John Locke
c. Thomas Jefferson
d. Jean Jacques Rousseau
- James Madison
Answer: b
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26. Thomas Jefferson’s wrote:
a. Common Sense.
b. the Declaration of Independence.
c. the Constitution.
- the Emancipation Proclamation.
- the Four Freedoms doctrine.
Answer: b
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27. In Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes argued that life in the state of nature is
- heavenly.
b. worth protecting so that future generations can enjoy nature’s beauty.
c. peaceful but boring.
d. truly equal for all.
- dangerous and warlike.
Answer: e
Page: 18
28. Americans’ deep-seated political beliefs
a. have changed so much over time that today’s beliefs have little resemblance to those held by earlier generations.
b. are more firmly held by men than by women.
c. affect what Americans regard as reasonable and acceptable and therefore what they will try to achieve politically.
d. are for the most part ideas that have no relevance to how Americans live today.
- have been manipulated by politicians to the point where their meaning is lost.
Answer: c
Page: 31
29. Which of the following is true of totalitarian governments?
- Totalitarian governments assert complete dominance over individuals and institutions of society.
- Totalitarian governments control the mass media.
- Totalitarian governments use one-party rule.
- Totalitarian governments use violence to subdue their opponents.
- All of the answers are correct.
Answer: e
Page: 24
30. A major criticism of the theory of pluralism is that
- there are no organized interest groups.
b. majorities always win.
c. only a small number of powerful groups are well-organized and influence policymakers.
d. minority groups always win.
- None of the answers are correct.
Answer: c
Page: 28
31. Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show”
a. has a conservative slant.
b. has a liberal slant.
c. appeals particularly to middle-aged viewers.
d. appeals particularly to women.
- appeals particularly to Republicans.
Answer: b
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32. America’s pluralism stems from
a. its geographical diversity.
b. its economic complexity.
c. its religious diversity.
d. its ethnic diversity.
- All of the answers are correct.
Answer: e
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33. Politics inherently involves
a. conflict.
b. agreement about tax issues.
c. agreement about privacy issues.
d. agreement about war and peace issues.
- agreement about presidential candidates.
Answer: a
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34. E Pluribus Unum means
a. government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
b. out of many, one.
c. rugged individualism.
d. the people rule.
- the sovereign is ultimate.
Answer: b
Page: 11
35. Which of the following statements is true?
a. Socialism cannot exist in a political democracy.
b. Sweden is a communist country.
c. The United States is a predominantly socialist country.
d. Governmental ownership of some industries is a characteristic of socialist countries.
e. True capitalism does not exist anywhere but in the United States.
Answer: d
Page: 23
36. The method of operation of the Federal Reserve Board would best support the theory of
a. majoritarianism.
b. pluralism.
c. elitism.
d. bureaucratic rule.
e. None of the answers are correct.
Answer: c
Page: 28
37. A leading theorist of bureaucratic rule was
a. Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
b. Robert Dahl.
c. Max Weber.
d. C. Wright Mills.
e. Alexis de Tocqueville.
Answer: c
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38. ______is the ability of persons or institutions to control policy.
a. Apathy
b. Politics
c. Power
d. Liberty
e. Political culture
Answer: c
Page: 26
39. The Greek words demos and kratis together mean
a. majority rule is sacred.
b. the people rule.
c. government is good.
d. politics is immoral.
e. the king is good.
Answer: b
Page: 21
40. Major tendencies in the U.S. political system include all of the following except
a. enduring cultural beliefs that are the people’s common bond.
b. deep hostility toward any group of which one is not a member.
c. extreme fragmentation of governing authority.
d. strong emphasis on individual rights.
e. a relatively sharp separation of the political and economic spheres.
Answer: b
Page: 31
Essay/Short Answer
1. A defining characteristic of the American political system is its enduring and powerful set of cultural ideals. Explain.
Answer: Political culture refers to the characteristic and deep-seated beliefs of a particular people. In the American case, these beliefs are the basis of national identity. In many countries, national identity is based on a common ancestry, a kinship through blood. Americans, however, are linked not through common ethnicity but through a political tradition founded on a set of ideals—liberty, self-government, equality, individualism, diversity, and unity. These beliefs do not have exact meanings in practice, but they do set boundaries on political action and affect what Americans will regard as necessary and desirable. These beliefs bind the American people together and give purpose and direction to their politics.
2. Define politics, power, and authority.
Answer: Politics is the process by which it is determined whose values will prevail in the making of public policy. Those factions or people who prevail in getting their values accepted are said to have power. When power is exercised through the laws and institutions of government, authority is involved. Authority is defined as the recognized right of an official or institution to exercise power.
3. Explain the justification for referring to cultural beliefs as myths.
Answer: Cultural beliefs are mythical in that they are combinations of fact and wishful thinking. America’s belief in equality, for example, reflects the society’s progress in the promotion of human equality but ignores, for instance, the discriminatory practices that African Americans have had to endure throughout the country’s history. Mythical ideas are symbolic positions taken by people to justify and give meaning to their way of life.
4. Identify two sources of conflict among America’s political ideals. Illustrate these sources of conflict in the context of a specific political issue.
Answer: One reason why American ideals conflict is that they are general principles, rather than fixed rules of conduct. As general principles, they are open to interpretation in practice, and conflict can arise when different people interpret them differently. Second, these principles are not fully consistent with each other. They derive from different historical experiences and philosophies, and include conflicting elements. A policy issue that illustrates these sources of conflict is affirmative action. Equality and diversity, which emphasize fairness and full opportunities for all, can provide the basis for arguments for affirmative action. However, liberty and individualism, which emphasize personal freedom, can be the basis of arguments against affirmative action.
5. How could one argue that America is not run by a small power elite?
Answer: One could argue that due to the diversity of group structures in America and the fierce competition over whose values will emerge victorious on any particular issue, it would therefore be difficult for one homogeneous group to consistently control policies and all other competing political forces in the United States.