BGS, BSGS Bachelor of General Studies BSGS Political Science 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which social contract theorist argued that life without government would be 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,' justifying an all-powerful sovereign?
- John Locke
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- Thomas Hobbes (Correct answer)
- Montesquieu
Correct answer: Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes in 'Leviathan' (1651) argued that without a strong sovereign authority, the state of nature would be a brutal war of all against all.
Question 2: What distinguishes a parliamentary system of government from a presidential system?
- Parliamentary systems have an elected head of state; presidential systems have an appointed one
- In a parliamentary system, the executive (prime minister) is drawn from and accountable to the legislature (Correct answer)
- Presidential systems always have multiple political parties; parliamentary systems have only two
- Parliamentary systems lack judicial review; presidential systems require it
Correct answer: In a parliamentary system, the executive (prime minister) is drawn from and accountable to the legislature
In parliamentary systems, the prime minister and cabinet are members of the legislature and can be removed by a vote of no confidence, fusing executive and legislative power.
Question 3: Which principle holds that government authority derives from the consent of those governed?
- Divine right of kings
- Popular sovereignty (Correct answer)
- Natural aristocracy
- Technocracy
Correct answer: Popular sovereignty
Popular sovereignty is the doctrine that legitimate government authority flows from the will of the people, foundational to democratic theory.
Question 4: Which term describes the phenomenon where interest groups provide campaign contributions and other benefits to legislators in exchange for favorable policy outcomes?
- Logrolling
- Lobbying (Correct answer)
- Revolving door
- Quid pro quo corruption
Correct answer: Lobbying
Lobbying refers to organized efforts by interest groups to influence legislators, including through campaign contributions, though legal lobbying stops short of explicit quid pro quo agreements.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of the War Powers Resolution of 1973?
- To give Congress authority to declare war unilaterally
- To limit the President's ability to deploy military forces without congressional approval beyond 60 days (Correct answer)
- To establish the Joint Chiefs of Staff as civilian-controlled
- To require Senate ratification of military alliances
Correct answer: To limit the President's ability to deploy military forces without congressional approval beyond 60 days
The War Powers Resolution requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops and limits unauthorized military engagements to 60 days without congressional authorization.
Question 6: Which concept describes the way media outlets choose which stories to cover, thereby shaping what issues the public considers important?
- Framing
- Priming
- Agenda-setting (Correct answer)
- Gatekeeping
Correct answer: Agenda-setting
Agenda-setting theory holds that the media doesn't tell people what to think, but is powerful in telling them what to think about by choosing which issues receive coverage.
Question 7: Which type of electoral system awards legislative seats in proportion to the percentage of votes each party receives?
- First-past-the-post
- Proportional representation (Correct answer)
- Two-round system
- Majoritarian system
Correct answer: Proportional representation
Proportional representation systems allocate seats based on each party's share of the total vote, used in many European democracies and tending to produce multiparty legislatures.
BGS, BSGS Bachelor of General Studies BSGS Political Science 5
Which social contract theorist argued that life without government would be 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,' justifying an all-powerful sovereign?