PSC Comparative Politics 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary method used in comparative politics to study political systems?
- Biographical study of political leaders
- Systematic comparison of political systems across countries (Correct answer)
- Analysis of economic indicators only
- Historical narrative of single nations
Correct answer: Systematic comparison of political systems across countries
Comparative politics uses systematic comparison across different political systems to identify patterns, similarities, and differences in governance.
Question 2: Which type of political system concentrates governmental authority in a single central government?
- Federal system
- Confederal system
- Unitary system (Correct answer)
- Pluralist system
Correct answer: Unitary system
A unitary system concentrates governmental authority in a single central government, unlike federal systems which constitutionally divide power between levels.
Question 3: The concept of 'path dependency' in comparative politics suggests that:
- All countries will eventually adopt liberal democracy
- Historical choices constrain and shape future political options (Correct answer)
- Political development follows a universal predetermined path
- Economic development alone determines political outcomes
Correct answer: Historical choices constrain and shape future political options
Path dependency holds that early institutional choices create self-reinforcing patterns that significantly constrain future political options and reforms.
Question 4: Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba's comparative research developed which influential concept?
- Social capital theory
- Civic culture theory (Correct answer)
- Modernization theory
- Democratic peace theory
Correct answer: Civic culture theory
Almond and Verba developed the civic culture theory through their comparative study of political attitudes across five democracies, published in 1963.
Question 5: What is the key distinguishing feature of a parliamentary system compared to a presidential system?
- Parliamentary systems have no head of state
- The executive is drawn from and accountable to the legislature (Correct answer)
- Presidential systems have stronger legislative bodies
- Parliamentary systems always use proportional representation
Correct answer: The executive is drawn from and accountable to the legislature
In parliamentary systems, the executive (prime minister and cabinet) is drawn from the legislature and remains accountable to it, unlike presidential systems.
Question 6: In comparative politics, 'corporatism' refers to a system where:
- Corporations dominate political decision-making
- Organized interest groups are formally incorporated into policy-making (Correct answer)
- The government owns major industries
- Political parties merge into a single entity
Correct answer: Organized interest groups are formally incorporated into policy-making
Corporatism describes a system where organized interest groups, especially labor and business associations, are formally integrated into the policy-making process.
Question 7: Which principle holds that peoples have the right to determine their own political status and governance?
- Popular sovereignty
- Political legitimacy
- Self-determination (Correct answer)
- Democratic autonomy
Correct answer: Self-determination
Self-determination is the recognized principle that peoples have the right to determine their own political status and establish their own form of government.
PSC Comparative Politics 1
What is the primary method used in comparative politics to study political systems?