Basic Concepts of Democracy

What is the role of government in a mixed economy?

• to regulate, promote, police, and serve the economy while still allowing as much free enterprise as possible

• to control all or most aspects of economic activity within the society

• to stay completely out of the economy so that the law of supply and demand can work without interference

• to reward those who produce goods and services for the betterment of society

How does democracy protect minority rights?

• by insisting that the majority listen to the concerns and suggestions of the minority

• by allowing the minority to overrule the majority on important issues

• by giving representatives of the minority view two votes

• by not allowing for the possibility of mistakes or the passage of unsatisfactory public policies

What is the benefit to democracy of the vast amount of information on the Internet?

• Elections are likely to move onto the Internet in the near future.

• Some people become less likely to vote because they are overwhelmed by the information available on the Internet.

• Voters can become informed about issues and participate more easily in the democratic process.

• False and biased information on the Internet helps make democracy stronger.

In the free enterprise system, who decides what is to be produced and how much items will cost?

• the government

• the market

• a regulatory system

• the Secretary of the Treasury

The process of blending and adjusting competing views and interests for the maximum satisfaction of all involved is called

• equality under the law.

• individual freedom.

• the free enterprise system.

• compromise.

Why does democracy exist in the United States?

• because it happened by accident

• because it is the only political system that works

• because Americans believe in its basic concepts

• because Americans like to be different

Which of the following is NOT one of the four fundamental factors of the free enterprise system?

• individual initiative

• profit

• competition

• government ownership

Which of the following is the best example of the difficulty of striking a balance between individuals' rights and the rights of society as a whole?

• A man breaks the law by robbing another person in his individual pursuit of happiness and prosperity.

• A businesswoman votes for the candidate she thinks will help her business do well in her community.

• An artist uses her freedom of expression to create public artwork that offends a majority of people in her community.

• A citizen votes for his chosen candidates for office.

Why is belief in the worth of the individual so important to democracy?

• because a democratic society must serve the needs of the many above the needs of the individual

• because democracy holds that each person is a separate and distinct being who plays a role in the government

• because all individuals must pay taxes to support the government

• because the Internet has made it possible for people to be widely informed

The democratic concept of equality states that all people in a society are entitled to

• equality of opportunity and equality before the law.

• be born with the same mental and physical abilities as everyone else.

• have an equal share of money and goods.

• a term as the leader of the government.