CH1: Elitism vs. Pluralism (pg. 26-28)

What is the elite theory of government?

• A belief that a set of elite citizens is really in charge of government in the United States

• A belief that political power rests with competing interest groups

• A belief that government actions are influenced by tradeoffs

• A belief that the government is controlled by the general public

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Understanding

According to pluralist theory, political power is distributed among (a)   .

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Understanding

Who was the foremost supporter of elite theory?

• Robert Dahl

• C. Wright Mills

• John Locke

• Thomas Hobbes

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Understanding

What is a key argument of pluralist theory?

• Political power is concentrated in the hands of a few elites

• Political power is distributed throughout society among various groups

• Government policy is shaped from the top down

• The wealthy use their power to control the nation's economy

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Applying

According to the passage, what percentage of U.S. presidents have attended Ivy League schools?

• One-third

• One-half

• One-fourth

• Two-thirds

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Understanding

The tradeoffs perspective suggests that government action is influenced by (a)   .

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Applying

What is an example of a tradeoff mentioned in the passage?

• The balance between state and federal power during COVID-19

• The elite theory vs. pluralist theory debate

• The role of interest groups in shaping policy

• The influence of Ivy League graduates in government

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Evaluating