POLS2020A First Block Quiz

Week 4: Why do governments with repressive means at their disposal choose to make their behavior predictable, according to Machiavelli's thesis as interpreted by Holmes?

• To prevent rebellions and maintain power through fear

• To ensure voluntary cooperation from key social groups for state objectives.

• To avoid international scrutiny and sanctions

• To promote the moral and ethical legitimacy of the government

Week 4: According to Holmes, why does the rule of law often result in a "dual state" where some groups receive better legal protection than others?

• Because governments are inherently corrupt and biased

• Because the law inherently favors wealthy individuals

• Because political rulers selectively enforce laws to secure the cooperation of well-organized groups

• Because some groups are more deserving of legal protection based on their contributions to the state

Week 4: Holmes uses Rousseau's perspective to explain the limitations of the rule of law. What does Rousseau argue is the closest approximation to the rule of law in practice?

• A society where all citizens are treated equally under the law

• A society where laws are enforced uniformly without any bias

• A pluralistic society where many organized groups have some degree of political leverage

• society governed by moral and ethical norms rather than legal codes

Week 2: Which of the following best summarizes Delgado and Stefancic's argument regarding the relationship between law and power in shaping knowledge?

• Law and power are independent forces, with law serving as a neutral arbiter of justice

• Power dynamics influence the creation and interpretation of legal knowledge, often reinforcing existing social hierarchies

• Legal knowledge is entirely objective and immune to the influence of power

• Power plays no role in the development of legal principles or practices

Week 2: According to Delgado and Stefancic, how do dominant social groups use law to maintain their power?

• By ensuring that laws are interpreted in a way that benefits everyone equally

• By creating laws that are deliberately obscure and difficult to understand

• By shaping legal narratives and interpretations that reinforce their social, economic, and political interests

• By allowing marginalized groups to have equal participation in the legal process

Week 2: Which critique of traditional legal scholarship do Delgado and Stefancic present in their discussion?

• Traditional legal scholarship is praised for its ability to remain impartial and free from bias

• Traditional legal scholarship is critiqued for its failure to account for the ways in which race and power shape legal outcomes

• Traditional legal scholarship is criticized for being too focused on race and not enough on class

• Traditional legal scholarship is seen as a progressive force that challenges power structures effectively

Week 3: Which of the following best captures Iris Marion Young’s concept of "structural injustice"?

• Injustice that arises from intentional discrimination by individuals or groups

• Injustice that results from the operation of social structures and institutions that disadvantage certain groups, even without intent

• Injustice that occurs only when laws explicitly discriminate against certain groups

• Injustice that is rooted in historical events and has no relevance to contemporary society

Week 3: According to Young, what is the "politics of difference"?

• The idea that all individuals should be treated the same under the law, regardless of their differences

• The recognition and affirmation of social group differences as a means to achieve justice and equality

• The view that political decisions should ignore social differences to maintain neutrality

• The belief that social differences are irrelevant in the context of legal and political frameworks

Week 3: Young critiques the concept of universalism in the context of justice. What is her main argument against it?

• Universalism is inherently biased and benefits only the majority group

• Universalism fails to address the specific needs and experiences of marginalized groups

• Universalism is a flawed concept because it does not consider economic inequalities

• Universalism should be replaced entirely with a focus on individualism

General: Which of the following best describes the relationship between law and the state according to political theory

• The law is an autonomous entity that exists independently of the state

• The law is a tool used by the state to enforce its authority and maintain social order

• The state exists to implement laws that are discovered through natural reasoning

• Law and state are unrelated, with each operating in separate domains