Foundations of Government: Practice Quiz

What is the famous quote by Thomas Hobbes regarding the 'state of nature'?

• The life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.

• Government's power comes from the consent of the governed.

• Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.

• It is better to be feared than loved.

Which philosopher wrote Leviathan and argued for a strong, absolute sovereign?

• Thomas Hobbes

• John Locke

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Niccolò Machiavelli

What did John Locke believe were the 'natural rights' that government must protect?

• Life, liberty, and property

• Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

• Freedom of speech, religion, and assembly

• Security, order, and control

According to John Locke, what gives a government its legitimacy?

• The consent of the governed

• The divine right of kings

• The military strength of the ruler

• The collective wealth of the citizens

Which philosopher believed that in a 'state of nature' humans are rational and possess inherent rights?

• Thomas Hobbes

• John Locke

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Plato

What is the central idea of Rousseau's social contract theory?

• That government should be based on the 'general will' of the people.

• That an absolute sovereign is necessary to maintain order.

• That a ruler should use any means necessary to stay in power.

• That a government's purpose is to protect natural rights.

Which philosopher wrote The Prince and believed that a ruler should be feared to maintain power?

• Niccolò Machiavelli

• Thomas Hobbes

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• John Locke

What did Plato's 'Allegory of the Cave' suggest about the purpose of government?

• That a just government must be led by enlightened individuals who guide society toward truth.

• That government should keep people in ignorance to maintain control.

• That the purpose of government is to protect people from the 'light' of truth.

• That the military is the only qualified group to lead a state.

How did the Greek philosophers' views differ from Machiavelli's?

• The Greeks believed government should guide people toward virtue, while Machiavelli believed a ruler should use and force to stay in power.

• The Greeks focused on the pursuit of power, while Machiavelli focused on ethics.

• They all had the same views on the purpose of government.

• The Greeks believed in a direct democracy, while Machiavelli believed in a representative democracy.

Which philosopher's ideas about 'natural rights' most directly influenced the Declaration of Independence?

• John Locke

• Thomas Hobbes

• Niccolò Machiavelli

• Plato