NEW
Font size
S
M
L
XL
WorksheetsDemocracy and the United Kingdom
Total questions: 24
Worksheet time: 12mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
The United Kingdom uses which type of electoral system?
a)
Instant run-off
b)
Mixed member proportional
c)
First-past-the-post
d)
Single transferable vote
2.
After World War II and until the "Thatcher Revolution," the two major parties of post-war Britain built and sustained a welfare state. This was known as the:
a)
Commonwealth
b)
Collective responsibility
c)
Neoliberalism
d)
Collectivist consensus
3.
Which of the following is true of the Crown?
a)
The crown is the head of state and the prime minister is the head of government.
b)
The Crown controls the military and the Parliament controls the economy.
c)
The Crown controls the rule of primogeniture, where the oldest son (or daughter if there are no sons) inherits the throne.
d)
The Crown is a costly and unpopular institution.
4.
British society is very diverse, but this is probably the most important of all social divisions within the UK:
a)
Ethnicity
b)
Religious affiliation
c)
Class
d)
Race
5.
The 2010 parliamentary election in the UK resulted in:
a)
A new majority for the Liberal Democrats
b)
A hung parliament
c)
A victory for the Labour Party
d)
A Conservative party minority government
6.
Prime Minister Tony Blair's policies became known as the Third Way. Which of the following was a key feature of the Third Way?
a)
State ownership of key industries
b)
Adoption of the euro
c)
Free-market trade policies
d)
Consolidating power in the central government
7.
The United Kingdom uses a common law political and legal system, which means:
a)
It has an aristocratic system based on the power of hereditary peers
b)
It is a system based on a strong written constitution
c)
It is a system based on local customs and precedent, not formal legal codes
d)
It is a system based on religious tradition
8.
What was the final result of the English Civil War?
a)
King John signed the Magna Carta
b)
Oliver Cromwell's government was replaced and Parliament restored the monarchy under Charles II
c)
King James I was crowned, establishing a Catholic king over the Protestant nobility
d)
King Charles I was executed and England was temporarily ruled as a Republic under Oliver Cromwell
9.
Which of the following is true about individual members of the House of Commons:
a)
They are less powerful than their counterparts in the USA; it's the party that counts in the UK
b)
They are appointed by the Cabinet and Prime Minister
c)
They include Life Peers, distinguished citizens who are appointed by the Crown
d)
They are more powerful than their counterparts in the USA; it's not the party, but the individual interests of legislators that are key
10.
What are quangos?
a)
An example of neo-corporatist lobbying relations, these are members of non-governmental organizations who assist in policy making
b)
A confederation of the UK's strongest trade unions
c)
Representatives in the Scottish Parliament
d)
Top members of the UK government who assist the Prime Minister and run the ministries
11.
An unwritten rule of British cabinets is that even when individual ministers disagree with a given policy, they still must appear unified and take responsibility for it. This is known as:
a)
Collectivist consensus
b)
Collective responsibility
c)
A vote of confidence
d)
Commonwealth
12.
Signed in 1215, Magna Carta did what?
a)
Created the House of Commons
b)
Launched the Civil War
c)
Limited the power of the monarchs and subjected them to law
d)
Limited the power of the British Parliament and the Prime Minister
13.
Which of the following is NOT true of the UK?
a)
It is the primogenitor of modern democracy and has inspired other countries
b)
Its process of democratization was slow and gradual, continuing to this day
c)
It is one of a handful of countries with no written constitution
d)
Like the US (and unlike Europe), its parliament is dominated by candidate-centric policis rather than strong party loyalty
14.
The governmental institution in which national politics is considered and debated is called the:
a)
Media
b)
Referendum
c)
Legislature
d)
Judiciary
15.
Which of these organization is NOT part of a country's civil society?
a)
Churches
b)
Sports teams
c)
Fraternal organizations
d)
The military
16.
Democracy can be defined as political power exercised either indirectly or directly through:
a)
Proportional representation.
b)
Capitalism, tariffs, and taxes.
c)
Republicanism and separation of powers.
d)
Participation, competition, and liberty.
17.
Which of the following do political parties NOT do?
a)
Bring together ideas and individuals articulating similar interests.
b)
Provide candidates and agendas during elections.
c)
Provide a means by which politicians can be held accountable.
d)
Guarantee the separation of powers.
18.
When a court considers the constitutionality of legislation when triggered by a court case, this is called:
a)
Concrete review.
b)
Abstract review.
c)
A posteriori review.
d)
Prior review.
19.
A policy measure that is voted on by the people is called:
a)
A concrete review.
b)
A mixed electoral system.
c)
An initiative.
d)
A referendum.
20.
Which of the following is generally true about prime ministers?
a)
They serve as heads of state.
b)
They are directly elected by the voters.
c)
They are members and leaders of Parliament.
d)
They have limited policy-making powers and can only veto laws already approved by the legislature.
21.
When each constituency elects only one member to the legislature (whether they win a plurality or majority of votes), this system is called:
a)
A multi-member district.
b)
A single-member district.
c)
Proportional representation.
d)
A parliamentary system.
22.
Which of the following is NOT true about presidents?
a)
They serve as heads of state.
b)
They are directly elected by voters.
c)
They are members and leaders of the legislative body.
d)
They serve as heads of governments.
23.
An electoral system in which seats in a legislature are allocated based on the percentage of votes each party receives in the elections is called:
a)
First-past-the-post.
b)
Instant run-off.
c)
Proportional representation.
d)
Single-member district.
24.
Though they vary greatly in how they act and how much power they have, three key institutions in a democracy are the:
a)
Economy, universities, and the police.
b)
Military, the bureaucracy, and capitalism.
c)
The executive, legislature, and the judiciary.
d)
The media, bureaucracy, and capitalism.
Reset
