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WorksheetsAP Comparative Exam Review
Total questions: 55
Worksheet time: 28mins
Which of the following is most likely to cause a regime change?
Ethnic diversity
Austerity measures
An election
Revolution
Which of the following best describes how judiciaries remain independent from other branches of government?
Judiciaries overrule executive and legislative actions.
Judges are appointed by the president or prime minister.
.
Judiciaries routinely advise executives on economic policy.
Federal judges counsel lower-court judges on important cases
Which of the following practices is more common in authoritarian political systems than in democratic political systems?
Censorship of citizens' use of the Internet and social media
Proportional representation for legislative elections
The incorporation of the principle of federalism in the constitution
The presence of a monarch as the symbolic head of state
The United Kingdom has used a referendum in the past ten years to
pass legislation dealing with immigration
ratify structural adjustment policies
amend international trade agreements
decide whether to leave the European Union
Which of the following best explains why governments seek to devolve power?
Governments seek to devolve power to allow regional governments more power over local issues.
Governments seek to devolve power to liberalize and strengthen market economies.
Governments seek to devolve power to shift more power to the legislative branch.
Governments seek to devolve power to begin transitioning to a parliamentary system.
Which of the following best describes political culture?
The government’s right to rule over citizens and monitor their behavior for the good of the entire society
The process of transmitting political values through family, schools, peers, and the media.
The collective attitudes, values, and beliefs of the citizenry and the norms of behavior in the political system
The expressed platforms of different political parties competing for power within the state
Which of the following describes how the Mexican president is elected?
The president is chosen using a plurality formula, where the candidate who wins the most votes in a single round is elected president.
The president is chosen using a majority formula, where a candidate can win only if he or she receives more than 50 percent of the vote.
If no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round of elections, a runoff is held between the two candidates with the most votes in the first round
A candidate can become president only if he or she receives at least 25 percent of the vote in two-thirds of Mexico’s 32 states.
Which of the following describes civil society in Russia and Iran?
Civil society groups in Russia and Iran must be connected to religious organizations.
Civil society groups in Russia and Iran are either prohibited or severely limited.
Since the early 2000s, there was a vibrant civil society in Russian and Iran.
Although participation is low, Russian and Iranian citizens are free to join civil society groups.
Note: The value of the Gender Inequality Index is between 0 to 1, with 0 being 0% inequality, or women and men faring equally, and 1 being 100% inequality, or women faring poorly in comparison to men.
Source: United Nations Development Programme, 2017.
According to the map, which of the following countries has the MOST gender inequality?
The United Kingdom
Mexico
Russia
Iran
Note: The value of the Gender Inequality Index is between 0 to 1, with 0 being 0% inequality, or women and men faring equally, and 1 being 100% inequality, or women faring poorly in comparison to men.
Source: United Nations Development Programme, 2017.
Which of the following is an implication of gender inequality in Mexico?
Gender inequality is almost nonexistent because of social reforms implemented by the PRI.
Although gender inequality still exists, gender quotas in the party list system have helped to increase female representation.
Gender inequality is only a concern in northern Mexico where the maquiladoras are located.
Gender inequality is growing because of the focus on economic reforms at the cost of most social issues.
Which of the following is an important limitation of the data in the map?
There is a bias in the method of data collection in authoritarian regimes, which leads to the inaccurate categorization of countries.
There is no explanation of how gender inequality is defined or measure, which leads to an incomplete analysis.
The proportion of women to men varies across countries, so there is no way to make cross-national comparisons.
The data are from every country in the world, which means there are too many variables to draw accurate conclusions.
Which of the following correctly describes sources of legitimacy in two AP course countries?
The United Kingdom and Nigeria both rely heavily on elections as a source of legitimacy.
Russia and the United Kingdom both depend largely on the charismatic authority of leaders as a source of legitimacy.
Although China relies entirely on economic growth as a primary source of legitimacy, Mexico relies on charismatic authority of its leader.
Although Iran relies primarily on elections to foster legitimacy, Russia relies on charismatic authority of its leader as a primary source of legitimacy.
Which of the following statements accurately describes the effects of political cleavages in two AP course countries?
The United Kingdom and Iran, both being unitary states, do not have substantial political cleavages.
Nigerian and Russian governments both grapple with a Christian-Muslim cleavage that has led to acts of political violence in both countries.
Mexico and the United Kingdom both have substantial and violent east-west cleavages that warrant immediate political solutions.
Russia and Iran, both being ethnically and religiously homogeneous, do not suffer from any notable political cleavages.
In China, economic liberalization policies have resulted in which of the following?
The nationalization of industries and a decrease in state corruption
The significant migration of the people from one region to another
A reduction of inequality between urban and rural areas
An increase in the role of the state in determining production
Which of the following best describes how the president is removed in Nigeria?
The Nigerian president is removed through a vote of no confidence in the parliament.
The Nigerian president is removed through impeachment proceedings in the legislature.
The Nigerian constitution does not allow the president to be impeached or removed from office.
The Nigerian president can only be removed by the judiciary, based on British common law.
Austerity measures are implemented for the primary purpose of
addressing corruption by reducing transparency
reducing government spending to address budget deficits
improving economic conditions by increasing tariffs
increasing security in times of political instability
Which of the following best describes a trend in the data?
The GDP growth rate increased consistently between 2007 and 2017.
The GDP growth rate fluctuated between 2007 and 2017.
There was no GDP growth between 2007 and 2014, then steep positive growth between 2014 and 2017.
The GDP growth rate was positive between 2007 and 2010, then it was negative between 2015 and 2017.
Which of the following best explains the increase in GDP in 2016 ?
Foreign direct investment in northern Iran in 2014 boosted the economy.
The Iranian government privatized the oil and natural gas industries in 2015.
Tariffs added by the Iranian government in 2015 have improved the domestic economy.
Most UN sanctions and sanctions by the United States and Europe were lifted in early 2016
Which of the following best explains an implication of the data in the line graph?
The GDP growth rate changes in Iran had minimal domestic impact because they were caused mostly by international forces.
The GDP growth rate changes in Iran had minimal domestic impact because they were caused mostly by international forces.
The negative GDP growth rates caused the government to seek foreign direct investment because it could not pay its workers.
Large negative changes in the GDP growth rate negatively affected the Iranian government because they undermined its legitimacy.
Which of the following is true of environmental policies in China?
They are considered to be local issues primarily addressed at the village level.
They are difficult to implement because they often challenge or constrain economic growth.
They are mostly ineffective because of the decentralization of state power after Mao’s death.
They are nonexistent because the government does not recognize that there are any environmental problems.
Which of the following accurately explains an outcome of differing judicial systems among the Comparative Government course countries?
The British judiciary uses common law to enforce rule of law, whereas the Russian judiciary uses the judiciary to target opposition.
The Chinese judiciary uses rule of law, whereas the Russian judiciary gets its power from judicial review.
The Nigerian judiciary is dominated by Sharia law, whereas the Mexican judiciary practices rule of law.
The Russian judiciary supports rule of law, whereas the Iranian judiciary is governed by Sharia law.
Which of the following best describes how members of Iran’s Guardian Council are selected?
The supreme leader directly appoints all twelve members with approval from the Assembly of Experts.
The supreme leader selects six members and the judiciary selects the other six members with Majles approval.
All twelve Guardian Council members are directly elected every four years by the electorate.
The Expediency Council appoints all twelve members of the Guardian Council every ten years.
Which of the following best explains the role of the judiciary in China?
The Chinese judiciary, informed by Confucian traditions, focuses on individualism, emphasizing protection of individual liberties.
The Chinese judiciary is largely free and independent, resulting in judicial decisions that are impartial and seen as fair by all.
The Chinese judiciary promotes rule by law instead of rule of law, resulting in a judicial system that is subservient to the Communist Party.
The Chinese political system does not have a judiciary, making the legislative branch fully responsible for interpreting the laws it passes.
The [Chinese Communist Party or CCP] itself is well aware of its dependence on popular legitimacy. In the post-Tiananmen period, the CCP has gradually repositioned itself as a “governing party” responding to social demands instead of a “ruling party” reshaping social demands. Former party general secretary Jiang Zemin’s dramatic rewardrobing of the CCP from a transformative party representing the proletariat into a populist party representing “the fundamental interests of the vast majority of the Chinese people” in his Theory of the Three Represents (announced in 2001 and incorporated into the Party constitution in 2002) reflects the CCP’s recognition that its survival today depends mainly on whether it is legitimate. When Khrushchev declared that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) would become a “party of all the people” in 1961, it was stridently denounced by the CCP as revisionist, “a massive backward step” in the words of the official critique. Forty years later, theorists in China admit that this is exactly what the CCP has done with the Three Represents. In 2004, the CCP acknowledged for the first time that the 1949 revolution no longer served as a durable basis of legitimacy, an admission widely cited in current discussions about legitimation strategies: “The CCP’s ruling status is by no means a natural result of the Party’s founding, and will not remain forever if the Party does nothing to safeguard it,” reads the preamble to a party decision on governing capacity.
Which of the following best describes the author’s claim in the passage?
In the Tiananmen Square incident, the Chinese government ordered a crackdown on protesters who favored democracy.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is more popular today in China than the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was under Khrushchev.
The Three Represents Theory requires the government to create an independent electoral commission.
Under Jiang Zemin, the CCP became more populist to appeal to a broader segment of the Chinese population
The [Chinese Communist Party or CCP] itself is well aware of its dependence on popular legitimacy. In the post-Tiananmen period, the CCP has gradually repositioned itself as a “governing party” responding to social demands instead of a “ruling party” reshaping social demands. Former party general secretary Jiang Zemin’s dramatic rewardrobing of the CCP from a transformative party representing the proletariat into a populist party representing “the fundamental interests of the vast majority of the Chinese people” in his Theory of the Three Represents (announced in 2001 and incorporated into the Party constitution in 2002) reflects the CCP’s recognition that its survival today depends mainly on whether it is legitimate. When Khrushchev declared that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) would become a “party of all the people” in 1961, it was stridently denounced by the CCP as revisionist, “a massive backward step” in the words of the official critique. Forty years later, theorists in China admit that this is exactly what the CCP has done with the Three Represents. In 2004, the CCP acknowledged for the first time that the 1949 revolution no longer served as a durable basis of legitimacy, an admission widely cited in current discussions about legitimation strategies: “The CCP’s ruling status is by no means a natural result of the Party’s founding, and will not remain forever if the Party does nothing to safeguard it,” reads the preamble to a party decision on governing capacity.
According to the author, which of the following best explains why the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has changed strategies?
The CCP has lost its legitimacy among the Chinese people as a result of global democratization.
The CCP has lost its legitimacy among the Chinese people as a result of global democratization.
The CCP’s legitimacy now depends mainly on its commitment to Marxist-Leninist-Maoist thought.
The CCP has fostered a stronger sense of legitimacy among younger Chinese citizens, but has issues maintaining support from older Chinese citizens.
The CCP’s basis of legitimacy has shifted from its commitment to communist ideology to its capacity to meet the demands of the Chinese people
The [Chinese Communist Party or CCP] itself is well aware of its dependence on popular legitimacy. In the post-Tiananmen period, the CCP has gradually repositioned itself as a “governing party” responding to social demands instead of a “ruling party” reshaping social demands. Former party general secretary Jiang Zemin’s dramatic rewardrobing of the CCP from a transformative party representing the proletariat into a populist party representing “the fundamental interests of the vast majority of the Chinese people” in his Theory of the Three Represents (announced in 2001 and incorporated into the Party constitution in 2002) reflects the CCP’s recognition that its survival today depends mainly on whether it is legitimate. When Khrushchev declared that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) would become a “party of all the people” in 1961, it was stridently denounced by the CCP as revisionist, “a massive backward step” in the words of the official critique. Forty years later, theorists in China admit that this is exactly what the CCP has done with the Three Represents. In 2004, the CCP acknowledged for the first time that the 1949 revolution no longer served as a durable basis of legitimacy, an admission widely cited in current discussions about legitimation strategies: “The CCP’s ruling status is by no means a natural result of the Party’s founding, and will not remain forever if the Party does nothing to safeguard it,” reads the preamble to a party decision on governing capacity.
Which of the following is an implication for legitimacy and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ?
Recognizing the changing social demands means the CCP will have to find an alternative basis of legitimacy.
As the CCP declines in power, religion will play a more important role in maintaining legitimacy in China.
Amending the constitution to allow political competition at the local level would promote legitimacy.
To foster legitimacy of the CCP, party officials will have to reincorporate values from the 1949 revolution.
The role of the executive in Nigeria is similar to that of the executive in Mexico in which of the following ways?
The executive is limited to a single term in office.
The legislature can remove the executive with a vote of no confidence.
The executive presides over a unitary system of government.
The legislature has a constitutional check on the executive.
Which of the following accurately compares civil liberties in authoritarian and democratic regimes?
Democratic regimes provide citizens access to state-controlled media, while authoritarian regimes restrict citizen access to state-controlled media.
Authoritarian regimes limit citizen control of the media, while in democratic regimes media is largely in the hands of private citizens.
Authoritarian regimes encourage privatization of the media to increase legitimacy, while democratic regimes support some privatization along with state control.
While democratic and authoritarian regimes restrict access to free media, authoritarian regimes have increasingly allowed access to the Internet to increase legitimacy.
Which is the best explanation for why the Mexican Chamber of Deputies has a higher proportion of women legislators than the United Kingdom Parliament?
Male voters in Mexico hold significantly more progressive views on the role of women in politics than male voters in the United Kingdom.
Mexico has gender quota legislation requiring parties to place a minimum percentage of women on their party lists, while the United Kingdom does not.
Mexico’s long-dominant political party voluntarily ensures that two-thirds of its candidates are women, while the United Kingdom’s two largest parties do not.
Mexico employs single-member plurality districts for the election of deputies, while the United Kingdom employs multimember districts and proportional representa
Which of the following is the reason for Nigeria’s electoral rule that presidential candidates must secure at least 25 percent of the vote in two-thirds of all states?
The president must have support among a broad cross section of Nigeria’s diverse population.
This rule increases run-off elections, thereby increasing electoral competition.
This rule ensures that the president will be a Christian, since Christians are the majority of the population.
The president will most likely be a policy centrist from Nigeria’s diverse Middle Belt.
Two things about presidential government stand out. The first is the president’s strong claim to democratic, even plebiscitarian, legitimacy; the second is his fixed term in office. . . .
. . . In a presidential system, the legislators, especially when they represent cohesive, disciplined parties that offer clear ideological and political alternatives, can also claim democratic legitimacy. This claim is thrown into high relief when a majority of the legislature represents a political option opposed to the one the president represents. . . . Who has the stronger claim to speak on behalf of the people: the president or the legislative majority that opposes his policies? Since both derive their power from the votes of the people in a free competition among well-defined alternatives, a conflict is always possible and at times may erupt dramatically. . . .
The second outstanding feature of presidential systems—the president’s relatively fixed term in office—is also not without drawbacks. It breaks the political process into discontinuous, rigidly demarcated periods, leaving no room for the continuous readjustments that events may demand. The duration of the president’s mandate becomes a crucial factor in the calculations of all political actors, a fact which . . . is fraught with important consequences.
Which answer best describes one of the author’s claims in the passage?
Both the president and legislature have democratic legitimacy, but conflicts may arise between the two institutions over policy disputes.
Parliamentary government is prone to divided government because legislators belong to disciplined parties with clear ideological perspectives.
.
Presidential government is better able than parliamentary government to respond to disagreement between the executive and legislature
Fixed terms in both presidential and parliamentary governments are problematic because they leave no room for readjustments that events may demand.
Two things about presidential government stand out. The first is the president’s strong claim to democratic, even plebiscitarian, legitimacy; the second is his fixed term in office. . . .
. . . In a presidential system, the legislators, especially when they represent cohesive, disciplined parties that offer clear ideological and political alternatives, can also claim democratic legitimacy. This claim is thrown into high relief when a majority of the legislature represents a political option opposed to the one the president represents. . . . Who has the stronger claim to speak on behalf of the people: the president or the legislative majority that opposes his policies? Since both derive their power from the votes of the people in a free competition among well-defined alternatives, a conflict is always possible and at times may erupt dramatically. . . .
The second outstanding feature of presidential systems—the president’s relatively fixed term in office—is also not without drawbacks. It breaks the political process into discontinuous, rigidly demarcated periods, leaving no room for the continuous readjustments that events may demand. The duration of the president’s mandate becomes a crucial factor in the calculations of all political actors, a fact which . . . is fraught with important consequences.
Which of the following is an implication of the author’s argument?
Presidential governments are more democratic because there are more direct elections for top-level government officials.
Presidents derive their legitimacy from the party or coalition of parties they represent.
Passing laws on policy may be more efficient in parliamentary governments because the legislative and executive branches are fused.
Presidential and legislative elections should be held at the same time for greater democratic legitimacy.
Which of the following most accurately compares the national legislatures of Iran and the United Kingdom?
In both countries, the legislatures approve legislation and oversee the budget.
In both countries, each legislature has an upper and lower house.
In both countries, laws passed by the legislatures cannot be overturned.
In both countries, there are no restrictions as to who can run for the legislature.
Which of the following statements best describes the judiciary in Russia and Nigeria?
Russian Supreme Court justices serve 4-year terms, and Nigerian Supreme Court justices serve 12-year terms.
Russian courts have the power of judicial review, but Nigerian courts do not.
Russian Supreme Court justices are approved by the president, and Nigerian Supreme Court justices are elected.
Russia’s government uses the judicial system to target opposition, and Islamic Sharia Courts have been established in northern Nigeria.
Which of the following best describes internal migration in Mexico since 2010 ?
There has been a large movement of people from urban to rural areas.
People from the south often move to the north to work in maquiladora zones.
Ethnic minority groups are given economic incentives to move to the west.
Highly skilled workers are moving to the east coast for high-tech jobs.
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of population growth in two AP Comparative Government and Politics countries?
Russia’s government offers incentives to promote families having fewer children to alleviate problems from its rapid population growth, and Mexico continues to enforce a one-child policy to reduce population growth as a way to ensure national economic growth.
The cost of maintaining the United Kingdom’s nationalized health program increases as its older population grows proportionally larger, and China has reduced governmental restrictions on family planning in an effort to address unequal gender ratios.
Iran has had mixed policies toward population control and growth as a result of the impact of war, and the United Kingdom continues to prohibit immigration because of problems of economic growth.
Nigeria’s government has instituted a limit of two children per family to alleviate budgetary pressures from social service spending, and Mexico provides subsidies for rural residents to move to its capital city because of the capital’s low population density.
Facing worsening air pollution and environmental degradation, Chinese citizens have been increasingly organizing in large, informal groups to protest and mobilize for change. This is an example of which of the following?
The development of a social movement
The creation of a new political party
The formation of local government councils
The establishment of a nongovernmental organization
Which of the following is an implication for competitiveness of the electoral process in Nigeria and Iran?
The Nigerian government has established an independent electoral commission to encourage competitiveness in elections, while the Iranian government continues to impose strict limits on who can run for office.
Iranian legislative elections are very competitive because the Guardian Council encourages free and fair elections, while Nigerian legislative elections are not very competitive because the incumbent always wins.
Electoral competition in Iran and Nigeria is limited, and both countries ban women from running in presidential or legislative elections.
In Nigeria, the government requires that a certain number of seats in the legislature are reserved for minority groups, whereas in Iran there are no legislative seats reserved for specific groups.
Which of the following best describes the data presented in the infographic?
60 percent of Russians approve of the way President Putin is handling energy policy.
78 percent of Russians disapprove of the way President
40 percent of Russians approve of the way President Putin is handling the economy.
49 percent of Russians disapprove of the way President Putin is handling corruption.
Which of the following best describes a popular energy policy undertaken by the Russian government?
The government renationalized the oil industry to bring it under government control.
The government collaborated with multinational corporations to produce oil.
The government privatized the gas industry to make it more efficient.
The government created special energy economic zones in St. Petersburg.
Which of the following explains a potentially negative consequence of executive term limits?
Executive term limits undermine democracy.
Executive term limits usually harm consistent application of rule of law.
Executive term limits can force effective executives out of office.
Executive term limits make the legislative branch too strong.
The type of party system in a particular country is most influenced by the
type of electoral systems used for legislative elections
extent to which the country is a consolidated democracy
size of the country’s population
gender quota laws for legislative elections
Which of the following is an effect of globalization?
It usually reduces access to communication and information.
It often limits state sovereignty.
It typically reduces the role of international organizations.
It diminishes the volume of foreign direct investment.
Which of the following is a neoliberal economic policy?
Nationalizing important sectors of the economy
Increasing regulatory oversight and state control over industry
Reducing trade barriers and rolling back state intervention in the economy
Providing a direct transfer of money to older people and people of lower socioeconomic status
Which of the following is a consequence of the United Kingdom's single-member district plurality electoral system?
Third parties without specific regional support are often underrepresented in Parliament.
British elections are not particularly free, fair, or competitive across the country.
Ethnoreligious minorities have a very large representation in Parliament and the executive cabinet.
Local governing authorities are appointed and have almost no political power.
Which of the following is an effect of fused executive and legislative branches in parliamentary systems?
The executive and legislative branches often have different policy goals.
The judiciary has little to no power or impact as a political institution.
The citizens have a more difficult time following political processes.
The legislature can remove the executive without an impeachment proceeding.
Which of the following has the Nigerian state done to alleviate cleavage-based problems?
Used ethnic quotas in government hiring
Adopted a unitary system
Introduced proportional representation
Outlawed Sharia law
Which of the following is true of political systems in Mexico and Iran?
Both Iran and Mexico use a federal system to provide more local control over selecting mayors, governors, and local policy-makers.
While Mexico’s use of a federal system allows greater autonomy among the various regions, Iran’s unitary system gives greater power to the central government.
Mexico is structured as a unitary state for the purpose of unifying the 31 different regions, while Iran is structured as a federal state to reduce corruption among the 31 provinces.
Both Mexico and Iran use a unitary system as a way to reduce religious and ethnic tensions that exist in Mexico’s northern regions and in the eastern regions of Iran.
Which of the following is a similarity between the political systems of Mexico and Iran?
Both countries have popularly elected presidents.
Both countries have a dominant-party system.
Both countries have legal systems based on Sharia law.
Both countries exclusively use single-member district elections.
“The lower a state’s socioeconomic development, the more likely it is that the state will experience political instability.” This statement is an example of which of the following?
Causation
Positive or coinciding relationship
Negative or inverse relationship
Normative statement
Which of the following is a difference between the prime minister of Russia and the prime minister of the United Kingdom?
The Russian prime minister is directly elected, while the British prime minister is selected by the majority party in Parliament.
The Russian prime minister must be head of the majority party in the Duma, while the British prime minister can be from any party in Parliament.
The Russian prime minister may be removed by the president, while the British prime minister may be removed as a result of a vote of no confidence.
The Russian prime minister may dissolve the Duma, while the British prime minister cannot dissolve Parliament.
Which of the following describes a difference between fascism and populism?
Fascism is the belief in the abolition of private property with near total governmental control over the economy, and populism is the belief in rights of the common people over elites.
Fascism is an extreme nationalist ideology that favors authoritarian rule and the rights of the ethnic majority over that of ethnic minorities, and populism is the belief in the reduction of income disparities.
Fascism is an extreme nationalist ideology that favors authoritarian rule and the rights of the ethnic majority over that of ethnic minorities, and populism is the belief in rights of the common people over elites.
Fascism is the belief in individual civil liberties and freedom over governmental restrictions, and populism is the belief in limited governmental intervention in the economy and society.
Which of the following is true of political participation and parties in China and Mexico?
In both China and Mexico, citizens associated with foreign, nongovernmental organizations cannot form political parties or vote in national elections.
Opposition parties supported the protests in China in 2013, but no opposition party supported protests in Mexico in the 1990s.
Members of the Chinese National People’s Congress are elected using proportional and plurality voting systems, while members of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies are elected using only a proportional election system.
Parties other than the Chinese Communist Party are allowed to exist in China, while most Mexican voters in the 2018 election identified with the PRI, PAN, MORENA.
Which of the following countries have bicameral legislatures?
Nigeria and China
The United Kingdom and Iran
China and Mexico
Russia and Nigeria
Which of the following best describes how a government can maintain political legitimacy?
By instituting presidential term limits
By limiting the investigatory powers of the media
By decreasing political corruption
By creating political cleavages
