Chapter 8 Multiple choice questions

. Which of the following is the defining feature of a challenger party?

A party that does not rely on mass membership.

A party that is organized around a single issue, such as the environment.

A party that is run by a small group of parliamentarians without an organization outside parliament.

A party that lacks previous experience in government.

. Which of the following best describes a populist party?

A party that adheres to an ideology that separates society into the good people and the corrupt elite.

A party that is opposed to democracy.

A party that adheres to an ideology centred around conspiracy theories and misinformation.

A party that is centred around a charismatic leader.

. Which of the following statements describes a catch-all party?

A party that seeks support among the wider electorate, wishing to maximize electoral support even if sacrificing ideological purity.

A party that is organized around an elite group in parliament that funds the party out of their personal wealth.

A party funded around a large but homogenous member base that controls decision-making.

A party that has spent at least the last decade out of power.

. Which of the following features is NOT part of the definition of a niche party according to Bonnie Meguid?

A party that rejects a traditional class-based political orientation.

A party that focuses on a specific issue, such as the environment.

A party that appeals to voters across existing cleavages.

A party that focuses on liberal issues, such as economic freedom.

. Which party family is commonly found in the lower right quadrant of the following party space:

A political compass has intersecting vertical and horizontal axes, forming four quadrants. The vertical axis ranges from cultural left at bottom to cultural right at top. Cultural left represents civil rights and internationalism. Cultural right represents traditional values and authoritarianism. The horizontal axis ranges from economic left on the left to economic right on the right. Economic left represents high state involvement in economy and redistribution. Economic right represents low state involvement in economy and low spending.

Liberal parties

Socialist parties

Conservative parties

Radical right parties

. Which party family is commonly found in the upper right quadrant of the following party space:

Liberal parties

Socialist parties

Conservative parties

Radical right parties

. Which party family is commonly found in the lower left quadrant of the following party space:

Liberal parties

Socialist parties

Conservative parties

Radical right parties

. What is the meaning of dealignment in electoral politics?

Parties in one party family becoming increasingly dissimilar

Voters abandoning a party they have been loyal to without switching allegiance to a new party.

Voters switching party allegiance.

Parties becoming more radical in cultural, but not in economic terms.

. What is the 'freezing hypothesis' with reference to party systems?

Parties do not change their ideological positions over time.

The polarization in the party system remains constant over time.

Social cleavages of the early 20^th century still define European party systems decades later.

Party systems in Northern Europe are very different from those in Southern Europe.

. Which of the following party type relies on a large, homogenous support base?

Mass parties

Entrepreneurial parties

Catch-all parties

Challenger parties

Quiz Content