Chapter 8 Quiz

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1. Which major country does not have a single, written constitution?

a. Russia correct incorrect

b. Iran correct incorrect

c. Germany correct incorrect

d. United Kingdom correct incorrect

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2. Which of the following is a feature of most constitutions?

a. Definition of the structure of the branches of government correct incorrect

b. Definition of the nation's eternal enemies correct incorrect

c. Definition of the nation's place in the international hierarchy correct incorrect

d. None of the above correct incorrect

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3. Which system would be considered most distinct from unitarism?

a. Constitutionalism correct incorrect

b. Fiscalism correct incorrect

c. Federalism correct incorrect

d. Parliamentarism correct incorrect

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4. Which of the following most closely reflects the idea of parliamentary sovereignty?

a. The parliament has the final responsibility for border control. correct incorrect

b. All judicial rulings are subject to legislative approval. correct incorrect

c. Parliament makes wars. correct incorrect

d. Laws passed by the legislature are not subject to judicial review. correct incorrect

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5. Why do some commentators criticize judicial review?

a. Judges are unfamiliar with constitutional law. correct incorrect

b. Judges are often unelected yet pass judgment on major constitutional issues. correct incorrect

c. Parliaments are unfamiliar with constitutional law. correct incorrect

d. Parliaments are elected yet pass laws that affect major issues of constitutional rights. correct incorrect

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6. Which of the following is a unitary state?

a. United States correct incorrect

b. France correct incorrect

c. Venezuela correct incorrect

d. Nigeria correct incorrect

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7. Which of the following is a federal country?

a. France correct incorrect

b. Brazil correct incorrect

c. United Kingdom correct incorrect

d. Italy correct incorrect

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8. Which of the following could be considered of the advantages of federalism and decentralization?

a. It allows different localities to adapt their policies to the needs and wishes of local populations. correct incorrect

b. It prevents governmental over-reach and takeovers. correct incorrect

c. It prevents the state from being able to carry out its basic functions. correct incorrect

d. Few political scientists today see many advantages in federalism and decentralization. correct incorrect

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9. Which of the following is most likely among contemporary authoritarian regimes?

a. It will have a constitution, yet the government will behave unconstitutionally. correct incorrect

b. It will behave constitutionally but will not have a written constitution. correct incorrect

c. If it has a democratic constitution, it will have to behave democratically. correct incorrect

d. It will listen to reason if arguments are based on the constitution. correct incorrect

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10. The emergence of constitutionalism is associated with which of the following?

a. The emergence of contracts between rulers and ruled correct incorrect

b. Greater agricultural productivity correct incorrect

c. Increasing theocracy correct incorrect

d. The emergence of totalitarianism correct incorrect

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11. Which of the following is associated with William Riker's argument about the origins of federalism?

a. Different political units find themselves “coming together” in a federal system correct incorrect

b. Different political units find themselves “hanging together” in a federal system correct incorrect

c. Differing political actors find themselves “putting together” units into a federal system correct incorrect

d. Differing political actors find themselves “holding together” a federal system correct incorrect

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12. According to William Riker, what is the commonality found across many cases of federalism?

a. It is the result of bargaining by foreign powers as they impose a political system on a territory. correct incorrect

b. It is the result of a bargain among regional actors and a prospective national government that is driven by external threats. correct incorrect

c. It is a result of territorial bargaining by elite powers as they develop a national system in a region correct incorrect

d. This is a trick question: Riker identifies no such commonality, declaring that “all cases are perfectly unique.”€ correct incorrect

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13. Which of the following will characterize a constitution that is relatively rigid?

a. Difficulty in ensuring judicial review correct incorrect

b. Difficulty in making amendments correct incorrect

c. A very rigid culture, more generally speaking correct incorrect

d. Insistence that paper copies of the constitution be available during any major debate in the legislature correct incorrect

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14. Which of the following documents was created most recently?

a. The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen correct incorrect

b. The Declaration of Rights of the South African Constitution correct incorrect

c. The Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution correct incorrect

d. The English Magna Carta correct incorrect

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15. Which of the following characterizes Iran?

a. Parliamentary sovereignty correct incorrect

b. Strong judicial review by clerics correct incorrect

c. Pronounced decentralization correct incorrect

d. Checks and balances correct incorrect