AP Comparative Government and Politics

Final Exam Practice Questions

A plebiscite is a variation of a(n):
referendum
Which two legislatures have little power to oversee the executive and
enact laws?
the Chinese Peoples National Congress and the Russian Federation
Council
Which of the following countries have experienced formal colonial
control in the past?
Mexico and Nigeria
For which of the following countries is national identity the most
problematic for the political system?
Nigeria
A vote of no confidence is an important tool for policymakers in:
parliamentary systems only
Which of the following types of regimes is least common in todays
world?
fascism
Which of the following political parties has a history of domination by
one man?
Chinese Communist Party
Which of the following political parties in Britain has most openly
advocated proportional representation?
Liberal Democratic Party
When a democracy is supported by all parts of the society, including
elites and ordinary people, the process that has occurred is called:
democratic consolidation
A coalition government is most likely to form in a country that has:
a multi-party system
Which of the following is an example of an organization that most
clearly indicates the existence of a strong civil society in a country?
an organization of local volunteers for the public schools
A recent change in the rules for electing deputies to Russias Duma has
eliminated:
single-member districts

AP Comparative Government and Politics

Final Exam Practice Questions
Which of the following political parties has been the majority party in
the British House of Commons from 1997 to the present?
the Labour Party
If a states boundaries do not closely follow the outline of a group
bonded by a common political identity, the state is not consistent with:
the nation
Which of the following is a normative statement about government and
politics in China?
The Chinese judicial system would serve the country better if it were
more independent.
Which of the following is not a power of the Guardian Council in Iran?
the right to dismiss the supreme leader
Which of the following countries is NOT a major exporter of oil?
Britain
A concept important to Maoism but not to Leninism was:
mass line
Define Modernism:
A set of values that come along with industrialization; values include
secularism, emphasis on reasoning, materialism, technology,
bureaucracy, and emphasis on freedom rather than collective equality.
The shock therapy reforms by Boris Yeltsin pointed Russia toward the
development of:
a free-market economy
Which of the following often mediates policy disputes between the
Majles and the Guardian Council in Iran?
the Expediency Council
Define Failed State:
a situation in which the very structures of the state may become so
weak that it collapses, resulting in anarchy and violence that erupts as
order breaks down.
Which of the following is a legal reform enacted in China since 1978?
development of criminal law to address corruption
A recent development that may indicate that Nigeria is democratizing
is:

AP Comparative Government and Politics

Final Exam Practice Questions
the election tribunals have been allowed to investigate allegations of
election fraud
Which of the following is the BEST description of the geographic
distribution of power within states today?
Most states are unitary systems
Which of the following is the most reliable indication that a country is a
failed state?
Persistent anarchy
The Gini Index for Selected Countries

The chart above provides evidence that, of the countries on the list,
Norway has the:
most equal distribution of wealth

AP Comparative Government and Politics

Final Exam Practice Questions
Velayat-e-faqih (jurists guardianship) in Iran gives the leading
responsibility to interpret religious documents and sharia to:
the supreme leader
Prebendalism is a term that describes Nigerias:
political party system
Define Post Industrialism:
The majority of the people are employed in the service sector,
including industries as technologies, health care, business, and legal
services, finance and education.

The chart illustrates the principle of:

parallel hierarchy in China

AP Comparative Government and Politics

Final Exam Practice Questions
Which of the following countries do/does not have a legal system
based on code law?
Britain
A statistical tool that estimates the buying power of income across
different countries by using prices in the United States as a benchmark
is:
Purchasing Power Parity
The head of government in Iran is the:
president
Which of the following is an accurate comparison of party systems in
Britain and Russia?
Russias political parties are more likely to be organized around a
personality or a powerful individual.
Which of the following refers to a system in which autonomous interest
groups compete with each other and with government for influence
over state policies?
interest group pluralism
The general aging of the population is especially problematic in
maintaining the welfare system in:
Britain
A federal system is best defined as one that:
splits policymaking power between the central government and
subunits
Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement about parties and
interest groups in most democratic political systems?
Parties contribute money to candidates for public office; interest
groups do not.
Which of the following is a basic difference between Maoism and
Leninism?
Leninism was based on the importance of party vanguard; Maoism
emphasized the strength of the peasant.
Which of the following is an indication that Nigeria is moving toward
democracy?
Nigerias Freedom House scores have steadily improved over the past
few years.
A common election result in Britain is that the:

AP Comparative Government and Politics

Final Exam Practice Questions
seats won by the Liberal Democratic Party do not reflect the
percentage of votes they get
Which of the following public officials are directly elected in Russia?
Duma deputies and the president
Which of the following is an incorrect match?
Nigeria/unitary state
In recent years the most significant problems that the Chinese
government has had in regard to ethnic minorities have been with:
Uyghurs and Tibetans
An important characteristic of the British political culture that supports
the general willingness of the British to accept a welfare state is:
noblesse oblige
Which of the following is the best description of Nigerias political
system since 1960?
Military rule and coup detats characterized the regime until recently.
In Iran, the overarching principle of velayat-e-faqih (jurists
guardianship) is based on:
senior clerics authority to interpret sharia law
Compared with proportional representation, plurality electoral systems
usually result in:
a political party system with fewer competitive parties
Which of the following policies would MPs of the Thatcherite wing of
the Conservative Party in Britain be least likely to support?
expanding the scope of the National Health Service
Which of the following individuals would most likely be more inclined to
vote for a reformist candidate for president in Iran?
a middle-class urban professional
Which of the following is the best description of the voter profile for
PAN in Mexico?
middle-class professional or business from the north
For most of the 20th century, both Russia and Mexico were ruled by:
one political party
Political parties in Iran are best described as being organized around:
personalities and powerful individuals

AP Comparative Government and Politics

Final Exam Practice Questions
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 did NOT provide for:
a one-party system