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Introduction to Politics, 1Ce – Chapter 9

Instructions: For each question, click on the radio button beside your answer. When you have completed the entire quiz, click the 'Submit my answers' button at the bottom of the page to receive your results.

Question 1:


a) To provide a check on the power of the executive.
b) To see that the law is properly enforced.
c) To ensure that all social groups are equally represented in decision-making.
d) To make sure that the interests of the bourgeoisie always prevail.

Question 2:


a) they are not adequately representative of the electorate, particularly in respect of the proportion of women.
b) on many key issues they do not provide a reliable check on the power of the executive.
c) they lack legitimacy because electoral turnout is relatively low nowadays.
d) all of the above.

Question 3:


a) express the views of his constituency, regardless of his views on the matter.
b) match the demographic characteristics of the majority of his constituents.
c) exercise his own judgment with regards to legislation.
d) operate with impunity while in office.

Question 4:


a) constituencies of roughly equal size.
b) the interests of big business, ignoring ordinary voters.
c) the interests of the poor, as opposed to the well-off.
d) constituencies of very different sizes.

Question 5:


a) governments are formed or fall on the basis of parliamentary arithmetic.
b) the prime minister is always subordinate to an elected president.
c) the nominal head of state is always a hereditary monarch.
d) general elections are held at fixed intervals.

Question 6:


a) The US can do whatever it wants in the sphere of foreign policy.
b) He or she is the only official elected by the whole country.
c) He or she enjoys the unanimous backing of the legislature.
d) He or she usually has a distinguished record in the armed forces.

Question 7:


a) they discourage people with big egos from going into politics.
b) they ensure that the will of the majority always prevails.
c) they make better decisions on the key issues.
d) they tend to promote strong, decisive government because they encourage more disciplined parties in the legislature.

Question 8:


a) Non-governmental organizations like the media hold governments to account.
b) Ministers who sleep too much are always forced to resign.
c) Executive decisions can be monitored, and if necessary overturned, by other executive agencies.
d) Only governmental institutions can hold the executive to account.

Question 9:


a) does occasionally play a significant political role, but can be ignored by the executive in certain circumstances.
b) holds its sessions in remote regions in order to play down the influence of opinion-shapers in the capital city.
c) is completely powerless and is always ignored by the executive.
d) defines the margins of the politically-possible, and can always check the executive when it exceeds its power.

Question 10:


a) The ability of some unusual people to exercise authority over voters by sheer force of personality.
b) A group of self-seeking office-holders and their allies who have not had much experience of life outside politics.
c) An assortment of self-appointed commentators who try to contribute to political debate through Internet blogs.
d) The bourgeoisie—the class which dominates politics under the capitalist system.