PS 201 Introduction to US Politics
Joseph Boland Fall, 1998

 

Midterm Examination Review

 

1. Review the basic differences between elite and popular democracy, including human nature, democratic process, purpose of democracy, theory of representation, and view of stability and change.

2. The following sections are intended to help you focus on key terms and ideas for the three subjects that will be covered by the examination. Definitions on the exam can be provided in 1-3 sentences, though you are welcome to write more. The important thing is to zero in on the key features identified in readings and lectures.

THE CONSTITUTION

  1. Definitions
    1. Common Sense
    2. Republicanism
    3. John Locke
    4. Articles of Confederation
    5. Shays's Rebellion
    6. Virginia Plan
    7. New Jersey Plan
    8. Hamilton's Plan
    9. Great Compromise
    10. James Madison
    11. Federalist Papers
    12. Federalists
    13. AntiFederalists
    14. Bill of Rights
  2. Study Questions
    1. What were the central ideas of republicanism?
    2. What were the central ideas of liberalism?
    3. What were the Articles of Confederation?
    4. What were the noteworthy features of the revolutionary state constitutions of 1776?
    5. What was notable about the Pennsylvania constitution of 1776?
    6. Why did small farmers during the 1780s press for stay and tender laws?
    7. What factors spurred the convening f the Constitutional Convention?
    8. What conflict did the Great Compromise resolve?
    9. Why did the authors of the Constitution favor a system of checks and balances?
    10. How was the institution of slavery handled at the Constitutional Convention?
    11. Compare Federalist and Anti-Federalist views of human nature, representation, the proper scale (size) of a republic, separation of powers/checks and balances, and the purpose of government.
    12. What advantage did James Madison see in a large republic?

 

THE AMERICAN POLITICAL ECONOMY

  1. Definitions
    1. Capitalism
    2. Corporate capitalism
    3. Shareholder democracy
    4. Corporate oligopoly
    5. Downsizing
    6. Outsourcing
    7. Wagner Act of 1935
    8. Military-industrial complex
    9. Civil society
    10. Military Keynesianism
  1. Study Questions
    1. How did Maxxam, Inc.'s practices differ from those of Pacific Lumber?
    2. What possibility does the story of Weirton Steel illustrate?
    3. What features of free markets do elite democrats like? What problems do popular democrats think free markets create?
    4. What kind of role do elite democrats prefer for the state? What do popular democrats favor?
    5. What is meant by "shareholder democracy"? Why do popular democrats not believe corporate ownership is democratic?
    6. Explain the direct versus structural influence of corporations on the political system and how they differ (what the text speaks of as "corporate power in politics" and the "privileged position of business" (94-95).
    7. What is the military-industrial complex? How large is it?
    8. What has happened to labor union membership since World War II? What is the new leadership of the unions trying to do about this?
    9. How has the distribution of wealth changed in recent years? Who has benefitted the most? The least?
    10. Roughly what percentage of American children live in poverty? Of African-American children?
    11. What has happened to real wages over the past 25 years? How about the wages of women versus men? Of African-Americans versus whites? What about Hispanics versus whites?
    12. How do elite and popular democrats differ in their views of the inequalities in society?
    13. Why does the text think that civil society is declining? What role does economic pressure play in this?
    14. What methods have corporations used in response to new international competition?
    15. What is the central idea of Keynesian economic management?
    16. How did the New Deal lay the basis for the social accord that characterized the postwar era in the US?
    17. What are some of the key indications of a long economic downturn since the early 1970s?
    18. What is the "supply-side" explanation for this downturn? What did the Reagan administration do based on this?
    19. What are some popular democratic explanations? What does Robert Brenner consider the overriding cause of the downturn?


PUBLIC OPINION AND THE MEDIA

  1. Definitions
    1. Public opinion
    2. Political culture
    3. Equality of condition
    4. Equality of opportunity
    5. Ideology
    6. Liberals
    7. Conservatives
    8. Political socialization
    9. Social class
    10. Gender gap
    11. Deliberative poll
    12. Yellow journalism
    13. Virtual democracy
    14. Agenda setting by media
    15. Revolving door
    16. Rolodex syndrome
    17. Telecommunications Act of 1996
    18. Pack journalism
    19. Horse race journalism
    20. Civic journalism
  1. Study Questions
    1. What are the principal findings of public opinion research concerning the political knowledge and competence of Americans?
    2. What lessons about political participation do elite democrats draw from these findings?
    3. What did John Dewey consider the chief threat to an informed public?
    4. How and why do popular democrats defend public participation despite these empirical findings?
    5. What are some problems popular democrats see in opinion survey methods? Why did George Gallup think opinion polling would enhance democracy?
    6. What are some lessons that can be drawn from the growth of public opposition to commercial nuclear power?
    7. What has happened to Americans' confidence and trust in government since the mid-1960s?
    8. What do liberals and conservatives typically disagree about most sharply?
    9. What does the text think political socialization in school helps to do?
    10. What contrasts in political attitudes based on social class does the text emphasize?
    11. What are some of the most pronounced differences between the opinions of whites and African-Americans?
    12. What makes the media important politically?
    13. To attribute causation, to designate those authorized to explain, to frame issues, and to characterize or "construct" subjects are examples of what media function?
    14. How did early newspapers differ in purpose and philosophy from newspapers today?
    15. How do ownership concentration, profit-seeking, and conglomeration affect freedom of expression?
    16. What is disturbing about Disney/ABC's firing of Jim Hightower?
    17. What kind of audience is usually most prized by media corporations? Why? With what likely consequences?
    18. How does the media's reliance on a narrow range of sources, along with the capacity of some sources to produce a high volume of carefully packaged news-oriented material, contribute to constrained pluralism?
    19. What are some of the ways in which newsworthiness criteria discourage attention to major social problems?
    20. What is pack journalism? How does it reinforce the apparent objectivity of media reporting?
    21. What was the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Fairness Rule?
    22. Why do proponents of telecommunications deregulation believe that neither economic concentration nor the repeal of the Fairness Rule threaten freedom of expression?