Eitzen, In Conflict and Order: Understanding Society, 14th Edition, Test Bank
Chapter Twelve: Power and Politics
Multiple Choice Questions
TB_Q12.1.1
The _____ model views power as broadly distributed among a number of organizations, special interests, and the
voters.
a. elitist
b. pluralist
c. instrumentalist
d. conflict
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.1.2
Which model of power is most aligned with the conflict model of sociology?
a. Elitist
b. Pluralist
c. Sequence
d. Imperative
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level:
Skill Level:
TB_Q12.1.3
The phrase “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” describes which type of political system?
a. Oligarchy
b. Communism
c. Democracy
d. Monarchy
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.1.4
Chapter Twelve: Power and Politics
What percentage of Americans of voting age chose to vote in the 2012 presidential election?
a. 96.2%
b. 63.5%
c. 53.6%
d. 37.1%
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
TB_Q12.1.5
The Republican and Democratic Parties receive federal matching campaign funds based on their presumed viability,
which serves to
a. keep the strong parties strong and the weak parties weak.
b. keep campaign financing fair and balanced.
c. relieve the parties of some fundraising so they can focus on the issues.
d. balance the power of the parties by favoring one party in one election and the other party in the next election.
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
TB_Q12.1.6
The Electoral College allows for the possibilty that someone could be elected president even if that person received
fewer votes than his or her opponent; for instance, in the year 2000 presidential election
a. Bush won despite having more than half a million fewer votes than Gore.
b. Bush won despite having almost 600,000 fewer votes than Kerry.
c. Obama won by a landslide popular vote, despite having fewer votes in the Electoral College.
d. Obama won despite having more than 500,000 fewer votes than Gore.
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
TB_Q12.1.7
The number of each state’s electors in the Electoral College is based on the number of senators and
representatives in that state. The problem with this system is states with
a. large populations receive a disproportionatly high number of electoral votes.
b. small populations receive a disproportionatly high number of electoral votes.
c. more senators receive a disproportionatly high number of electoral votes.
d. large populations dominate the Electoral College process.
In Conflict and Order, 14th edition
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.1.8
What is the term for the process in which state legislatures under partisan control deliberately shape
congressional districts to favor their own parties?
a. Electioneering
b. Polling
c. Gerrymandering
d. Campaigning
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
TB_Q12.1.9
What did the McCain–Feingold law seek to do?
a. Establish the 527 loophole to allow more soft money contributions to political campaigns
b. Remove the limits on soft money donations to political campaigns
c. Declare corporations to be people, allowing them to make soft money campaign donations
d. Limit soft money donations to political campaigns to $2,300
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
TB_Q12.1.10
The New York Times editorialized: “The court’s conservative majority has paved the way for corporations to
use their vast treasuries to overwhelm elections and intimidate elected officials into doing their bidding.” That
opinion was a response to
a. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
b. the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.
c. the McCain–Feingold law.
d. Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
TB_Q12.1.11
Chapter Twelve: Power and Politics
What is the basic difference between pluralists and elitists regarding those in society who are wealthy enough to be
upper class?
a. Whether there is basic unity or disagreement among the powerful from different sectors
b. Who should be considered upper class
c. The income level at which a member of the upper class becomes powerful
d. Whether the power of the upper class resides in individuals or in institutions
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.1.12
The pluralist idea of interest groups is the groups that primarily exercise power vary with the issue. This idea of
_____ means that interest groups band together to neutralize each other when their interests do not align.
a. power elites
b. veto groups
c. voting dominance
d. camaradaries
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
TB_Q12.1.13
An important criticism of the pluralistic model is that it is
a. impossible to put into effect because of the opposition of various interest groups.
b. impossible to put into effect because it is not based on ideals or principals.
c. an idealized conception of the distribution of power that does not conform with reality.
d. an idealized conception of the distribution of power that does not recognize interest groups.
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Analyze It
TB_Q12.1.14
In Conflict and Order, 14th edition
A criticism of the pluralist model of power is that
a. those who promote this idea are actually secret elitists from the upper-economic stratum.
b. a truly pluralist model would support campaign finance reform.
c. in real life, people from all walks of life routinely vote against their own interests.
d. the leaders in each sector come disproportionately from the upper-economic stratum, and thus share common
goals and interests.
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Analyze It
TB_Q12.1.15
While it is difficult to conclusively prove that campaign contributions result in direct favors, there is some
indirect evidence that this must be so. For instance
a. interest groups often give to candidates who run unopposed.
b. interest groups give only to candidates with whom they agree.
c. candidates return donations to interest groups with whom they disagree.
d. candidates routinely release the names of interest groups who donate to their party PACs.
Learning Objective: LO 12.1: Critique the pluralist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Pluralist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
TB_Q12.1.16
According to the chapter, the most important component of a democratic model is that representatives, because they
are elected by the people,
a. can do whatever it takes to keep the country safe.
b. are responsive to the wishes of the people.
c. do the will of the majority at all times.
d. remember that the legislature is the most important branch of government.
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
TB_Q12.3.17
Chapter Twelve: Power and Politics
Which model of societal power is similar to the views of Karl Marx?
a. Elitist
b. Pluralist
c. Citizenry
d. Order
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.2.18
In the _____ view, the ruling class rules by controlling political officials and institutions through money and
influence.
a. order model
b. instrumentalist
c. structuralist
d. pluralist
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
TB_Q12.2.19
In the _____ view, the political and economic elite are on the same side and so the state will serve the interests of the
elite whether they actively try to manipulate the system or not.
a. order model
b. instrumentalist
c. structuralist
d. pluralist
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
TB_Q12.2.20
In Conflict and Order, 14th edition
In _____’s classic view of the U.S. structure of power posits that the key people in three sectors—the corporate
rich, the executive branch of the government, and the military—combine to form a power elite that makes all
important decisions.
a. Karl Marx
b. G. William Domhoff
c. Michael Parenti
d. C. Wright Mills
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.2.21
Which of the following is NOT part of Mills’s pyramid of power?
a. Power elite
b. Local opinion leaders, legislatures, and interest groups
c. Clerisy
d. Powerless masses
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.2.22
C. Wright Mills divides the U.S. power structure into _____, with the leaders of these groups forming the top level of
a power pyramid.
a. the unions, the media, and the federal government
b. national opinion leaders, the judicial branch of government, and the media
c. local opinion leaders, the legislative branch of government, and interest groups
d. the corporate rich, the executive branch of government, and the military
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
TB_Q12.2.23
C. Wright Mills sees the structure of power as forming a _____ with three levels.
a. pyramid of power
b. power triangle
c. sphere of influence
d. confederacy of squares
Chapter Twelve: Power and Politics
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Easy
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
TB_Q12.2.24
According to Mills, the institutional positions men and women occupy throughout their lifetimes determine the
values they will hold. He called this
a. the pyramid of power.
b. psychological similarity.
c. social interaction.
d. coinciding interests.
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.2.25
Who maintained that the psychological similarity among the members of the elite is derived from their similar
social origins and lifestyles?
a. Karl Marx
b. G. William Domhoff
c. C. Wright Mills
d. Michael Parenti
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.2.26
Mills argued that the members of the ruling elite interact with each other, their children go to the same schools, and
they do business together. Hence, these people who are the inner circle of the upper social classes tend to see the
world alike. This idea is the basis of which of his factors of unity?
a. Pyramid of power
b. Psychological similarity
c. Social interaction
d. Coinciding interests
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.2.27
In Conflict and Order, 14th edition
Which thinker noted that members of the ruling class tend to see the world alike because they interact socially, send
their children to the same elite schools, and do business with each other?
a. Karl Marx
b. G. William Domhoff
c. Michael Parenti
d. C. Wright Mills
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.2.28
Mills’s third unifying condition, which he called _____, hypothesized that the elite have similar goals and desires,
such as maintaining themselves at the top of the capitalist system.
a. the pyramid of power
b. psychological similarity
c. social interaction
d. coinciding interests
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
TB_Q12.2.29
Which of the following developed a model of power broadly based on the idea of a dominant class?
a. Karl Marx
b. G. William Domhoff
c. Michael Parenti
d. C. Wright Mills
Learning Objective: LO 12.2: Critique the elitist model of power.
Topic/Concept: The Elitist Model of Power
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
TB_Q12.2.30