AP Comparative Government and Politics Practice Test

1. Question

If studies demonstrate that countries with higher per capita GDP are more democratic than countries with lower per capita GDP, then the relationship between per capita GDP and democracy is

causal
correlated
normative
qualitative

2. Question

Which of the following variables is the best measure of living standards in a country?

Gross domestic product (GDP)
Per capita gross domestic product
Freedom House political rights score
Human Development Index (HDI)

3. Question

Which of the following best captures why Nigeria has experienced more coups than Mexico has since 1960?

Mexico’s economy is more dependent upon the export of natural resources than Nigeria’s economy is, so outside corporations and governments take a greater interest in Mexico’s stability.
Nigeria features sharper ethnic and religious divides than Mexico does, provoking conflict between groups for control of the central government, which has permitted the military to intervene.
Nigeria’s population is much larger than Mexico’s population, providing more opportunities for conflict and a greater need for a powerful military.
Mexico’s military has historically been a more powerful actor in domestic politics than Nigeria’s military has, and it has used its influence to ensure stability.

4. Question

Which of the following pairs of countries have presidential systems?

Nigeria and Mexico
Mexico and Iran
China and the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom and Russia

5. Question

Which of the following statements about the role and function of executives in each country is most accurate?

The British monarch and the Iranian supreme leader are both largely ceremonial positions.
The Nigerian president conducts foreign policy, whereas the Russian president relies on the prime minister for foreign policy.
Iran has a supreme leader instead of a president, whereas Russia has a president and a prime minister who serve as equals.
The Chinese president and the Nigerian president are both commanders in chief of the armed forces.

6. Question

Which of the following describes an accurate difference between parliamentary and presidential systems?

Parliamentary systems have better rule of law than presidential systems.
Parliamentary systems have fewer institutional obstacles to enact policy.
Parliamentary systems are unitary, whereas presidential systems are federal.
Parliamentary systems have more political parties than presidential systems do.

7. Question

Which of the following accurately compares the status of civil liberties and civil rights in democratic and authoritarian regimes?

Only democratic regimes encourage elections.
Only authoritarian regimes place any restrictions on the media.
Only authoritarian regimes restrict citizen access to information about government policy making.
Only democratic regimes encourage citizen control of the political agenda by granting civil liberties.

8. Question

Which of the following explains how civil society interacts with politics in both Nigeria and Mexico?

Nigeria and Mexico both totally repress civil society, which undermines democracy by reducing individual freedoms.
Nigeria and Mexico both suffer from a corporatist structure that undermines the power of civil society.
Nigeria and Mexico both benefit from an increasingly active civil society, much of which focuses on reducing corruption.
Nigeria and Mexico both have civil societies deeply rooted in their long histories of democracy.

9. Question

Which of the following describes contrasting political ideologies?

In Mexico, the government is limited to the same rules as its citizens, whereas in Russia the government uses the law to reinforce the authority of the state.
In Iran, the government is limited to the same rules as its citizens, whereas in Nigeria the government uses the law to reinforce the authority of the state.
In China, citizens value rule by law, whereas in Iran citizens value rule of law.
In Russia, citizens value rule of law, whereas in the United Kingdom citizens value rule by law.

10. Question

Refer to the passage.

Source: Geneive Adbo and Abdalla Hendawy, “Iran’s Latest Revolution Won’t Fade Away,” Bloomberg Opinion, January 19, 2018.

As with any social uprising, the unpredictable factor when trying to gauge the longevity of this particular movement is the strength of the state. . . .

What we are witnessing in Iran now should not be viewed as an isolated outcry, but rather . . . a hybrid momentum that started in 1999 and led by students who later became involved in the Green Movement. They are belatedly joining the current unrest, which is evolving to include new social classes of people who were not at the center of previous protests.

Although this momentum has not been linear, neither were the Arab uprisings in 2011. The Iranian demonstrators’ demands—food subsidies, jobs and lower prices—are perfectly attainable if the regime re-allocates its resources from the military to the economy. The fact that it is highly unlikely to do so, coupled with the demonstrators’ resentment, could inspire more protests in the near future that may forge a broader alliance between the middle class and the working class. It is unlikely that this simmering social movement will wait another decade to rear its head.

Which of the following is supported by the main idea of the passage?

Demonstrators in Iran are unpredictable and unclear in their demands, which will lead them to be crushed by the government.
The Arab uprisings in 2011 were the catalyst for the protests in Iran.
The Iranian state could meet the demonstrators’ demands and end the uprisings but probably will not.
Students were the largest group of protesters in Iran, and their issues were resolved in 2011.

11. Question

Refer to the passage.

Source: Geneive Adbo and Abdalla Hendawy, “Iran’s Latest Revolution Won’t Fade Away,” Bloomberg Opinion, January 19, 2018.

As with any social uprising, the unpredictable factor when trying to gauge the longevity of this particular movement is the strength of the state. . . .

What we are witnessing in Iran now should not be viewed as an isolated outcry, but rather . . . a hybrid momentum that started in 1999 and led by students who later became involved in the Green Movement. They are belatedly joining the current unrest, which is evolving to include new social classes of people who were not at the center of previous protests.

Although this momentum has not been linear, neither were the Arab uprisings in 2011. The Iranian demonstrators’ demands—food subsidies, jobs and lower prices—are perfectly attainable if the regime re-allocates its resources from the military to the economy. The fact that it is highly unlikely to do so, coupled with the demonstrators’ resentment, could inspire more protests in the near future that may forge a broader alliance between the middle class and the working class. It is unlikely that this simmering social movement will wait another decade to rear its head.

Which of the following statements is an implication of the argument presented in the passage?

Because social movements lack organized hierarchy, it is difficult to meet their demands, and Iran is likely to face continued political instability.
It is wrong to conflate the Green Movement, which was about foreign direct investment, with this most recent movement, which is about economic struggle.
Iran has a strong state that is able to suppress opposition movements and is able to control all social media posts about political protests.
Since the Green Movement was not successful, citizens have stopped believing that protests are an effective means of voicing frustration with the government.

12. Question

Which of the following characteristics best fits a catch-all party?

Presenting voters with an ideological viewpoint that envisions the role of government in a consistent manner on all issues
A singular focus on one political issue that it considers most important and in need of government attention
A willingness to change its position on a given issue to encourage more voters to support it in any given election
The transnational pursuit of power by presenting a consistent message to voters in multiple countries

13. Question

Refer to the chart.

Which of the following is accurate according to the chart?

Between 1980 and 2040, China’s actual fertility rate will rise significantly, but the estimated fertility rate would have remained stable without the one-child policy.
China’s fertility rate would have been much higher prior to 2005 without the one-child policy.
Families were refusing to obey the one-child policy as represented by the increased fertility rates between 1990 and 2010.
China’s fertility rate will be higher in 2005 than it was in 1980.

14. Question

Refer to the chart.

Which of the following is an implication of the chart?

A two-child policy in the 1980s would have been a more effective response to demographic pressures than the one-child policy was.
The fertility rate in China was heavily influenced by the one-child policy, especially between 1990 and 2015.
China’s one-child policy was an effective response to demographic pressures.
China’s one-child policy was unnecessary, as the fertility rate would have declined similarly without a policy restricting fertility rates.

15. Question

Economic liberalization policies in Mexico resulted in which of the following?

Internal migration from the north of the country to the south
The removal of maquiladora zones in the north
The removal of agricultural subsidies
The refusal to sign the North American Free Trade Agreement

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AP Comparative Government and Politics Practice Test