Question

Please select your choice in BOLD.

1. Democratic regimes are more likely to be

1. high in despotic power, because their states are effective in carrying out the wishes of the voters without needing to secure the approval of interest groups.
2. low in despotic power because, in order to be democratic, these regimes’ states must be greatly constrained in their authority to repress citizens.
3. high in infrastructural power, because their citizens demand public goods, and low in despotic power, because democratic officials are personally committed to behave in an un-authoritarian manner.
4. low in despotic power, because citizens in democratic regimes always comply with state directives.

2. If, by 2024, we determine that President Biden has transformed his administration into a populist one, it might be because

1. he has repeatedly called for an end to divisive political rhetoric.
2. he and his partisan allies in Congress have packed the Supreme Court.
3. his political speeches regularly pit most voters against a corrupt political establishment.
4. his administration has moved sharply to the left on hot-button social issues.

3. In Levitsky/Ziblatt’s view, Roosevelt’s effort to “pack” the Supreme Court failed to weaken American democracy because

1. congressional Republicans successfully defeated it.
2. the Supreme Court began to approve New Deal-flavored legislation, so court-packing was no longer necessary.
3. even if it had succeeded, “court-packing” to weaken a counter-majoritarian institution may improve democracy as much as weaken it.
4. congressional Democrats weakened the Court’s judicial review powers.

4. Predatory policing is a practice that

1. advantaged conservative parties in 19^th century Germany but, ironically, weakened their successors.
2. corrodes citizenship at the local level by increasing inequalities in treatment by public authorities.
3. was an important component of authoritarian rule in the U. S. South.
4. enhances police-community relations, but lowers taxable revenues for a city.

Answer 1

1. The correct option is B- low in despotic power because, in order to be democratic, these regimes’ states must be greatly constrained in their authority to repress citizens.

The democratic regimes are elected by the people, and hence cant repress the people to an extreme extent. This results in them being low in despotic power.

2. The correct option is C- his political speeches regularly pit most voters against a corrupt political establishment.

A populist politician means one who pits the populace against the established elite. As 2024 rolls around, if his speeches are pitting voters against corrupt establishment, it means he is now a populist.

3. The correct option is A- congressional Republicans successfully defeated it.

President Roosevelt couldnt pack the supreme court because the senate failed the attempt.

4. The correct option is C- was an important component of authoritarian rule in the U. S. South.

Predatory policing was an important component of discrimination along racial lines in the south.