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AP Comparative Government and Politics Medium practice

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Medium practice

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Question 1

Russia's 'shock therapy' economic reforms of the early 1990s contrasted sharply with China's gradualist approach. Which political consequence did the rapid Russian transition most clearly produce?

A.Rapid and stable democratization, as economic liberalization immediately created a middle class demanding political rightsB.Economic chaos and the rise of oligarchs who acquired state assets at below-market prices, creating a fusion of economic and political power that Putin later exploitedC.A successful transition to a Scandinavian-style social democratic economy with robust welfare state protectionsD.Stable federalism in which Russian regions became economically self-sufficient and politically autonomous from Moscow

Question 2

Mexico's NAFTA membership (1994-2020) and replacement by the USMCA (2020) represent the deepest trade integration of any course country. Which of the following best describes NAFTA/USMCA's political impact on Mexico?

A.NAFTA strengthened Mexico's indigenous communities by guaranteeing them trade preferences for craft exportsB.NAFTA accelerated economic liberalization and exposed Mexico to external legal norms, contributing to both industrial development and inequality while creating pressure for democratic governanceC.NAFTA gave the United States formal authority to veto Mexican legislation that conflicted with trade rules, undermining Mexican sovereigntyD.NAFTA eliminated Mexico's agricultural sector entirely by flooding the market with cheap US corn, causing a rural exodus but no political consequences

Question 3

Mexico's Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE) — formerly the IFE — was created in 1990 as an independent body. What was its primary purpose?

A.To enforce campaign finance laws and limit how much money corporations could donate to the PRIB.To administer elections independently of the government, depoliticizing electoral management and making vote counts credibleC.To register new political parties and set their ideological platforms before each election cycleD.To coordinate with the army to suppress post-election protests and ensure peaceful transitions of power

Question 4

Russia's State Duma is formally the lower house of the Federal Assembly, but its actual political power is best described as:

A.Highly independent, regularly rejecting presidential legislative proposals and directing budget prioritiesB.Subordinate to the president; United Russia's supermajority ensures Kremlin proposals pass with minimal independent scrutinyC.The most powerful branch of government, with authority to override presidential vetoes by a simple majorityD.A purely ceremonial institution with no legislative functions, replaced in practice by presidential decree

Question 5

The 'authoritarian resilience' literature explains why authoritarian regimes have survived despite predictions that globalization and economic development would push them toward democratization. Which Chinese Communist Party strategy best illustrates authoritarian resilience?

A.The CCP has maintained power by isolating China completely from the global economy, preventing exposure to democratic ideasB.The CCP has combined economic liberalization and integration with political controls — using prosperity to build legitimacy while suppressing organized opposition through censorship and surveillanceC.The CCP has gradually expanded competitive elections at all government levels to build democratic legitimacy, making its rule stable through popular consentD.China's authoritarian resilience stems from its geographic isolation — landlocked borders prevent foreign democratic influences from reaching Chinese citizens

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Question 6

Iran's Guardian Council plays a role in the electoral system not found in the other five AP Comparative Government countries. Which of the following accurately describes this unique function?

A.It administers the vote-counting process and certifies the accuracy of election results after polling closesB.It vets all candidates for elected office (presidency, Majles, Assembly of Experts) and disqualifies those it deems insufficiently Islamic or politically reliableC.It draws district boundaries for Majles elections to ensure proportional representation of religious minoritiesD.It certifies the formation of new political parties and approves their platforms before they may participate in elections

Question 7

Nigeria's Federal Character Commission is responsible for ensuring that federal appointments reflect the country's ethnic and regional diversity. This institution reflects which broader principle of Nigerian governance?

A.Consociationalism — the deliberate sharing of executive power among leaders of all major ethnic segmentsB.The Federal Character Principle — a constitutional requirement that national institutions reflect Nigeria's ethnic and regional diversity to prevent domination by any groupC.Proportional representation — allocating legislative seats according to each group's population shareD.Affirmative action — temporary measures to correct historical disadvantages faced by previously excluded groups

Question 8

The 'rentier state' concept holds that governments that derive most revenue from resource exports rather than taxation of citizens have weaker incentives to be accountable to those citizens. Which of the following best illustrates this argument applied to Iran?

A.Iran's high income tax rates create strong citizen expectations of services and responsive governanceB.The Iranian government uses oil revenues to fund subsidies and patronage that reduce citizen pressure for democratic accountabilityC.Iran's dependence on oil exports forces the government to maintain good relations with Western democracies to sell petroleumD.Oil revenues flow directly to citizens through a universal dividend, creating a direct economic stake in resource management

Question 9

Russia's political system under Vladimir Putin is best classified by scholars as:

A.A totalitarian state in which the government controls every aspect of public and private lifeB.A competitive authoritarian or electoral authoritarian system in which elections are held but systematically manipulatedC.A parliamentary democracy in which the State Duma controls executive power through a vote of confidenceD.A federal democracy in which regional governors effectively check the power of the central government

Question 10

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of a 'failed state'?

A.A government that loses an election and peacefully transfers power to the oppositionB.A government that cannot provide basic security, collect taxes, or deliver essential services across its territoryC.A government that imposes martial law to suppress a political protest movementD.A government that relies on foreign aid to fund a majority of its national budget

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Question 11

Mexico's political system prior to the year 2000 is best described as an example of:

A.A military junta in which generals rotated the presidency among themselvesB.A dominant-party system in which the PRI controlled all major political offices through a combination of patronage, co-optation, and selective repressionC.A two-party competitive democracy in which PRI and PAN alternated in power following each electionD.A federal system in which state governors regularly overrode federal policies through nullification

Question 12

Nigeria's bicameral National Assembly consists of a 360-seat House of Representatives and a 109-seat Senate. How does Nigeria's legislature compare structurally to the UK's Parliament?

A.Both are bicameral with elected lower houses, but Nigeria's Senate is directly elected while the UK's House of Lords is mostly appointedB.Both are unicameral — the UK's House of Lords is not a real legislative chamber because it cannot block bills passed by the CommonsC.Nigeria's Senate is appointed by the president, while the UK's Lords are elected by regional assembliesD.Both legislatures can remove the head of government through a vote of no confidence by either chamber

Question 13

Civil society refers to organizations and associations that exist between the family and the state — including NGOs, religious groups, professional associations, and independent media. In which of the six AP Comparative Government course countries is civil society most severely constrained?

A.United KingdomB.ChinaC.MexicoD.Nigeria

Question 14

Political socialization refers to the process by which citizens acquire political values, beliefs, and identities. Which of the following represents an example of state-directed political socialization distinct from natural socialization through family or community?

A.A child in the UK who learns about Parliament by watching news coverage with their parentsB.The Chinese government's 'Xi Jinping Thought' curriculum, which is required in all schools from primary through university levelC.A Mexican teenager who joins a political party's youth wing to socialize with peers and attend eventsD.Nigerian university students who form an ethnic solidarity association on campus without government involvement

Question 15

The United Kingdom's two-party dominance (Conservatives and Labour) at the national level coexists with significant third-party competition in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Which statement best explains this pattern?

A.FPTP tends to produce two-party competition in any given constituency, and nationally two parties dominate — but regional parties like the SNP concentrate their votes geographically and thus win seatsB.The UK uses proportional representation in Scotland and Wales, explaining why the SNP and Plaid Cymru win more seats thereC.Devolution has made Scottish and Welsh constituencies legally separate from the UK Parliament, allowing different parties to compete for those seatsD.Conservative and Labour parties are legally prohibited from standing candidates in Scottish constituencies following the 1997 devolution agreement

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