Here are some of the general things you ought to know. We are constantly putting in more example questions for the chapters, so look them over too.

Ch. 1

1. What is the social contract theory? What is it good for?
2. What are the different forms of government?
3. What purpose does government serve?
4. What is democracy? Direct democracy? Representative democracy?
5. What is a recall election? A referendum?
6. Remember: I think the 2 important principles are "purposive behavior" and "political institutions". Explain why each is important.
7. What is a selective good?
8. What is a collective good? A free-rider problem? How can organizations overcome that problem?
9. What is a principal-agent relationship?
10. What is permanent campaigning? What factors have led to the permanent campaign?

Ch. 2

1. What were the Articles? What was wrong with them?
2. Under what conditions was the Constitution written?
3. What were the major controversies at the Constitutional Convention? How were they resolved?
4. How was the Constitution ratified? Describe the 'federalists' and 'anti-federalists'. What were the Federalist Papers?
5. Define "separation of powers." How is that idea put to use in the U.S. Constitution?
6. What powers did the constitution specify for the Congress, the president, and the judiciary. Where does the Constitution leave room for reinterpretation of these powers? What have been the most significant changes in those powers in the last 200 years or so?
7. How does the constitution evolve?
8. Describe the Constitutional Amendment process.
9. Which amendment seems intended to protect the power of the states? How important has that amendment been?

Ch. 3

1. What is federalism? How is it different from separation of powers? Or checks and balances?
2. What are the advantages of federalism?
3. What are the disadvantages of federalism?
4. What "tools" does the National government have to claim authority over the states? (compare Constitutional powers and others like fiscal federalism and unfunded mandates)
5. McCulloch v. Maryland.
6. What is dual federalism (or dual sovereignty)? What is nullification?
7. What is cooperative federalism?
8. Remember the elastic clause (aka necessary and proper clause).
9. What is the importance of the supremacy clause in the Constitution?
10. What is the importance of the commerce clause in the Constitution? How has it been reinterpreted to redivide the power of economic regulation between the states and the federal government?
11. What is a block grant? A categorical grant? Crossover sanction?
12. How does fiscal federalism expand national government power?
13. Define and explain Dillon's rule.
14. What is reapportionment?

-- PaulJohnson - 21 Sep 2009

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