View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Political associations bring together whom?
(a) The electorate.
(b) The political elite.
(c) The feelings and opinion of the voters.
(d) The feelings and opinions of men.

2. According to de Tocqueville, in contrast to the traditional aristocracy, the American aristocracy has no direct effect on the _______ of its class members.
(a) Moral standing.
(b) Social viewpoints.
(c) Social manners.
(d) Social standing.

3. According to de Tocqueville, what drives the actions of every American man?
(a) Women.
(b) Rights.
(c) Privilege.
(d) Money.

4. Democracy influences the citizens' political views and what other types of views?
(a) Religious.
(b) Social.
(c) Industrial.
(d) Moral.

5. The institutions of the United States tend to bring together what type of people?
(a) The scholarly people.
(b) The political elite.
(c) People of aristocratic rank.
(d) People of all ranks.

6. According to De Tocqueville, all Americans seek it, but do not necessarily seek it exclusively. What is it?
(a) Material well-being.
(b) Wealth.
(c) Association.
(d) Comfort.

7. De Tocqueville believes that people must exercise their political freedom by what?
(a) Depending on each other.
(b) Doing what they want to do.
(c) Participating in the process.
(d) Behaving as if they are free.

8. According to de Tocqueville, too much emphasis on equality leads to what?
(a) Mediocrity.
(b) Slavery.
(c) Laziness.
(d) Servitude.

9. As democratic governments evolve, they have a tendency to become what?
(a) More powerful.
(b) More centralized.
(c) More decentralized.
(d) More despotic.

10. What does de Tocqueville maintain as a greater threat than anarchy?
(a) Loss of equality.
(b) Despotic government.
(c) Limited freedom.
(d) Loss of liberty.

11. What does de Tocqeville say is linked to--but not the same as--liberty?
(a) Idealism.
(b) Democracy.
(c) Freedom.
(d) Equality.

12. According to de Tocqueville, when men seek more equality and comfort, what do they tend to become?
(a) More despotic.
(b) More tyrannical.
(c) More alike.
(d) More different.

13. Isolation increases the dangers of what?
(a) Tyranny.
(b) Mediocrity.
(c) Absolute power.
(d) A dangerous leader.

14. Repetitive tasks give workers an inability to change what?
(a) Their jobs.
(b) The economic situations of their families.
(c) The conditions in which they work.
(d) Their skills.

15. The army of a democratic country is equated, by deTocqueville, to what?
(a) A separate state.
(b) A separate arm of the government.
(c) A separate people.
(d) A separate nation.

Short Answer Questions

1. According to de Tocqueville, Americans seek ______________, but only within a narrow range.

2. What acts as a catalyst for the opinions and desires of the people?

3. Equality of conditions means there are no a priori what in America?

4. Civil associations are often born out of what?

5. What type of regime does de Tocqueville believe is more oppressive than a dictatorship?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 430 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample