MA Political Science Power — practice questions

Explore 2 free Power questions in MA Political Science Polity. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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Power questions and exercises with answers

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"Power" in political theory is:Read the answer and worked solution →Knock out the wrong reading of powerRead the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

"Power" in political theory is:

always economic
always violent
always state authority
ability to affect outcomes

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Correct answer: D. ability to affect outcomes

1. Robert Dahl: A has power over B if A can get B to do something B otherwise wouldn't. 2. Lukes: three faces — decisions, agenda-setting, shaping preferences. 3. Foucault: power circulates, not held; produces knowledge. __Source: syllabus Political Theory — concept of power__

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Knock out the wrong reading of power

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Questions

Question
Three of these claims about theorists of power are false.
Choices
1. Item
  Foucault: power circulates, not held
  Correct
  Yes
2. Explanation
  Lukes named the three faces of power, not Dahl.
  Item
  Dahl counted three faces of power
3. Explanation
  Lukes added agenda setting and the shaping of preferences.
  Item
  Lukes stopped at open decisions
4. Explanation
  Foucault held that power circulates rather than being held.
  Item
  For Foucault power is a thing owned
Question
Three of these claims about elite and pluralist theory are false.
Choices
1. Item
  Mosca: every society has a ruling few
  Correct
  Yes
2. Explanation
  Pareto described a circulation of elites, old replaced by new.
  Item
  Pareto denied that elites ever change
3. Explanation
  Classical elitists reject the pluralist picture of dispersed power.
  Item
  Elite theory agrees with the pluralists
4. Explanation
  Dahl is a pluralist, arguing many interest groups compete.
  Item
  Dahl founded classical elite theory

Instructions

Tap away the three false claims in each set about who said what on power, leaving one standing.

_Source: syllabus Political Theory — concept of power_

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