PSCI 401
Fall 1996
Dr. Nichols
FINAL EXAM
One of the following questions will be randomly selected for the final examination. The best responses will answer the question fully -- note that every question has multiple parts --by drawing upon all relevant readings and class discussions.
Please answer only the question selected; answers to other questions, no matter how excellent, will receive a failing grade. You may have the entire period (two hours) to complete the exam.
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1. Victorious politicians are usually quick to claim an electoral “mandate” -- often on thin evidence. What is a mandate? Why is it difficult to ascertain one based on vote totals alone? What kind of evidence is required to justify such a claim? With that evidence, what criteria should be used to determine whether a given election is a mandate? With these criteria in mind, may the elections of 1964, 1972, and 1996 be considered mandates for the winners?
2. Scholars point to the elections of 1860, 1896, and 1932 as “realigning” elections. What is a realignment? What seems to have caused the phenomenon to occur at roughly thirty-year intervals? How does the phase of the electoral cycle affect how well government functions? Why have we not had a realignment since 1932 -- or have we?
3. Electoral institutions -- ballots, voting procedures, election rules, etc. -- are ostensibly merely the “transmission belts” by which citizens convey their electoral preferences. In truth, however, these institutions often have profound effects on political outcomes. Please discuss three examples of this. Please devote considerable attention to both (a) describing each institution or procedure and (b) its specific effect on some political outcome or consequence.
4. Direct democracy has been a hallmark of California electoral politics since the early 1900s. What is the rationale for direct democracy? What are its various manifestations? On what grounds might you criticize the process? On what grounds might you defend it?