The Social Contract Quizzes

The Social Contract Quiz 1

By Adrian Jermaine Smith · Edited by Jordan Berkow · Last reviewed January 17, 2007

1 Which is the only European nation that Rousseau believes is capable of receiving legislation?

Switzerland

Corsica

England

France
2 Which of the following is NOT a tenet of Rousseau's civil religion?

Justice

Belief in an afterlife

Belief in God

Loyalty to one's government
3 What prevents the government from usurping legislative authority?

Periodic assemblies of the people

A weak and decentralized executive

Short terms in office

A strong constitution
4 Why can't a free people have representatives?

Because eventually representatives will try to invalidate the social contract

Because sovereignty is inalienable

Because representatives only cater to the public interest during elections

Because representatives are likely to become corrupt
5 Rousseau believed that all governments would try to do what?

Tax the people unnecessarily

Go to war with foreign nations

Prolong the terms of government officials

Usurp the power of the sovereign
6 Which form of government does Rousseau prefer?

Hereditary Aristocracy

Elective Aristocracy

Democracy

Monarchy
7 Which of the following is NOT a legitimate right?

The right of the strongest

The right to religious freedom

The right to refuse the social contract

The right to private property
8 What happens when the health of the state declines?

The size of the government decreases

The size of the government increases

The legislature takes on the functions of the executive

The size of the government stays the same
9 What is the only natural society?

The family

The Church

The tribe

The state
10 Rousseau believes that monarchies are best-suited to what kind of climate?

Cold

Breezy

Hot

Temperate
11 What is civil freedom?

The ability to do anything you want

The ability to do anything within the law

The ability to oppose the government

The ability to oppose the social contract
12 A democracy is suitable for which kind of state?

A small state

A very small state

A medium-sized state

A large state
13 An aristocracy is suitable for which kind of state?

A small state

A large state

A very large state

A medium-sized state
14 Which is the most active form of government?

A monarchy

An elective aristocracy

A hereditary aristocracy

A democracy
15 Which is the least active form of government?

A democracy

An elective aristocracy

A monarchy

A hereditary aristocracy
16 The state has the right to do what to people who oppose civil religion?

Nothing

Kill them

Force them to believe

Banish them from the state
17 Which of the following statements would Rousseau support?

"A state can last forever if the people fulfill their civic duties"

"A state can last forever if there is no government"

"Even a state with the best of laws will eventually fall"

"A state with good laws can last forever"
18 Which of the following does NOT make a hot country more conducive to despotism than a cold country?

Hot countries produce more surplus

Hot countries have fewer inhabitants

The population of a hot country is more spread out

The inhabitants of a hot country are physically weaker
19 What is natural freedom?

The ability to do anything that you want as long as it does not interfere with other people's wishes

The ability to have anything done to you

The ability to disobey the law

The ability to do anything that you want and that your strength allows
20 What is the corporate will?

The private, economic interest of each company within the state

The interest of citizens to excel in business

The interest of the government

The economic interest of the state
21 Which of the following is binding on the sovereign?

Civil religion

The social contract

Nothing

The state's constitution
22 When people no longer care about the common good, what is the result?

The general will still exists, but has been suppressed by other interests

The general will is destroyed

The general will expresses the interests of the state's strongest faction

The general will becomes the will of all
23 Who should have sovereignty (according to Rousseau)?

The king

The people

The government

The treasury
24 Why is the relationship between a people and their government not a contract?

Because this contract would only follow the rule of superior force

Because such a contract would be a particular act and not a law

Because the sovereign is the supreme authority in a state and cannot be forced to respect the terms of the contract

All of the above
25 What does Rousseau think about holding public assemblies?

Public assemblies are possible because even large states like Ancient Greece and Rome held them

It is a foolish idea because nothing of value is decided

It is too difficult to gather the entire populace

The people should have representatives to speak for them

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