AP Comparative Government and Politics Practice Quiz: Federal and Unitary Systems
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 9 questions to check your progress.
Question 1 of 9
All Questions (9)
A) Power is divided among different levels of government to provide local autonomy.
B) Power is concentrated at the national level, leading to more uniform policies.
C) Local governments hold ultimate authority over the national government.
D) Power is primarily held by supranational organizations.
Correct Answer: B
The provided text states that 'Unitary states like China, Iran, and the United Kingdom concentrate power at the national level with more uniform policies'.
A) ensures all policies are uniform across the entire state.
B) concentrates all policymaking power for maximum efficiency.
C) divides power to allow for a degree of local autonomy.
D) is immune to influence from external actors like other countries.
Correct Answer: C
The text explains that 'Federal states like Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia divide power among different levels of government to confer a degree of local autonomy'.
A) China
B) Iran
C) The United Kingdom
D) Russia
Correct Answer: D
The content explicitly lists 'Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia' as examples of federal states.
A) achieve more efficient, uniform national policymaking.
B) supply social and educational services with a degree of local control.
C) concentrate all state power to respond to supranational organizations.
D) eliminate all forms of local government.
Correct Answer: B
The text states that a purpose of a federal system is to 'confer a degree of local autonomy in supplying social and educational services'.
A) Federal systems have uniform policies, while unitary systems have varied local policies.
B) Unitary systems may have more efficient policymaking, while federal systems reserve some powers for the national government and allow local autonomy.
C) Only federal systems are capable of changing their power structure over time.
D) Only unitary systems are influenced by internal ethnic cleavages.
Correct Answer: B
The text contrasts the 'uniform policies and potentially more efficient policy making' of unitary states with the divided power structure and 'degree of local autonomy' in federal states.
A) The ability to confer significant autonomy on local governments.
B) A greater capacity for efficient policymaking.
C) The division of power among different levels of government.
D) The reservation of specific powers for regional authorities.
Correct Answer: B
The text explicitly mentions that unitary states have 'potentially more efficient policy making' due to the concentration of power at the national level.
A) It is permanently fixed by a country's constitution and never changes.
B) It is exclusively determined by the operations of supranational organizations.
C) The degree of centralization or decentralization can change over time.
D) Federal states always become more centralized, while unitary states always become more decentralized.
Correct Answer: C
The text states, 'The degree to which power is centralized or decentralized can change over time in both federal and unitary states'.
A) A mandatory, regularly scheduled review of the government structure.
B) A state's response to internal ethnic cleavages or external actors.
C) The natural tendency of all governments to become more unitary.
D) The complete transfer of power from the national to the local level.
Correct Answer: B
The text explains that changes in power centralization can reflect 'a state response to internal and external actors that include ethnic cleavages and operations of supranational organizations and other countries.'
A) The need to create more uniform national policies.
B) Pressure from diverse internal ethnic groups.
C) A desire to make national policymaking more efficient.
D) A constitutional requirement to concentrate all power nationally.
Correct Answer: B
The text indicates that changes in power decentralization can be a 'state response to internal... actors that include ethnic cleavages.' Granting more power to regions can be a way to manage tensions among different ethnic groups.