PrepGo

AP Comparative Government and Politics Practice Quiz: Sources of Power and Authority

Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026

Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 7 questions to check your progress.

Question 1 of 7

According to the provided text, what is the primary source of power and authority that has maintained regime stability for the Communist Party in China?

All Questions (7)

According to the provided text, what is the primary source of power and authority that has maintained regime stability for the Communist Party in China?

A) Popular support expressed through multiparty elections

B) Constitutional reforms devolving power to regional bodies

C) Control over the country's military forces

D) Authority derived from religious law

Correct Answer: C

The text explicitly states, 'The Communist Party's control over China's military, which provided power and authority to maintain regime stability.' This indicates that military control is the key source of power mentioned for China.

The 1979 Revolution in Iran represents a shift in the source of political authority from dictatorial rule to one based on what?

A) A multiparty republic system

B) The dominance of a single political party

C) Islamic Sharia law

D) The backing of the political elite for a strong president

Correct Answer: C

The content specifies that the revolution in Iran led to 'a theocracy based on Islamic Sharia law.' This directly identifies religion as the new source of authority.

Which of the following describes a common political transition that occurred in both Nigeria and Mexico, altering their sources of power?

A) The establishment of theocracies based on religious principles

B) The move to multiparty republics from authoritarian rule

C) The implementation of constitutional reforms to devolve power

D) The consolidation of power by a single party's control over the military

Correct Answer: B

The text states that a key transition for these countries was 'in Nigeria and Mexico to multiparty republics following military rule and single-party dominance, respectively.' This shows a shared shift away from authoritarianism toward a multiparty system.

In Russia, the creation of a 'managed democracy' is attributed to which source of power?

A) The devolution of power to multiple parliaments

B) The transition to a theocracy after a revolution

C) The political elite's support for a strong president and a favored party

D) The military's separation from political party control

Correct Answer: C

The provided content explains the situation in Russia as, 'The political elite's backing of a strong president in Russia, creating a managed democracy with election rules favoring one party.' This directly links the elite's support to the resulting political system.

How did the regime in the United Kingdom use its constitution as a source of power to maintain stability?

A) By centralizing all authority within a single legislature

B) By devolving power to multiple parliaments

C) By establishing a single-party dominant state

D) By basing its legal system on religious law

Correct Answer: B

The text explicitly mentions 'Constitutional reforms in the United Kingdom that devolved power to multiple parliaments, allowing the regime to maintain stability.' This shows that devolution was the specific constitutional mechanism used.

Which of the following country examples best illustrates religion being a primary source of political authority?

A) China's Communist Party controlling the military

B) Russia's elite-backed managed democracy

C) The United Kingdom's devolution of power

D) Iran's transition to a theocracy based on Sharia law

Correct Answer: D

The text describes Iran's post-1979 government as 'a theocracy based on Islamic Sharia law.' This is the clearest example provided where religion is the foundational source of the regime's authority.

A political system's power can be derived from various sources. Which example from the text demonstrates a political party's fusion with military force as a key source of authority?

A) Nigeria's transition away from military rule to a multiparty system

B) The United Kingdom's constitutional reforms devolving power

C) The Communist Party's control over the military in China

D) The elite's backing of a strong president in Russia

Correct Answer: C

The text directly links a political party and the military as a source of power in the case of China: 'The Communist Party's control over China's military, which provided power and authority.' The other options describe different sources of power, such as constitutions, popular support, or political elites.