How much civic knowledge do YOU have? (A test)

I guess no one here bothers to check out the history of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. If you do you'll find out that it is very right wing, its first president being none other than William F. Buckley, Jr. (who by today's standards is probably moderate) but look at its history and mission statement and you'll see what it's all about so if you find yourself thinking that many of the economic questions are like a push poll, you'd have agreement with me. Full disclosure I got 72.something percent. Think about some of those economics questions and how the "correct" answers are pushing the same old tired economic policies and lies that most of us can see as a corporate driven agenda.
Interesting test when you see it for what it is. I won't do your homework for you but hope you'll research this "Institute" on your own and see how you're are getting pushed around.

You answered 29 out of 33 correctly — 87.88%

I missed the Socrates, Plato question. I guess I gotta bone up on those guys to be informed of American government.

/TOA

It is half a "civics" test with about a quarter being about very basic free market principles and the other quarter on American history. Not to say it was a bad test but it was slightly subjective.

Interesting nonetheless.

reply to post by ownbestenemy
I'm glad someone besides me noticed. After thinking about it last night I remember another civics test a few years back linked here at ATS that was similarly tainted and partisan with most of the "correct" answers in economics being pro-corporate, anti-tax, pro free-market and deregulation oriented. These aren't FACTS, people, nor is this test free of extreme conservative bias. If you like it fine but it's amazing how many people take the "correct" answers as true American history and economics as opposed to what it is - economic policy OPINION, most of which in the last 30 or 35 years have been proven disastrous to the American middle class. Shame on them for passing this off as a "civics test". It's a push poll in disguise.

25 out of 33.
Made a couple of stupid mistakes.....and a couple of educated guesses proved correct.

I'm not American, left school without a qualification and have never seen a college lecture room in my life.

Go figure?

I'm now much more baffled than when I was taking the test. Some individuals seem to be saying that the test is not a test of civics. OK, I understand that, but I can't think of another one word title for the test. Since it dealt with the government, our history, and economics questions, I suppose you could call it a test of your knowledge of American systems, but really, what's the point?

The other objection is a little less clear in my mind. Is it that the answers provided are equally false (or true), and you have to supply the conservative answer to score? If that's the objection, I'd appreciate being directed to three questions that do this.

Or is the objection that the questions are not testing what you'd like them to be testing? I suppose they could have issued a two thousand question test that covered everything.

In sum, I'm asking for someone to explain to me, with examples, the problem with this test.

Thanks in advance.

reply to post by ChrisCrikey


I made the OP, and Im likely classed a "liberal"(though Im not a democrat) by most people. I think Americans SHOULD have some pretty basic economic understanding. (And certainly our politicians should) I have three years of business school myself, and its invaluable in understanding what is going on politically, since money is a huge driver of public policy.

How can Americans vote knowledgeably for someone who moos about a "free market" if neither they nor the politician mooing know what that really is? And yet, many political decisions today ARE based on economics, which terrifyingly few Americans and politicians have any solid understanding of. And people, especially conservatives, vote for anyone who advocates a "free market" but almost none of them could describe what that is, or tell us in what ways ours deviates from that model.

We like the word "free." But not everything labeled a free market actually IS a free market, and only if you have some basic understanding of what a free market is, could you possibly notice that. We are being played in a "bait and switch" type game, or a double speak game, in which our politicians call something by a name when logically, it should be called the opposite, IF, and its a very big "if," the people actually knew what what was being described should look like.

ALL Americans should understand, at least roughly, how economics works. You dont really even need a lot of detail, just a rough understanding, so that they can make good decisions. Economics and money issues affect every single one of us, not just conservatives.

reply to post by charles1952


At least one of the economics questions DID have a leaning which was more "conservative dogma" rather than what I would consider, "factual" basis. However, if you ever studied the subject, (economics) even the introductory level, you will recognize that that is the "taught" version, even if on your own you have come to a different conclusion.

I knew that what they were fishing for was the answer I learned in freshman economics, So I supplied that answer, rather than what I really thought, based on my own understanding via economic philosophy, common sense, etc. I personally do not feel, as someone any conservative would think was liberal, that the test was heavily biased in a conservative direction. Its straight out of the text books, and yes, in economics the conservative point of view does bias the textbooks.

I didnt post the test to make people feel bad they got x number of questions wrong. Or to begin a debate over partisan issues. I just thought it would be good for people to see the gaps, for themselves, of their own understanding of how America works. And economically, those answers ARE how America works. Whether its how we SHOULD work, is another debate.

Dear Illusionsaregrander,

Thank you very much for taking the time to explain your purpose in posting the test. You've done a good and valuable service and should be quietly proud of yourself. Well done.

I was only expressing concern over the reactions of some individuals who displayed what I considered anger over the tests. I have no quarrel with your posting or with your explanation. I also have no quarrel with those who seem angry, I was just expressing curiosity as to why there was so much anger.

Peace?

Charles1952

Originally posted by charles1952

Peace?

Of course peace.

Honestly? I think the people complaining probably just have come to different economic conclusions from the ones the test forwarded as "correct" and are (somewhat rightfully) indignant that economic policies that have lead us into disaster are being promoted as "right."

I wouldnt worry too much that they are angry about that aspect. Test taking is part knowing the REAL true answer, and knowing what the test is testing for. If they had taken economics they would have known the answer the test was testing for, and answered it thusly. But they are likely right in that it isnt the real world "true" answer. Those questions only accounted for a small portion of the test however, and they SHOULD know what economic dogma is, even if they dont agree with it.

Well, I did worse than I wanted but at least I missed 1 philosophy question and 1 obscure question. The other one I should have known though. Darn it! I got 30/33 a 90.91%.

Well, at least it was a pretty good quiz though.

reply to post by Illusionsaregrander
]I knew what "correct" answers they were pushing for too, and thanks for acknowledging that, illusionsaregrander. I'm sick of these "civics tests" from conservative think tanks. They are insulting, and yes, I'm still angry because I see far too much of this kind of thing and think it is very dishonest and manipulative (push) on their part.

27 out of 33 correctly — 81.82 %

Not to bad for a guy who has been out of school and living outside the states for a long time.

Thanks.

Originally posted by ChrisCrikey

 

I'm glad someone besides me noticed.

Well, my point was not to point out any leaning or suggestive questions in regards to the test. That can obviously be argued. Surely we can point out both schools of thoughts intertwined within the questioning.

If we were to talk about a civics test, it would pertain to the foundation and structure of Government. The roles assigned that are entrenched within its founding document the Constitution. Economic policy is not one of those enumerated powers except with specific and narrow regard to trade and interstate commerce. Both of which are being used to dictate what is supposed to be left to the States or the People.

The questions about law, such as Roe v. Wade have little to do with civics and more to an individual's subjective view upon a case that they no nothing about except that it "kills babies" or "gives women the right to choose what to do with their bodies". That is the depth of the American knowledge on that subject.

All objectivity has inherent subjective undertones.

I got 58% (plus some decimals). Which I think is reasonable, considering I have never studied the subject, but I would guess that those answers that I did get correct would be classed more as general knowledge. And there may have been a few lucky guesses in there too

Illusions, I think it is about time you ran for office, you seem most qualified for the job

And I am deadly serious...on many levels...in fact, all things considered, it could be taken as a plea...aim for the top...pleeeeaaaassse!!!!

You answered 26 out of 33 correctly — 78.79 %

As a German citizen currently living in the US, I'd say that's not too shabby.
I took a US Politics class back in high school, seems like most of what I learned there actually stuck.