Civics Test
Dang it, I got pretty close. How did y’all do?
You answered 32 out of 33 correctly — 96.97 %
Average score for this quiz during November: 79.1%
Average score since November 20, 2008: 79.1%You can take the quiz as often as you like, however, your score will only count once toward the monthly average.
I got 5 wrong, 84.85%
Posted by Matt on November 20, 2008 at 1121 hrs
I missed three: 30 out of 33 correctly — 90.91 %
Good quiz.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1139 hrs
I also scored 30 out of 33. Owen - I yield to your superior intelligence.
Did you check out the report card page? Over 71% of the respondents failed the test with a score below 60%. Less than 1% managed to answer 90% correctly. The hope for our future is pretty bleak based on these results.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1204 hrs
I got 30 out of 33, but on one of my misses I had it right at first, and then changed the answer. I forgot—you always stay with your first impulse on these tests.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1205 hrs
They should call that test “How Well Do You Know Your Talk Radio Rhetoric”. Some of those questions are just ridiculous.
29/33 - I stumbled a bit trying to pick the best way to describe the rainbows and magic of free market capitalism and low taxes.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1239 hrs
69.70 for me but I’m a high school drop out. Shameful the average is below 50%.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1250 hrs
33/33, but I did guess at the Plato/Aquinas question.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1315 hrs
32 of 33. Missed the one on the Puritans
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1315 hrs
32/33
Posted by Marcus Aurelius on November 20, 2008 at 1319 hrs
Jason - which questions are straight from Right Wing talking points? The one about free markets vs. central planning? Show me one centrally planned economy that has actually worked.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1347 hrs
32/33. Confused the debt with deficits. I thought it odd that “taxes and spending per person are equal” also seemed right.
Duh.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1406 hrs
28 / 33. Rather embarrassing. But then again… I never considered myself a student of History. Yes, I know: “those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it.” I’ll have to rely on good conservative folks like you to remind me of the details that I’ve forgotten.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1422 hrs
I’m not arguing against the free market, and I’m not going to waste time exploring the nuances of where capitalism ends and socialism starts, just making an observation. But it seems pretty obvious that this test is biased and kind of silly and transparent at that (of course, that’s how I feel about right wing talk radio too). I was waiting for #34) Capitalism: a) the best, b) better than the best, c) the bestest.
The entire test seems pre-occupied with conservative talking point subjects (low taxes, free markets, global trade, religion, the cold war) and the correct answers are the ones that most closely resemble the conservative rhetoric, while the obviously incorrect answers cast opposing views into absurd terms. It’s subtle. Maybe it’s my imagination. But it certainly does make sense given that ISI was founded on tradition and religious values, and spends most of its time fighting liberal bias on college campuses.
Interesting, but not really a fair reflection of civics knowledge (says the guy covering ass because he got 4 wrong).
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1432 hrs
32/33 not bad foe a Canadian.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1459 hrs
31/33. Damn, I scored worse than Owen….
I thought some of the questions were phrase poorly too though (although not really the two I got wrong). This one was tricky:
27) Free markets typically secure more economic prosperity than government’s centralized planning because:
A. the price system utilizes more local knowledge of means and ends
B. markets rely upon coercion, whereas government relies upon voluntary compliance with the law
C. more tax revenue can be generated from free enterprise
D. property rights and contracts are best enforced by the market system
E. government planners are too cautious in spending taxpayers’ moneyWhy wouldn’t E be correct too? C and D ain’t bad either.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1530 hrs
HA HA HA
E is the WORST answer. Four letters MATC
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1534 hrs
I guess I was looking at it more in terms of Social Security and that sort of thing. I just think an argument could be made for a few of those answers.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 1543 hrs
You answered 32 out of 33 correctly — 96.97 %
Average score for this quiz during November: 78.0%
Average score since November 20, 2008: 78.0%I missed Question #33 - D. tax per person equals government spending per person…leave it to a liberal such as myself to screw up a tax question…..there I said it before anyone else!
This was fun.
Posted by Gregory on November 20, 2008 at 1822 hrs
33/33. Score another one for the lib union member.
Posted by folkbum on November 20, 2008 at 2115 hrs
33/33. Not a hard test, though. I agree on “taxes and spending per individual” question—that was poorly worded.
E. government planners are too cautious in spending taxpayers’ money
Why wouldn’t E be correct too? C and D ain’t bad either.You’ve obviously never worked for the Feds. I have and can say that caution, sobriety, and reason have no relation to how the government spends its money. I walked away from NASA utterly convinced that the Feds should not be allowed to operate any system more complicated than a letter opener much less run the economy.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 20, 2008 at 2317 hrs
I got 82% until I found the “I’m a disadvantaged person” link. That added 10% to my score.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 21, 2008 at 0011 hrs
78.79%
But I think it should be 78.825%I guess I need to bone up on my civics, or read this blog more often!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 21, 2008 at 0909 hrs
30/33. Good test. Missed the history questions.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 21, 2008 at 1043 hrs
JJARWM,
Markets are not a mechanism for enforcing contracts and property rights, markets are the means we determine value for a good or service.
You go to the market you agree with a kumquat vendor to buy a pound of kumquats for $2.50. That is the market. You give you $2.50 to the kumquat vendor and he refuses to give the kumquats to you. In days long gone you would threaten and perhaps beat the vendor (or return with your gang to do the same), now we delegate the contract enforcement (for the most part the credit rating system is a private contract enforcement scheme) to the courts & other government branches.
Posted by Marcus Aurelius on November 21, 2008 at 1148 hrs
It’s subtle. Maybe it’s my imagination.
No, I thought so too. I thought one or two questions might have had a rightward bias.
I think I got… 29 out of 33.
Posted by scott on November 21, 2008 at 1207 hrs
nerd,
I already said, I meant E in terms of investment for retirement. The money we put in to social security would be better spent in riskier stocks because in the long run, they pay higher returns. But government doesn’t like taking those kinds of risks.Marcus,
You obviously don’t understand markets or contracts. In the vast majority of cases, fear of gaining a reputation as a person that doesn’t deliver on their contracts in the business world is a more compelling reason to not breach your contracts than government oversight. Forget about days gone by. The majority of contract disputes these days never go to court.As I said, I actually picked the “right” answer on that one. I just think there’s an argument to be made for a few others.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 21, 2008 at 1723 hrs
Jason,
If conservative radio mirrors economics, civics and history books, maybe you ought to start questioning your biases. This wasn’t a biased test - all of this is simple U.S. history that most people don’t know, but definitely should. Perhaps this test isn’t biased; maybe some liberal ideas are just flat wrong.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 22, 2008 at 2348 hrs
JJARWM,
It is apparent you did not read my response very closely. I do note a private mechanism for enforcing contracts, however, the courts play a very important role in contract enforcement. In addition, the police are responsible for apprehending those who take the property of others w/o concern of their reputation.
I stand by my first posting on this matter, the primary concern of the market is to determine value and not enforce contracts or protect property rights.
Posted by Marcus Aurelius on November 24, 2008 at 1443 hrs
I agree. Too bad the question wasn’t “What is the primary concern of the market?” with the choices being “A. determine value,” “B. enforce contracts” and “C. protect property rights.”
But you did a very good job of answering that question.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 24, 2008 at 1539 hrs
What are some of the points that really impressed you and you think would be important to consider again?
Posted by Motorcycle Cruiser Fairings on November 27, 2008 at 1014 hrs
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