AP Comparative Government and Politics case studies
AP Comparative Government and Politics · Put your knowledge to work in context.
AP Comparative Government and Politics is an introductory college-level course and exam offered by the College Board that uses a comparative approach to examine the political structures, policies, and political, economic, and social challenges of six countries: China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and the United Kingdom. It suits students curious about how governments outside the United States work, how different systems solve similar problems, and how political scientists analyze power, authority, legitimacy, stability, and democratization. There are no recommended prerequisites, and the course is equivalent to a one-semester introductory college course. The exam is fully digital: students complete multiple-choice and free-response questions in the Bluebook testing app, with responses automatically submitted at the end. The AP Comparative Government and Politics case studies are 5 cases and about 2,736 words.
1The Fragmented Mandate
A country with 200 legislative seats uses a closed-list proportional system with a 5% national threshold. In the latest election, five parties cleared the threshold: Party A 34%, Party B 22%, Party C 18%, Party D 11%, and Party E 7%.
580 words, about 3 min2The Referendum That Backfired
A semi-presidential country holds a national referendum on a constitutional amendment to lengthen the presidential term from five to seven years. The president champions the 'yes' side; turnout is 44%, and 'yes' wins with 52% of votes cast.
546 words, about 3 min3The Co-opted Opposition
A hybrid regime holds parliamentary elections every four years. The ruling party controls 68% of seats.
539 words, about 3 min4The Austerity Coalition
A middle-income country faces a currency crisis. Reserves cover six weeks of imports; inflation is 38% annually; the government spends 22% of GDP and collects 15% in taxes, financing the gap with central-bank money creation.
544 words, about 3 min5The Federal Patchwork
A large country with 28 states operates a federal system. The constitution assigns health and education to states, defense and currency to the center, and 'concurrent' powers are shared.
527 words, about 3 min