---
title: "AP Comparative Government Argument Essay Practice"
description: "81 Argument Essays written in the AP format, each scored part by part."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-comp-gov/frqs/argument-essay"
type: "frq-type-practice"
subject: "AP Comparative Government"
---

# AP Comparative Government Argument Essay Practice

## What the Argument Essay asks

The Argument Essay is FRQ 4 on the AP Comparative Government exam. You take a position on a debate in comparative politics, support it with evidence from the course countries using the concepts the prompt provides, and respond to another view.

- **40 min**: suggested writing time
- **5 points**: across rows A to D
- **14%**: of your exam score

| Part | What it asks | Points |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A: Thesis | A defensible claim that uses one of the provided concepts | 1 |
| B: Evidence | Two pieces of specific evidence from one or more course countries | 2 |
| C: Reasoning | Why your evidence supports your claim, using a provided concept | 1 |
| D: Alternate perspective | An opposing view, answered with refutation, concession, or rebuttal | 1 |

## How Argument Essay practice works

1. **Read the full prompt.** The debate, the provided course concepts, and the four requirements, laid out the way the exam shows them.
2. **Write on a 40-minute timer.** The time to plan for on exam day. Pause it or turn it off, and your response saves as you go.
3. **Submit for a score out of 5.** Your response is scored against the scoring guidelines written for that question. Your first score is included.

## All 81 questions

### Unit 1: Political Systems, Regimes, and Governments (18)
- [Federal versus unitary systems and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=696f0dc5ad4238123a335805&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Power decentralization and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f860270cd6c8df3390197&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Power devolution and political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f864170cd6c8df33901b2&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Economic development versus civil liberties and political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f868970cd6c8df33901cb&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Democratic transitions and political stability outcomes](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f86b170cd6c8df33901db&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Democracy versus authoritarianism: political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f877470cd6c8df339022e&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Judicial independence versus multiparty competition democratization](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a95b7e02cf0f1476cfcadbd&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Political legitimacy: charismatic leadership versus institutionalized laws](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a95b8522cf0f1476cfcadc9&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Mass protest accommodation versus state coercion](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a389de19f353beaf7326&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [State media control and government legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a3b8de19f353beaf7346&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Governmental transparency and political stability relationship](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a3e7de19f353beaf7366&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Political corruption versus election interference threats](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a41ade19f353beaf7386&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Single-party dominance and state political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a448de19f353beaf73a9&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Electoral competition and regime legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a4a9de19f353beaf73e5&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Political corruption, regime stability, government intervention](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a4e4de19f353beaf7403&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Democratization: regime change versus institutional reform](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a584de19f353beaf7462&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Executive power concentration: institutions versus civil society](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a620de19f353beaf74ac&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Civil society's impact on political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a6ffde19f353beaf74eb&type=frq-4-argument-essay)

### Unit 2: Political Institutions (16)
- [Legislative independence from executive power](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=696f0dc5ad4238123a335804&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Executive term limits and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=698563a766800a3f393b16fa&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Separated executive roles and political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f861770cd6c8df339019f&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Executive branch constraints and policy effectiveness](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f865b70cd6c8df33901b6&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Executive power concentration and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f868a70cd6c8df33901cc&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Bicameral versus unicameral legislatures and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f86c470cd6c8df33901e5&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Executive power concentration and political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f86ec70cd6c8df33901f5&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Parliamentary versus presidential system effectiveness](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f875e70cd6c8df3390226&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [No confidence votes versus impeachment processes](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a4f9de19f353beaf740e&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Executive judicial appointments and state political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a529de19f353beaf742c&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Judicial versus legislative checks on executive power](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a588de19f353beaf7467&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Government accountability: term limits versus legislative removal](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a5fcde19f353beaf7498&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Legislative versus judicial independence protecting civil liberties](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a694de19f353beaf74cb&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Rule by law versus rule of law stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a6dade19f353beaf74de&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Judicial review's effect on governmental political accountability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a77bde19f353beaf7508&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Unelected bodies' impact on legislative legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a7b0de19f353beaf7515&type=frq-4-argument-essay)

### Unit 3: Political Culture and Participation (20)
- [Civil society groups and political stability relationship](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=696f0dd3ad4238123a335809&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Civil society organizations and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=69855db166800a3f393b16aa&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Civil society organizations and political stability relationships](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=69855e3666800a3f393b16b4&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Civil society organizations and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=69855e6d66800a3f393b16b7&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [National and ethnic identity recognition in multinational states](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=69855f1166800a3f393b16c3&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Civil society's impact on political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6985616666800a3f393b16db&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Government restrictions on civil society organizations and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6985618d66800a3f393b16df&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Civil society organizations and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=698561f666800a3f393b16e6&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Civil society organizations and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6985634666800a3f393b16f5&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Civil society organizations and regime political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6985645466800a3f393b1703&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Civil society organizations and political stability relationship](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6985649466800a3f393b1709&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Civil society organizations and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6985651966800a3f393b1713&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Formal versus informal political participation effectiveness](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a391de19f353beaf732a&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Government transparency and political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a3dfde19f353beaf7360&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Minority autonomy versus state repression effectiveness](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a442de19f353beaf73a4&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Government media control and political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a47fde19f353beaf73cb&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [National referenda and government political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a4d9de19f353beaf73fe&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Informal political participation in authoritarian versus democratic regimes](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a56fde19f353beaf7453&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Rule of law versus rule by law effectiveness](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a5cede19f353beaf7487&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [State-directed political socialization and legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a5fdde19f353beaf749b&type=frq-4-argument-essay)

### Unit 4: Party and Electoral Systems and Citizen Organizations (19)
- [Electoral system structures and government stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=696f0dd0ad4238123a335808&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Electoral systems and government stability outcomes](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=69855f9466800a3f393b16c7&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Electoral systems and political representation effectiveness](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6985603566800a3f393b16cf&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Electoral systems and government stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6985659966800a3f393b1718&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Social movements versus political parties in policy influence](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f860570cd6c8df3390198&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Dominant-party versus multiparty systems and political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f865170cd6c8df33901b4&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Social movements' impact on political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f86b270cd6c8df33901dc&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Social movements versus political parties effectiveness](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f871870cd6c8df3390203&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Interest group systems and citizen policy representation](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a389de19f353beaf7325&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [State ballot access restrictions and political representation](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a3e7de19f353beaf7368&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Independent electoral commissions and political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a431de19f353beaf7396&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Appointed versus elected legislative representation and legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a470de19f353beaf73c0&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Catch-all political parties and state stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a50ede19f353beaf741d&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Electoral systems and political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a53cde19f353beaf743f&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Electoral systems and social movement policy influence](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a61ede19f353beaf74a9&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Regional political parties and national legislative stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a65bde19f353beaf74ba&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Electoral accommodation rules and political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a6c0de19f353beaf74d7&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [State-sanctioned interest groups and government policy responsiveness](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a742de19f353beaf74fa&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Political party discipline and government accountability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a79ade19f353beaf750f&type=frq-4-argument-essay)

### Unit 5: Political and Economic Changes and Development (8)
- [Natural resources and state political stability](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=696f0db9ad4238123a335802&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Economic liberalization and state political legitimacy](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f860070cd6c8df3390193&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Economic liberalization and political stability relationship](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f864670cd6c8df33901b3&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Economic liberalization's political stability impact: democracies versus authoritarian regimes](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a8f872470cd6c8df339020c&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Globalization's impact on state sovereignty and authority](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a95b391b58113b1f887fa0f&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [State versus private control of natural resources](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6a95b44ff96dcb251f02ea9c&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Foreign direct investment and economic inequality within states](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a42ade19f353beaf7390&type=frq-4-argument-essay)
- [Rapid urbanization and political stability in nation-states](/ap-comp-gov/frq-practice?id=6ab2a5c2de19f353beaf7481&type=frq-4-argument-essay)

## Sample question

**Federal versus unitary systems and political stability**

Main Prompt: Develop an argument about whether a federal system or a unitary system is more effective at maintaining political stability in a state.

Course Concepts:
  - Political legitimacy
  - Social cleavages
  - Centralization

Instructions:
  - Respond to the prompt with a defensible claim or thesis that establishes a line of reasoning using one or more of the provided course concepts.
  - Support your claim with at least TWO pieces of specific and relevant evidence from one or more course countries. The evidence should be relevant to one or more of the provided course concepts.
  - Use reasoning to explain why your evidence supports your claim or thesis, using one or more of the provided course concepts.
  - Respond to an opposing or alternate perspective using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.

## Questions

**How many responses can I get scored?**

You can read every question without a plan. Your first scored response is included. A plan unlocks unlimited scoring.

**Do I need evidence from two countries?**

No. You need two pieces of specific evidence, and they can come from one course country or several.

**What are the provided concepts?**

Each prompt lists a few course concepts, such as legitimacy or corruption. Your thesis and reasoning need to use at least one of them.

**Are these real College Board questions?**

No. We wrote them in the AP format, with the same four requirements, and wrote scoring guidelines for each one.

**Can I write my answer by hand?**

Yes. Switch the editor to handwrite, write on paper, and add a photo of your page.

## Related

- [Argument Essay exam guide](/ap-comp-gov/ap-comparative-government-exam/ap-comp-gov-frq-4-argument-essay/study-guide/ap-comp-gov-frq-4-argument-essay)
- [AP Comparative Government Conceptual Analysis FRQ practice](/ap-comp-gov/frqs/conceptual-analysis)
- [AP Comparative Government Quantitative Analysis FRQ practice](/ap-comp-gov/frqs/quantitative-analysis)
- [AP Comparative Government Comparative Analysis FRQ practice](/ap-comp-gov/frqs/comparative-analysis)
- [AP Comparative Government FRQs](/ap-comp-gov/frqs)
- Any question by id: the `get_frq` tool on the [Fiveable MCP server](/mcp/docs)

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