General Studies on Political Science

Here are 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) with answers related to General
Studies on Political Science:

1. Who is considered the father of political science?

 a) Aristotle
 b) Plato
 c) Socrates
 d) Thomas Hobbes
Answer: a) Aristotle

2. Which of the following is the first book written by Aristotle?

 a) Politics
 b) Nicomachean Ethics
 c) The Republic
 d) Metaphysics
Answer: b) Nicomachean Ethics

3. Which is the oldest political party in the world?

 a) Indian National Congress

 b) Republican Party (USA)
 c) Conservative Party (UK)
 d) Democratic Party (USA)
Answer: c) Conservative Party (UK)

4. Who wrote the book 'The Social Contract'?

 a) Karl Marx
 b) John Locke
 c) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
 d) Thomas Hobbes
Answer: c) Jean-Jacques Rousseau

5. Which of the following thinkers is associated with the theory of 'the

separation of powers'?
 a) Aristotle
 b) John Locke
 c) Montesquieu
 d) Rousseau
Answer: c) Montesquieu

6. What does the term 'sovereignty' mean in political science?

 a) The power of the people

 b) The authority of the government
 c) The supreme authority within a territory
 d) The rights of the citizens
Answer: c) The supreme authority within a territory

7. Which of the following is the primary feature of a federal state?

 a) Unitary system of governance

 b) Centralized decision-making
 c) Division of powers between central and state governments
 d) Absolute monarchy
Answer: c) Division of powers between central and state governments

8. The term 'Republic' refers to which of the following?

 a) A government led by a monarch

 b) A government led by a prime minister
 c) A government where the head of state is elected
 d) A government by the military
Answer: c) A government where the head of state is elected

9. Who wrote 'The Communist Manifesto'?

 a) Friedrich Engels
 b) Karl Marx
 c) Vladimir Lenin
 d) Leon Trotsky
Answer: b) Karl Marx

10. What is the main idea of John Locke's 'Second Treatise of

Government'?

 a) Divine right of kings

 b) Social contract and natural rights
 c) Utopian society
 d) Separation of church and state
Answer: b) Social contract and natural rights

11. What is the basic idea behind the 'Theory of Socialism'?

 a) Free-market capitalism
 b) State control over the economy and wealth distribution
 c) Absolute monarchy
 d) The establishment of a classless society
Answer: b) State control over the economy and wealth distribution

12. Which country has the first written constitution in the world?

 a) United States
 b) India
 c) Greece
 d) San Marino
Answer: d) San Marino

13. Who was the first President of the United States?

 a) Thomas Jefferson
 b) George Washington
 c) John Adams
 d) Abraham Lincoln
Answer: b) George Washington

14. Which of the following is the main principle of democratic

government?

 a) Rule by law
 b) Rule by elites
 c) Rule by majority
 d) Rule by military
Answer: c) Rule by majority

15. Which philosopher is known for the concept of 'the State of

Nature'?

 a) Karl Marx
 b) Thomas Hobbes
 c) Plato
 d) Aristotle
Answer: b) Thomas Hobbes
16. In which year did the French Revolution begin?

 a) 1775
 b) 1789
 c) 1799
 d) 1815
Answer: b) 1789

17. Which document marked the beginning of the American

Revolution?

 a) The Constitution
 b) The Magna Carta
 c) The Declaration of Independence
 d) The Bill of Rights
Answer: c) The Declaration of Independence

18. What is the main feature of a unitary state?

 a) Strong central government

 b) Division of power between state and federal governments
 c) Decentralized administration
 d) Multiple levels of government
Answer: a) Strong central government

19. What does the term 'political ideologies' refer to?

 a) The set of beliefs and values about government and society

 b) The historical analysis of political events
 c) The study of the political economy
 d) The analysis of political leaders
Answer: a) The set of beliefs and values about government and society

20. Who introduced the concept of 'class struggle' in politics?

 a) Karl Marx
 b) John Locke
 c) Max Weber
 d) Thomas Hobbes
Answer: a) Karl Marx

21. Which of these terms is used to describe the absence of

government?
 a) Democracy
 b) Anarchy
 c) Oligarchy
 d) Monarchy
Answer: b) Anarchy

22. What is the main characteristic of a totalitarian government?

 a) Freedom of speech
 b) Political pluralism
 c) Absolute control over all aspects of life
 d) Power-sharing between different parties
Answer: c) Absolute control over all aspects of life

23. What does the term 'realpolitik' mean?

 a) Idealistic political theory

 b) Politics based on practical and material factors rather than ethical or
ideological considerations
 c) Politics based on public opinion
 d) Politics based on the moral principles
Answer: b) Politics based on practical and material factors rather than ethical or
ideological considerations

24. Which of the following is a key principle of the theory of

'liberalism'?

 a) State intervention in the economy

 b) Limiting individual freedoms
 c) Protection of individual rights and freedoms
 d) Centralization of political power
Answer: c) Protection of individual rights and freedoms

25. Who coined the term 'civil disobedience'?

 a) Henry David Thoreau

 b) Mahatma Gandhi
 c) Nelson Mandela
 d) Martin Luther King Jr.
Answer: a) Henry David Thoreau

26. Which of the following is an example of a bicameral legislature?

 a) United Kingdom
 b) United States
 c) Canada
 d) India
Answer: b) United States

27. Who is known as the 'Father of Modern Political Science'?

 a) Aristotle
 b) John Locke
 c) Niccolò Machiavelli
 d) Plato
Answer: c) Niccolò Machiavelli

28. The idea of 'separation of powers' in government was introduced

by:

 a) Montesquieu
 b) Rousseau
 c) Locke
 d) Hegel
Answer: a) Montesquieu

29. Which of the following is the most important document in a

democratic government?

 a) Bill of Rights
 b) Constitution
 c) Declaration of Independence
 d) Political Parties Manifesto
Answer: b) Constitution

30. Which political ideology advocates for the abolition of private

property?

 a) Communism
 b) Liberalism
 c) Conservatism
 d) Capitalism
Answer: a) Communism

31. In which year did India gain independence from British rule?

 a) 1935
 b) 1947
 c) 1950
 d) 1942
Answer: b) 1947

32. The first General Election in India was held in:

 a) 1950
 b) 1951
 c) 1947
 d) 1952
Answer: d) 1952

33. Which of these is a principle of democracy?

 a) Rule of law
 b) Authoritarian rule
 c) Unlimited power of the ruler
 d) Political apathy
Answer: a) Rule of law

34. Which theory advocates the idea that the state is a result of a
contract between the people and the government?

 a) Social contract theory

 b) Divine right theory
 c) Marxist theory
 d) Evolutionary theory
Answer: a) Social contract theory

35. The concept of 'secularism' is mainly associated with:

 a) Plato
 b) John Locke
 c) Mahatma Gandhi
 d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer: d) Jawaharlal Nehru

36. Which of the following is a feature of a dictatorship?

 a) Rule by a single leader or party

 b) Free elections
 c) Power-sharing among different parties
 d) Civil liberties and freedom of speech
Answer: a) Rule by a single leader or party
37. Which of these political ideologies supports minimal government
intervention in the economy?

 a) Liberalism
 b) Conservatism
 c) Libertarianism
 d) Socialism
Answer: c) Libertarianism

38. Which one of these thinkers is famous for his work 'The Prince'?

 a) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
 b) Niccolò Machiavelli
 c) Thomas Hobbes
 d) Karl Marx
Answer: b) Niccolò Machiavelli

39. Which system of government combines elements of democracy

and monarchy?

 a) Oligarchy
 b) Constitutional monarchy
 c) Republic
 d) Theocracy
Answer: b) Constitutional monarchy

40. Which of the following terms refers to the transfer of power from
the central government to regional or local authorities?

 a) Devolution
 b) Federalism
 c) Centralization
 d) Democracy
Answer: a) Devolution

41. What is the central idea of the theory of utilitarianism?

 a) The pursuit of happiness for the greatest number of people

 b) The establishment of a classless society
 c) The need for absolute authority in governance
 d) The implementation of religious laws in governance
Answer: a) The pursuit of happiness for the greatest number of people
42. Which political thinker is associated with the phrase "the end
justifies the means"?

 a) Immanuel Kant
 b) John Locke
 c) Niccolò Machiavelli
 d) Thomas Hobbes
Answer: c) Niccolò Machiavelli

43. Which country follows a multi-party system in its political

structure?

 a) United States
 b) United Kingdom
 c) India
 d) China
Answer: c) India

44. What is the primary purpose of political parties in a democracy?

 a) To create conflicts
 b) To control the media
 c) To present candidates for elections and organize governance
 d) To suppress freedom of speech
Answer: c) To present candidates for elections and organize governance

45. What does the term 'neoliberalism' primarily focus on?

 a) Economic freedom and market-oriented reforms

 b) Social justice and equality
 c) Centralized government control
 d) Traditional family structures
Answer: a) Economic freedom and market-oriented reforms

46. Who is known for the book 'The Theory of the Leisure Class'?

 a) Karl Marx
 b) Max Weber
 c) Thorstein Veblen
 d) Friedrich Engels
Answer: c) Thorstein Veblen

47. Which of the following is a characteristic of a federal government?

 a) One central government controls all political decisions
 b) Multiple layers of government with divided powers
 c) Totalitarian regime with no political pluralism
 d) A single, ruling party controls all levels of government
Answer: b) Multiple layers of government with divided powers

48. Which of the following is the oldest form of government?

 a) Democracy
 b) Oligarchy
 c) Monarchy
 d) Dictatorship
Answer: c) Monarchy

49. The concept of 'welfare state' is most closely associated with which
political ideology?

 a) Liberalism
 b) Conservatism
 c) Socialism
 d) Fascism
Answer: c) Socialism

50. Who wrote the 'Leviathan' and contributed to the theory of social
contract?

 a) John Locke
 b) Thomas Hobbes
 c) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
 d) Karl Marx
Answer: b) Thomas Hobbes

51. Which type of government allows the people to directly make

decisions on public policies?

 a) Democracy
 b) Monarchy
 c) Theocracy
 d) Direct democracy
Answer: d) Direct democracy

52. What does the term 'totalitarianism' mean?

 a) A system of government where the ruling party holds absolute control over
every aspect of life
 b) A government where the people have complete control
 c) A democracy with free and fair elections
 d) A system where political leaders are elected through popular vote
Answer: a) A system of government where the ruling party holds absolute
control over every aspect of life

53. Which of the following political systems is based on religious

principles?

 a) Communism
 b) Theocracy
 c) Democracy
 d) Fascism
Answer: b) Theocracy

54. Who is known for the concept of 'surplus value' in Marxist

theory?

 a) Karl Marx
 b) John Locke
 c) Immanuel Kant
 d) Max Weber
Answer: a) Karl Marx

55. What is the main idea behind anarchism?

 a) Support for a totalitarian regime

 b) Belief in a stateless, self-managed society
 c) Support for a capitalist economy
 d) Advocacy for a one-party system
Answer: b) Belief in a stateless, self-managed society

56. Which system of government is based on the rule of law and

protects individual rights?

 a) Oligarchy
 b) Democracy
 c) Theocracy
 d) Dictatorship
Answer: b) Democracy
57. Which political philosophy focuses on liberty and free-market
capitalism?

 a) Conservatism
 b) Liberalism
 c) Marxism
 d) Socialism
Answer: b) Liberalism

58. What is the primary focus of 'realism' in international relations?

 a) Cooperative internationalism
 b) Humanitarian concerns
 c) Power and national interest
 d) Human rights
Answer: c) Power and national interest

59. Which principle is associated with 'democratic socialism'?

 a) Free-market capitalism
 b) Social justice through democratic processes
 c) Absolute government control over all resources
 d) Militarization of the state
Answer: b) Social justice through democratic processes

60. Which political ideology supports the idea of a mixed economy?

 a) Communism
 b) Capitalism
 c) Socialism
 d) Fascism
Answer: c) Socialism

61. What does the 'welfare state' aim to provide?

 a) Political freedom
 b) Economic equality
 c) State-controlled media
 d) Military dominance
Answer: b) Economic equality

62. Which document guarantees civil rights and liberties in the United
States?
 a) The Constitution
 b) The Federalist Papers
 c) The Bill of Rights
 d) The Magna Carta
Answer: c) The Bill of Rights

63. What is the main characteristic of a dictatorship?

 a) Rule by a single individual or group with unchecked power

 b) Rule by elected representatives
 c) Power-sharing between different groups
 d) Frequent elections
Answer: a) Rule by a single individual or group with unchecked power

64. Which of the following best describes a democratic political

system?

 a) The ruler has absolute control

 b) Citizens have the power to elect leaders through elections
 c) The government is controlled by a military
 d) The government is religiously oriented
Answer: b) Citizens have the power to elect leaders through elections

65. Who is known for developing the theory of 'dialectical

materialism'?

 a) Karl Marx
 b) Friedrich Engels
 c) Max Weber
 d) Jean-Paul Sartre
Answer: a) Karl Marx

66. What is the goal of a political party?

 a) To promote a specific ideology

 b) To control the economy
 c) To form a military government
 d) To limit the role of government
Answer: a) To promote a specific ideology

67. Which philosopher argued for the division of labor and the
invisible hand in the market?

 a) John Locke
 b) Thomas Hobbes
 c) Karl Marx
 d) Adam Smith
Answer: d) Adam Smith

68. What is the 'Hobbesian' view of human nature?

 a) Humans are inherently good and cooperative

 b) Humans are selfish and require a strong authority to maintain order
 c) Humans are inherently rational and democratic
 d) Humans are spiritual and divinely guided
Answer: b) Humans are selfish and require a strong authority to maintain order

69. What is the primary goal of 'feminist political theory'?

 a) To establish women's control over economic resources

 b) To achieve gender equality and address women's rights issues
 c) To reinforce patriarchal structures
 d) To oppose all forms of government
Answer: b) To achieve gender equality and address women's rights issues

70. Which of the following is a feature of liberal democracy?

 a) State control over media

 b) Freedom of speech and political pluralism
 c) Lack of free elections
 d) A single ruling party
Answer: b) Freedom of speech and political pluralism

71. Which of these systems best describes a one-party state?

 a) Democracy
 b) Oligarchy
 c) Fascism
 d) Totalitarianism
Answer: d) Totalitarianism

72. What type of government exists when one party holds all the
political power?

 a) Democracy
 b) Oligarchy
 c) One-party state
 d) Theocracy
Answer: c) One-party state

73. Which of the following is a key principle of classical liberalism?

 a) Economic intervention by the state

 b) Free market economy and individual rights
 c) Social justice through collective control
 d) Centralized political control
Answer: b) Free market economy and individual rights

74. What term describes the economic and political system in which
the state controls production?

 a) Capitalism
 b) Socialism
 c) Communism
 d) Fascism
Answer: b) Socialism

75. Which system of government is characterized by a single

individual holding absolute power?

 a) Democracy
 b) Monarchy
 c) Dictatorship
 d) Oligarchy
Answer: c) Dictatorship

76. Which philosopher is most associated with the development of

social contract theory?

 a) John Locke
 b) Karl Marx
 c) Thomas Hobbes
 d) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Answer: d) Jean-Jacques Rousseau

77. Which of the following best defines the 'separation of powers'?

 a) A system where political power is shared between the central government and
states
 b) A system where legislative, executive, and judicial powers are distinct and
function independently
 c) A system where power is centralized in a single authority
 d) A system where the military has the final say in all matters
Answer: b) A system where legislative, executive, and judicial powers are
distinct and function independently

78. Who argued that the state should be a 'neutral arbiter' of conflicts
in society?

 a) John Locke
 b) Karl Marx
 c) Robert Nozick
 d) Thomas Hobbes
Answer: a) John Locke

79. What is the central idea of 'classical liberalism'?

 a) Centralized control of economic resources

 b) Protection of individual liberties and limited government intervention
 c) Absolute state control over society
 d) The priority of collective welfare over individual rights
Answer: b) Protection of individual liberties and limited government
intervention

80. What is the role of the judiciary in a democracy?

 a) To create laws
 b) To implement policies
 c) To interpret and apply laws
 d) To organize elections
Answer: c) To interpret and apply laws

81. Which political system is characterized by rule by a small group of

elites?

 a) Democracy
 b) Oligarchy
 c) Monarchy
 d) Totalitarianism
Answer: b) Oligarchy

82. What does the term 'pluralism' refer to in political theory?

 a) A political system where multiple parties share power

 b) A single-party system in which one group controls all political power
 c) A system where power is concentrated in the hands of one individual
 d) A democratic system with freedom of speech but limited political participation
Answer: a) A political system where multiple parties share power

83. Who wrote 'The Spirit of the Laws', advocating for the separation
of powers in government?

 a) John Locke
 b) Montesquieu
 c) Jean-Jacques Rousseau
 d) Voltaire
Answer: b) Montesquieu

84. What is the core idea of 'libertarianism'?

 a) Strong government intervention in markets and society

 b) The importance of maximizing individual liberty and minimizing government
power
 c) Centralized control of all aspects of society
 d) A focus on collective welfare and economic equality
Answer: b) The importance of maximizing individual liberty and minimizing
government power

85. Which political philosopher developed the idea of the 'veil of

ignorance'?

 a) John Locke
 b) Karl Marx
 c) Thomas Hobbes
 d) John Rawls
Answer: d) John Rawls

86. What does 'direct democracy' mean?

 a) Representatives make decisions on behalf of the people

 b) A system where all citizens vote directly on policies and laws
 c) A system where only the elites participate in decision-making
 d) A government controlled by a central authority
Answer: b) A system where all citizens vote directly on policies and laws

87. What was the main aim of the French Revolution?

 a) To establish a monarchy
 b) To promote industrialization
 c) To overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic based on equality and
liberty
 d) To increase religious authority in governance
Answer: c) To overthrow the monarchy and establish a republic based on
equality and liberty

88. What does the term 'globalization' refer to in political science?

 a) The process by which governments become more independent of each other

 b) The increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of world economies,
cultures, and political systems
 c) The retreat of global trade networks
 d) The establishment of isolated economic zones
Answer: b) The increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of world
economies, cultures, and political systems

89. Which of the following is a key idea of the 'social contract'?

 a) The government must act in the best interests of the ruling elite
 b) Citizens consent to be governed in exchange for protection of their rights
 c) Individuals should reject government control and embrace anarchy
 d) The state should have no power over individual freedoms
Answer: b) Citizens consent to be governed in exchange for protection of their
rights

90. What is 'sovereignty' in political science?

 a) The right of a country to govern itself without outside interference

 b) The ability of citizens to vote for their leaders
 c) The division of powers between different branches of government
 d) The supreme authority of a ruler over the economy
Answer: a) The right of a country to govern itself without outside interference

91. Which ideology emphasizes the central role of the state in

directing economic and social affairs?

 a) Liberalism
 b) Conservatism
 c) Socialism
 d) Anarchism
Answer: c) Socialism

92. Who is associated with the 'iron law of oligarchy'?

 a) Karl Marx
 b) Robert Michels
 c) Max Weber
 d) John Locke
Answer: b) Robert Michels

93. What is the main characteristic of a 'unitary' system of

government?

 a) Power is divided between central and regional authorities

 b) Power is concentrated in one central authority
 c) There is no central government
 d) All regions have equal representation in the national government
Answer: b) Power is concentrated in one central authority

94. What is the principle of 'majority rule' in democracy?

 a) The minority should rule for fairness

 b) Decisions are made by the largest group of people in an election or vote
 c) Political decisions are made by a small elite
 d) All groups have equal say in decision-making
Answer: b) Decisions are made by the largest group of people in an election or
vote

95. Which political system is characterized by a strong, centralized

government that controls nearly every aspect of the people's lives?

 a) Democracy
 b) Totalitarianism
 c) Republic
 d) Monarchy
Answer: b) Totalitarianism

96. Which document laid the foundation for the modern concept of
human rights?

 a) The Magna Carta

 b) The Bill of Rights
 c) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
 d) The U.S. Constitution
Answer: c) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

97. What is the concept of 'civil disobedience'?

 a) Violent protest against the government
 b) Refusing to obey certain laws in a peaceful manner to protest unjust policies
 c) The suppression of dissent to maintain public order
 d) Relying on legal means to change government policies
Answer: b) Refusing to obey certain laws in a peaceful manner to protest unjust
policies

98. Which country operates under a parliamentary system of

government?

 a) United States
 b) Canada
 c) China
 d) Saudi Arabia
Answer: b) Canada

99. What is the 'political spectrum'?

 a) The classification of political parties based on their economic policies

 b) A way to categorize political ideologies ranging from left-wing to right-wing
 c) A list of political figures and their public approval ratings
 d) A system of political parties based on geographic regions
Answer: b) A way to categorize political ideologies ranging from left-wing to
right-wing

100. Who is known for developing the theory of 'historical

materialism'?

 a) Karl Marx
 b) Friedrich Engels
 c) Thomas Hobbes
 d) John Locke
Answer: a) Karl Marx