UGC NET Political Science Unit 4-Comparative Political Analysis-MCQs

🧩 Section 1: Nature & Approaches (1–15)

1. The institutional approach in comparative politics primarily studies:
A. Political culture
B. Political institutions and their structures
C. Economic systems
D. Political economy
Answer: B
Explanation: It focuses on formal institutions like constitutions, legislatures, and executives.


2. Who is associated with the concept of “Civic Culture”?
A. Almond and Verba
B. Easton and Deutsch
C. Dahl and Lijphart
D. Lipset and Huntington
Answer: A
Explanation: Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba’s The Civic Culture (1963) is foundational to political culture studies.


3. “Most Similar Systems Design” is a method used in:
A. Historical analysis
B. Comparative politics
C. Political philosophy
D. Public administration
Answer: B
Explanation: It compares countries that are similar in most respects but differ in one key variable.


4. The New Institutionalism emphasizes:
A. Only legal institutions
B. Formal and informal rules shaping behavior
C. Culture alone
D. Economic class
Answer: B
Explanation: New institutionalism studies how rules, norms, and culture influence decisions.


5. Who among the following is associated with “Historical Institutionalism”?
A. March and Olsen
B. Wallerstein
C. Frank
D. Lipset
Answer: A
Explanation: James March and Johan Olsen developed the new institutionalism framework.


6. The behavioral revolution in political science began in the:
A. 1930s
B. 1950s
C. 1970s
D. 1980s
Answer: B
Explanation: The 1950s saw the behavioral revolution emphasizing empirical and scientific study of politics.


7. Political economy approach was deeply influenced by:
A. Marxist theory
B. Liberalism
C. Structural functionalism
D. Postmodernism
Answer: A
Explanation: Political economy approach studies how economic structures shape politics — a Marxist perspective.


8. “Post-behavioral revolution” in political science emphasized:
A. Empirical data
B. Values and relevance
C. Legal institutions
D. Quantitative methods
Answer: B
Explanation: It sought a balance between value-free study and practical relevance.


9. Which approach focuses on political values, attitudes, and beliefs of citizens?
A. Political culture approach
B. Institutional approach
C. Structural-functional approach
D. Rational choice approach
Answer: A


10. Structural-functionalism was developed by:
A. Easton and Almond
B. Weber and Marx
C. Mill and Locke
D. Rawls and Nozick
Answer: A
Explanation: Almond and Easton used the structural-functional approach to analyze political systems.


11. The comparative method seeks to:
A. Develop universal laws of politics
B. Study a single system
C. Study political thought
D. Focus on ethics
Answer: A


12. Political modernization theory belongs to:
A. Structuralism
B. Developmentalism
C. Feminism
D. Post-structuralism
Answer: B
Explanation: Modernization theorists viewed political development as a process toward Western liberal democracy.


13. Almond described the political system as:
A. Closed and rigid
B. Adaptive and open
C. Fixed and linear
D. Traditional and limited
Answer: B


14. Rational choice institutionalism is based on:
A. Cultural beliefs
B. Historical legacies
C. Cost-benefit decision-making
D. Moral values
Answer: C


15. Comparative politics became a distinct discipline after:
A. WWII
B. WWI
C. Cold War
D. 1990s globalization
Answer: A


🌍 Section 2: Colonialism, Nationalism, and Decolonization (16–25)

16. Settler colonialism involves:
A. Economic exploitation without migration
B. Permanent settlement of colonizers
C. Cultural domination only
D. Religious mission
Answer: B


17. “Neo-colonialism” refers to:
A. Direct political rule
B. Economic and cultural domination after independence
C. Pre-colonial influence
D. Feudal dependence
Answer: B


18. Who wrote The Wretched of the Earth, analyzing decolonization and violence?
A. Fanon
B. Nkrumah
C. Lenin
D. Gandhi
Answer: A


19. Kwame Nkrumah’s “Neo-colonialism” concept relates to:
A. Political nationalism
B. Economic dependence
C. Military expansion
D. Cultural alienation
Answer: B


20. Anti-colonial nationalism in Asia and Africa was largely:
A. Liberal
B. Anti-imperialist
C. Socialist only
D. Reactionary
Answer: B


21. Rabindranath Tagore criticized nationalism as:
A. Necessary for unity
B. Mechanical and soulless
C. Spiritual and divine
D. Liberal and Western
Answer: B


22. “Pan-Africanism” was led by:
A. Nyerere
B. Nkrumah
C. Senghor
D. Fanon
Answer: B


23. European nationalism emerged with:
A. Feudalism
B. Industrial Revolution and French Revolution
C. Globalization
D. Renaissance
Answer: B


24. Non-European nationalism was mainly:
A. Expansionist
B. Anti-colonial
C. Isolationist
D. Theocratic
Answer: B


25. Post-colonial states face which of the following challenges?
A. Nation-building
B. Political stability
C. Development and dependency
D. All of the above
Answer: D


🏛 Section 3: State Theory (26–35)

26. According to Marx, the state is:
A. Neutral arbiter
B. Instrument of class domination
C. Representative of general will
D. Product of divine law
Answer: B


27. The Miliband–Poulantzas debate is about:
A. Nature of capitalist state
B. Bureaucratic structure
C. Socialist revolutions
D. Neo-colonialism
Answer: A


28. Poulantzas represented which Marxist school?
A. Instrumentalist
B. Structuralist
C. Revisionist
D. Leninist
Answer: B


29. In a welfare state, the government ensures:
A. Market freedom only
B. Social and economic justice
C. Privatization
D. Minimal intervention
Answer: B


30. “Post-colonial state” is characterized by:
A. Economic independence
B. Weak institutions and dependency
C. Mature democracy
D. Industrialization
Answer: B


31. Globalization challenges the state by:
A. Increasing sovereignty
B. Reducing economic control
C. Removing international law
D. Abolishing borders
Answer: B


32. The “Withering away of the State” is a concept in:
A. Marxism
B. Liberalism
C. Realism
D. Fascism
Answer: A


33. Welfare state concept gained prominence after:
A. WWI
B. WWII
C. Cold War
D. Great Depression
Answer: B


34. The post-colonial state is often described as:
A. Democratic and self-reliant
B. Authoritarian and dependent
C. Communist
D. Decentralized
Answer: B


35. “Embedded autonomy” of the state is a concept by:
A. Evans
B. Poulantzas
C. Alavi
D. Wallerstein
Answer: A
Explanation: Peter Evans described the developmental state as “embedded yet autonomous.”


⚖️ Section 4: Political Regimes and Constitutions (36–45)

36. Which of the following is a liberal democracy?
A. China
B. North Korea
C. UK
D. Iran
Answer: C


37. “Majoritarian democracy” often leads to:
A. Inclusion of minorities
B. Minority exclusion
C. Consensus politics
D. Coalition politics
Answer: B


38. Patrimonialism refers to:
A. Rule based on bureaucratic norms
B. Rule based on personal loyalty
C. Rule of law
D. Rule by consensus
Answer: B


39. Bureaucratic authoritarian regimes combine:
A. Bureaucrats and technocrats with military
B. Peasants and workers
C. Civil society and NGOs
D. Religion and democracy
Answer: A


40. Totalitarian regimes seek control over:
A. Economy only
B. Political opposition only
C. Entire society and thought
D. Media only
Answer: C


41. Fascism promotes:
A. Individual liberty
B. Extreme nationalism and dictatorship
C. Class equality
D. Pacifism
Answer: B


42. Liberal constitutionalism emphasizes:
A. Unlimited government
B. Concentration of power
C. Rule of law and limited government
D. Party control
Answer: C


43. “Crisis of constitutionalism” arises when:
A. Emergency powers are abused
B. Judiciary is independent
C. Constitution is amended
D. Citizens obey law
Answer: A


44. Judicial independence means:
A. Judges appointed by public
B. Courts free from political interference
C. Executive controls judiciary
D. Parliament decides judgments
Answer: B


45. Example of a participatory democracy:
A. Saudi Arabia
B. Switzerland
C. China
D. Russia
Answer: B


🗳 Section 5: Democratization & Development (46–60)

46. Democratization means:
A. Rise of dictatorship
B. Spread and consolidation of democracy
C. Fall of liberalism
D. Industrialization
Answer: B


47. “Third Wave of Democracy” was described by:
A. Huntington
B. Dahl
C. Lipset
D. O’Donnell
Answer: A


48. Democratic transition often results from:
A. Military coup
B. Authoritarian rule
C. Mass mobilization or elite pact
D. Economic stagnation
Answer: C


49. Democratic consolidation means:
A. First election
B. Institutionalization of democracy
C. Coup
D. Emergency
Answer: B


50. According to Lipset, democracy is likely to sustain when:
A. Economy is strong and middle class is large
B. Society is poor
C. Religion dominates
D. Inequality rises
Answer: A


51. Dependency theory argues:
A. Development depends on global trade
B. Underdevelopment results from global capitalism
C. Developing countries can catch up easily
D. Free market ensures equality
Answer: B


52. World Systems Theory divides the world into:
A. East–West
B. Core, Periphery, Semi-periphery
C. North–South
D. Capitalist–Socialist
Answer: B


53. Rostow’s stages of growth theory belongs to:
A. Modernization school
B. Dependency school
C. Marxism
D. Feminism
Answer: A


54. “Development and Democracy” relationship was proposed by:
A. Lipset
B. Huntington
C. Marx
D. Weber
Answer: A


55. Modernization theory has been criticized for being:
A. Ethnocentric and Western-biased
B. Empirical
C. Revolutionary
D. Marxist
Answer: A


56. Sustainable development emphasizes:
A. Economic growth only
B. Growth with environmental protection
C. Industrialization at any cost
D. Privatization
Answer: B


57. Neo-liberal development stresses:
A. State control
B. Market liberalization and privatization
C. Socialist planning
D. Isolationism
Answer: B


58. Underdevelopment, according to Andre Gunder Frank, is:
A. Historical accident
B. Created by global capitalism
C. Natural state
D. Irreversible
Answer: B


59. Immanuel Wallerstein’s “World System” is a type of:
A. Marxist theory
B. Liberal theory
C. Nationalist theory
D. Feminist theory
Answer: A


60. Post-development thinkers criticize:
A. Growth-centered development
B. Environment protection
C. Cultural diversity
D. Democracy
Answer: A


⚙️ Section 6: Power, Actors, and Processes (61–70)

61. The “Power Elite” theory was proposed by:
A. C. Wright Mills
B. Robert Dahl
C. Pareto
D. Mosca
Answer: A


62. Democratic elitism was explained by:
A. Schumpeter
B. Mill
C. Marx
D. Weber
Answer: A


63. “Circulation of elites” theory was proposed by:
A. Pareto
B. Mosca
C. Dahl
D. Mills
Answer: A


64. Electoral systems convert:
A. Votes into seats
B. Laws into policies
C. Parties into ideology
D. Movements into revolutions
Answer: A


65. “First-Past-the-Post” (FPTP) system favors:
A. Multi-party system
B. Two-party system
C. Coalition governments
D. PR system
Answer: B


66. Proportional representation system ensures:
A. Wasted votes
B. Fair party representation
C. One-party rule
D. Majoritarianism
Answer: B


67. Interest groups differ from parties because they:
A. Seek power directly
B. Influence policy without contesting elections
C. Are illegal
D. Focus only on ideology
Answer: B


68. “New social movements” focus on:
A. Class conflict
B. Identity, environment, and rights
C. Nationalism
D. Economic planning
Answer: B


69. Civil society acts as a:
A. Bridge between state and citizen
B. Military organization
C. Bureaucratic institution
D. Private company
Answer: A


70. Which of the following is a revolutionary movement?
A. French Revolution
B. Women’s movement
C. Environmental campaign
D. Green Peace
Answer: A

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