Civics Polity

Political Systems and Government

1,823 Questions

Political systems and government frameworks determine how power is distributed and exercised within a society. This topic covers concepts like democracies, republics, meritocracies, and the separation of powers. It is a vital part of the polity syllabus for various competitive examinations.

Types of governmentSeparation of powersPolitical legitimacyDelegation of authorityDecision making structures

Political Systems and Government Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following is/are the example(s) of power sharing in a government?

a. A court order by the State High Court to the government to build infrastructure in a locality b. Two political parties deciding to form a coalition to fight against a third party in the local assembly elections c. A new law making one language the common language of instruction in schools all over the country

  1. a, b and c

  2. a and b

  3. a and c

  4. b and c

  5. only b
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

These are examples of power sharing as power sharing arrangements between two parties and the system of checks and balances in the horizontal government where judiciary can keep an eye on the functioning of the executive and the legislature come under power sharing.

Multiple choice

Which of the following share the power in horizontal power sharing?

  1. General government for the entire country and governments at the provincial or regional level

  2. Different social groups based on religion or linguistic ability

  3. Different political parties form the Central Government and share in the decision making process

  4. Different organs of government

  5. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This is correct. In horizontal power sharing, the different organs of the government such as the legislature, the judiciary and the executive share power.

Multiple choice

In a country, the Government is headed by a single religious group. This religion is the one followed by almost all the citizens of the country. They have different posts within the government which are filled by people belonging to different regions and many women are also a part of the government. Which of the following is/are correct about this type of government?

  1. It is a democratic government as many women are also a part of the government.

  2. It is a federal government structure as people from many regions are a part of the government.

  3. It is a community government as the government is headed by a single community.

  4. All of the above

  5. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

This is correct as this Government is a majoritarian government which is headed by a group belonging to the religion followed by the majority of the people. It is not federal as there is no mention of different levels of government. It is not community government as not all communities are represented. There is no mention that this government was chosen by the process of voting from the citizens.

Multiple choice

Which of the following come(s) under the purview of the Union Government under the Indian governance system?

a. The general governance of the entire country b. Checking the functioning of the executive c. Governance of the state or provincial legislatures

  1. a only

  2. b only

  3. c only

  4. a and b

  5. b and c
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This is correct as the Union or the Central Government is involved in the general governance of the entire country by creating laws, etc.

Multiple choice

Judicial review is a feature of _________ government.

  1. unitary

  2. presidential

  3. federal

  4. parliamentary
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Judicial review is a hallmark of federal systems, such as in the United States and India, where the judiciary has the power to interpret the constitution and invalidate laws that conflict with it.

Multiple choice

Government by the simple majority is called _____?

  1. Pantarchy

  2. Paparchy

  3. Phallocracy

  4. Polycracy

  5. Arithmocracy
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Arithmocracy is a term derived from Greek meaning government by the majority or by counting heads. The other terms refer to different forms of rule (e.g., Phallocracy is rule by men).

Multiple choice

Government by pope is called is ______.

  1. Paparchy

  2. Monarchy

  3. Phallorcy

  4. Partocracy

  5. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Government by the Pope is called Papacy. The term is Papacy (not Paparchy as written), referring to the system of government where the Pope is the supreme authority. Monarchy is rule by a king/queen, Phallocracy is not a standard term, and Partocracy is not a recognized form.

Multiple choice

The term 'Coup d'etat' is used for�

  1. peaceful co-existence of super powers

  2. constitutional change of government

  3. change of government due to the death of highest authority

  4. violent overthrow of government
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Coup d'etat refers to a sudden, illegal, and often violent seizure of power from a government.

Multiple choice

To exercise effective control over administration, the citizen is required to have

  1. high level of education
  2. high degree of political consciousness
  3. the opportunity to participate
  4. some knowledge of the administrative system Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1, 2 and 3

  2. 1, 2 and 4

  3. 1, 3 and 4

  4. 2, 3 and 4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Effective citizen control requires political awareness, participation, and knowledge of the system, rather than just formal education.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following is not a feature of the Ombudsman institution?

  1. Being independent of the Executive and the Legislature

  2. The authority to criticize all governmental agencies

  3. The practices being similar in all the countries

  4. Being recommendatory in nature
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Ombudsman institution varies significantly across countries in terms of its scope, powers, and relationship with government branches, so it is not a uniform feature.