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

Consider the following statements:

  1. The New Public Management relies heavily on third parties of manage and deliver government services.
  2. The New Public Management as a discipline withdrew from both political science and management. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Only 1

  2. Only 2

  3. Both 1 and 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

New Public Management (NPM) emphasizes outsourcing, privatization, and third-party delivery of government services, making statement 1 correct. NPM emerged as a distinct paradigm that drew from economics and management but moved away from traditional public administration and political science approaches, making statement 2 also correct. The response stating 'Both 1 and 2' accurately captures NPM's core features.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements about the features of the administrative system in France:

  1. Ministers are more concerned with direct administration in the provinces.
  2. Specialist personnel are found only in small numbers in the advisory and policy-making roles.
  3. Freedom of executive action from the legislature's supervision increased under the Fifth Republic. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1,2 and 3

  2. Only 1 and 2

  3. Only 2 and 3

  4. Only 1 and 3

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In France's centralized administrative system, ministers maintain direct administrative control over provinces (statement 1 correct). Specialist personnel are concentrated in advisory and policy roles rather than being widely distributed (statement 2 correct). The Fifth Republic's constitutional changes did increase executive autonomy from legislative supervision (statement 3 correct). All three statements accurately describe features of the French administrative system.

Multiple choice

What is a 'Shadow Cabinet' in the British political system?

  1. A group of young members of the ruling party

  2. A group of members from the opposition party who scrutinise some functions of the government and present alternative policy

  3. A team of intellectuals who advise the Cabinet

  4. A Cabinet Committee that functions under the guidance of the Cabinet

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A group of members from the opposition party who scrutinise some functions of the government and present alternative policy is know as a 'Shadow Cabinet' in the British political system.

Multiple choice

In addition to three tiers of local government, the following three organisational structures have been created under the Constitution:

(a) Town Planning Committee (b) District Planning Committee (c) Metropolitan Planning Committee

Which of the above is/are not organisational structure(s) created under the Constitution?

  1. (a) only

  2. (a) and (b)

  3. (c) only

  4. (b) and (c)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Under the Constitution, two important organisational structures, the District Planning Committee and Metropolitan Planning Committee, have been created.

Multiple choice

The Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) experienced a decline after independence. (a) Inadequate resource base (b) Weak Executive / Mayor titular head (c) Undefined role - no constitutional status (d) Undue State Control

Which of the above is/are correct?

  1. Only (a)

  2. Only (b) and (c)

  3. Only (c)

  4. All of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Local bodies since independence have been hit hard by resource crunch, non entity and undue state control (constitutionally).

Multiple choice

Local self-government is said to serve the local citizenry from “cradle to the grave”. Which of the following are incorrect?

(a) It is a government of local communities for the local communities and by the local communities. (b) It is the best form of government. (c) It is subject to intense public gaze and accountability. (d) The political thinkers Plato and Aristotle endorsed it.

  1. Only (a) and (b)

  2. Only (b) and (c)

  3. Only (b), (c) and (d)

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Local self-government, being the grass root institution, is the best form of government. It is open to public gaze and evaluation.

Multiple choice

Consider the following statements about the devolution of political fiscal and administration powers to sub-national tiers of government. (a) It formed part of World Bank funding (b) Disillusionment with centralised planning (c) Lackadaisical attitude of state governments (d) Corruption at higher levels

Which of the above is/are incorrect?

  1. Only (a)

  2. Only (b)

  3. Only (c)

  4. Only (d)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Centralised planning proved ineffectual. In the late eighties agenda for decentralisation formed part of World Bank funding. Moreover states were not proactive towards empowering municipal bodies.

Multiple choice

Under delegated legislation,

  1. powers given to the executive may be vague and ambiguous

  2. powers given to the executive may be as the competent authority likes

  3. powers given to the executive must be clearly spelt out, explicitly worded

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Under delegated legislation the powers given to the executive must be clearly spelt out explicitly worded.

Multiple choice

With a well-functioning legislature and judiciary,

  1. no problems can arise requiring attention of a separate administrative body

  2. problems can arise only if the legislature and the judiciary are at daggers drawn

  3. the need for expertise and concentration upon the problem as a whole still requires the development of administration process

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

With a well-functioning legislature and judiciary, the need for expertise and concentration upon the problem as a whole still requires the development of administration process.

Multiple choice

Which one of the following is correct about a federation?

  1. Federation is domination of the centre on the states.

  2. Federation is dependence of the centre on the states.

  3. The centre and the states interfere in the matters of each other.

  4. Federation is an association of states that forms a new one and all the units and centre derive power from the constitution.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

A federation is an association of states that come together to form a new political entity where both the central government and the states derive their power from a common constitution. Neither dominates the other - each has its own sphere of authority. Options A, B, and C incorrectly describe dominance, dependence, or interference rather than constitutional division of power.

Multiple choice

A coalition government in a country is generally formed where there is

  1. two party system

  2. one party system

  3. multi party system

  4. no party system
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Coalition governments typically emerge in multi-party systems where no single party secures a majority. Multiple parties with similar ideological positions form alliances to collectively attain the majority required to form a government. This is common in parliamentary democracies with proportional representation or diverse political landscapes. Two-party systems rarely produce coalitions, and one-party systems by definition have no coalitions.

Multiple choice

Local self-government institutions help in

  1. national matters in some cases

  2. local matters only

  3. state matters in some cases

  4. all of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Local bodies are restricted only to the related/confined areas (e.g. panchayati Raj Institutions).