Test your knowledge with Political Science MCQ Quiz. It has a total 25 important questions on politics and political science topics.
Political Science MCQ
Question 1. Totalitarian governments see _______________ as their enemies.
(A) specific members of opposition groups
(B) whole categories of democratic programs
(C) whole categories of people within the society
(D) specific members of the previous regime
Question 2. Political power in Western Europe and the United States has increasingly shifted to the
(A) Executive branch
(B) Regulatory agencies
(C) Judicial system
(D) legislative branch
Question 3. Monoculture, an obstacle facing many developing countries, is the
(A) Concentration of power in one political group
(B) Dominance of one ethnic group
(C) Practice of raising one major crop
(D) Lack of diversified populations
Question 4. Which of the following is true of a constitutional democracy?
(A) All minorities combined must have power equal to that of the majority.
(B) Majority rule is limited
(C) Elections are free and fair but held very infrequently
(D) Minorities must have their own representation in the legislature
Question 5. When the military dominates a political system,
(A) there is little chance of a return to civilian rule
(B) the government is always headed by a single individual
(C) large-scale public works projects are often instituted
(D) it often rules as an institution
Question 6. The United States government has historically viewed terrorism as a ____ problem.
(A) Social
(B) Military
(C) Political
(D) Religious
Question 7. How do American political parties meet the definition of a party?
(A) They control those who run under their label
(B) They are centralized
(C) They ensure cohesion in policymaking
(D) They recruit and support candidates for political office
Question 8. Jean-Jacques Rousseau proposed enlightenment theories that considered
(A) A powerful military presence
(B) Internal political order
(C) Equality of citizens
(D) The absolute power of kings
Question 9. The recent histories of France, Germany, and Japan demonstrate that
(A) Strong executives can lead to weak judiciaries
(B) Constitutional democracy is highly adaptable
(C) Democracy will flourish whenever a country is prosperous
(D) It is possible to provide a stable social environment despite inadequate economic growth
Question 10. China’s Great Leap Forward caused serious consequences to ________.
(A) The leadership abilities of Mao Zedong
(B) The government’s ability to maintain authoritarianism
(C) Chinese economic stability
(D) Chinese political and military structures
Question 11. Imperialism refers to
(A) Influence by one nation over another
(B) Superiority of one race over another
(C) Rule by a monarchy
(D) Mercantilism
Question 12. The principle of utilitarianism states that
(A) Rules are meant as guidelines for most but not all
(B) Government is an institution intended to enforce
(C) The moral action is one that maximizes well-being
(D) The means justify the ends
Question 13. John Locke’s political theories on power centered around the
(A) Absolutist theory of government
(B) Right of making laws and employing the community to execute those laws
(C) Defense of the divine right of kings
(D) Executive power of the laws of the state versus nature
Question 14. Thomas Hobbes believed that humankind had to accept a(n) ____________ in order to achieve a relatively peaceful society.
(A) Powerful ruler
(B) Social contract
(C) Equitable distribution of resources
(D) Binding agreement
Question 15. International system analysis concentrates on the interaction, and foreign policy analysis on the
(A) states
(B) External performances
(C) Wealth and power of nations
(D) Actors
Question 16. Theocracy means rule by:
(A) people
(B) wealthy
(C) Army
(D) God
Question 17. Balance of power” in international relations refers to
(A) Policies of non-alliance
(B) Comparing the policies of European nations
(C) Flexibility and stability of states
(D) Matching the power of one state against the power of another
Question 18. About ___% of national governments in the world are unitary.
(A) 90%
(B) 5%
(C) 50%
(D) 10%
Question 19. Mills’ On Liberty supports
(A) Freedom of expression
(B) National self-determination
(C) The right to bear arms
(D) A fair judicial system
Question 20. What is the chief instrument of foreign policy?
(A) Intelligence
(B) Elections
(C) The United Nations
(D) Diplomacy
Question 21. Plato’s Republic is an excellent example of political philosophy because he described
(A) The spirit of democratic laws
(B) A Kingship and its expectations
(C) The ideal state and its functions
(D) A study of Athenian constitutions
Question 22. The United States is a _______ government.
(A) Absolute
(B) Federal
(C) Unitary
(D) None of above
Question 23. Absolute government is ____________, while constitutional government is _____________.
(A) Very limited; virtually unlimited
(B) Very neutral; unlimited
(C) Virtually unlimited; very limited
(D) Limited; very neutral
Question 24. Democracy means rule by:
(A) The wealthy
(B) The people
(C) God
(D) The best
Question 25. Left-wing dictatorships
(A) Seek to impose free-market institutions on the governmen
(B) Are pro-business/anti-military
(C) Seek government control of business and the economy
(D) Are pro-religion/anti-education