POL SC HELP

MCQs
Western Political
Thought
DUET, JNUEE, UGC-NET, Other Entrance Tests,
Competitive Exams
MCQs taken from past year papers of

• DUET
• JNUEE- POLM, POLH, PISM
• HCU
• NHU
• UGC NET
1.Who among the following ancient Greek thinkers said that the state comes to be for the sake of life,
and exists for the sake of the good life?

A. Plato B. Aristotle C. Pythagoras D. Epicurus

2. Aristotle’s theory of the origin of the state is basically :

(A) Divine Theory (B) Force Theory (C) Social contract theory (D) Historical theory

3. Aristotle’s dictum “the state is prior to man” implies.

(a) the temporal priority of the state
(b) the absorption of man is the state
(c) the integral unity of man and the state • Organic conception of State- State- whole, individual –its part
(d) a genetic fallacy • Individual-family-village- Polis
• one who don’t need state is not human, either God or Beast
• Only living in Polis, individual can attain Eudemonia
4. ‘State is individual writ large’ which ancient philosopher said this?

A. Plato B. Aristotle C. Pythagoras D. Epicurus

6. With whom would you associate Cave Allegory?

A. Aristotle B. Plato B. Hobbes D. Machiavelli

7.Which of the following statements accurately describes Plato’s theory of
justice?
1. Justice is what the strong can do, and the weak must endure.
2. Justice obtains when inequality benefits the least-advantaged.
3. Justice is doing one’s own duty as per one’s station of life.
4. Justice is being even

8. For Plato which of the following statements is not true?

(A) Ideas are substances.

(B) Ideas are essences of all things.
(C) Ideas are reflections of things.
(D) Ideas are universal.
• Atlantis in Plato’s Timaeus and Critias, was an
fictional island at war with Athens
9. The reappearance of Plato is found in the
• The allegorical aspect of Atlantis was taken up in utopian
(a) Utopia of Sir Thomas More works of several Renaissance writers, such as Francis
(b) City of the Sun of Campanella Bacon's New Atlantis and Thomas More's Utopia
(c) New Atlantis of Bacon
(d) All the above
10.Identify the thinker who uses the term 'Phronesis’.

A. Pythagoras B: Aristotle C. Plato D. Epicurus

Aristotle’s concept of Phronesis contained in his Nicomachean

Ethics

11. According to Plato, justice is: Episteme - Scientific knowledge. Universal, invariable, context-
independent. Based on general analytical rationality. The
(a) Distribution of goods and services original concept is known today from the terms “epistemology”
(b) Burdens and Benefits and “epistemic.” Know- what, Know- Why
(c) Punishment and retribution
(d) One man one work, one class one duty • Techne - Craft art. Pragmatic, variable, context-dependent.
Oriented toward production. Based on practical instrumental
rationality governed by a conscious goal. The original concept
appears today in terms such as “technique,” “technical,” and
“technology.” Know –How, Skill

• Phronesis - Ethics. Deliberation about values with reference

to praxis. Pragmatic, variable, context dependent. Oriented
toward action. Based on practical value-rationality. The
original concept has no analogous contemporary term.
12. Which one among the following statement is true?

(a) Plato’s Republic is a book on ethics

(b) It is book on politics
(c) It is both on ethics and politics
(d) It is a book on education

13. Which one of the Who among the following political

thinkers are generally regarded as founders of philosophical
approach?

(a) Plato and Aristotle

(b) Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau
(c) Jeremy Bentham and J.S. Mill
(d) Kant, Hegel

14.Who of the following fled Athens for Calchis, ‘in order that the Athenians might not
commit a second crime against philosophy’?

(a) Socrates (b) Plato (c) Aristotle (d) Euclid

15. Politics is a ‘master science’ is said by?

(a) Aristotle (b) Plato (c) Marx (d) Locke

Aristotle on Women:
16.Which of the following thinkers did not believe in • Women- inferior to men, a incomplete
women equality? defective male!
(a) Plato and Mill • Has reason, but without authority; hence, she
(b) Aristotle and Hegel has to be under command of male!
(c) Mill and Mary Wollstonecraft
(d) Plato and Mary Wollstonecraft

17. Match the following List-I List-II

As a work of one of the founding fathers of
(Authors) (Books) Christianity- St. Augustine , The City of God is a
A. Plato 1. Republic and the Laws cornerstone of Western thought, explaining
B. Aristotle 2. Summa Theological many profound questions of theology, such as
C. Augustine 3. City of God the suffering of the righteous, the existence of
D. Aquinas 4. Ethics and Politics evil, the conflict between free will and divine
omniscience, and the doctrine of original sin.
 18.Match List - I with List - II and choose your answer from the codes given below : Robert Dahl’ Books:
List - I List – II • Who Governs? 1961
(Author) (Books) • Polyarchy- 1971
A. Robert A. Dahl I. ‘Plato Today’ • Democracy and Its Critics-
B. B. R.H.S. Crossman II. ‘Philosophy of Rights’ 1989
C. C. C.W. Ebenstien III. ‘A Preface to Democratic Theory’
D. D. Hegel IV. ‘Great Political Thinkers’

• Plato’s admirers:
Plato’s Critics:
• R.L. Nettleship (Lectures on the Republic of Plato)
• Karl Popper (The Open Society and its Enemies)
• A.E. Taylor (The Man and His Work)
• R.H.S. Crossman (Plato Today)
• Ernest Barker (Greek Political Theory)
• W. Fite (The Platonic Legend)

19. At what age Plato's Philosopher King completes education to be able to govern Plato’s Education system:
the state? • 20 years-universal- test- class
allocation
A. 20 years B. 35 years C. 50 years D. 55 years • 20-35- Guardian class
• 35-50: Philosopher Kings
20.Who among the following is regarded as the Father of Comparative
Politics?

(a) Plato (b) Aristotle (c) Lucian Pye (d) G.A. Almond
22. According to Aristotle, polity means:
21. Match the List–I with List–II with reference to A. Rule of the many with their consent
Aristotle and Plato: B. Rule of the few with the consent of the many
List–I (Pure form) List–II (Degenerated form) C. Rule of the one with the consent of the many
A. Monarchy (i) Democracy D. Rule of the one with the consent of the few
B. Aristocracy (ii) Tyranny
C. Polity (iii) Oligarchy
D. Ideal State (iv) Timocracy
23. Dialectic method was used for the first time in the writing of which one of the following thinkers?

(a) Socrates (b) Plato (c) Hegel d) Marx

24.Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled
as Reason (R). Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

Assertion (A): Platonic theory of ideas is based upon the theory of knowledge.

Reason (R): For him, knowledge is perception.

25. Match two columns

Modern Political Thinker – Aristotle

Founder of Positivist School – Plato
Normative Political theory – August Comte
Scientific/Inductive Method– Machiavelli
26. Which of the following two are correct?
(1) Plato laid more emphasis on duties than rights
(2) His ideal state was merely an idea not reality
(3) He was not a feminist
(4) He did speak about class

27. Ideal state with perfect justice under philosophers as

rulers was pictured in:

(a) Machiavelli’s ‘Prince’

(b) Aristotle’s ‘Politics’
(c) Plato’s ‘Republic’
(d) Hobbes ‘Leviathan’ Distributive Justice- Aristotle:
distributive justice hands out honours and
rewards according to the merits of the
28. “Distributive Justice is mainly concerned with recipients-equals to be treated equally
distribution of honours or wealth”. Who said it? and unequal, unequally- reward in
proportion to what one contributes and as
(a) Plato (b) Aristotle (c) Marx (d) per his merit- proportionate equality
Gramsci
29. Match List–I with List–II :
Definition of justice Philosopher
(A) Justice as one person, one duty, one class one work 1. Plato
(B) Justice as fairness 2. Aristotle
(C) Justice as proportionate equality 3. Rawls
(D) Justice as the interest of the strong 4. Thrasymachus

30. Match List–I with List–

Theory/concept Thinker

(A) Perpetual peace 1. Plato

(B) Golden Mean 2. Kant
(C) Analogy of the cave 3. Aristotle
(D) Fortune as a woman 4. Machiavelli

• Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch (1795)- by Immanuel Kant : starting

point of contemporary liberal thought.
• six-point program for permanent peace among Republics
• resembles modern democratic peace theory such as by Doyle
31.Who among the following can be justifiably called the first modern propounded of the idea of negative
liberty?
1. Hobbes 2. Locke 3. Machiavelli 4. Mill

32. Who defines ‘freedom as the private pursuit of the individual’ ?

(A) Hayek
(B) Hobbes
(C) Hegel
(D) Hobhouse

33. which natural right, according to Hobbes, must not be surrendered to the state?

A. Right to private property

B. Right to unlimited liberty
C. Right to a privileged treatment
D. Right to self-preservation
 34. Machiavelli is a modern philosopher because:- Machiavelli is a modern philosopher
A. He advocated double standards of morality. because, first time, he made politics
B. He believed end justifies the means. autonomous separate from religion
C. He had adhered to a sentiment of nationalism in his writings. and conventional morality
D. He was nostalgic about Roman Republic.

General will: Real will, true will, will

guided by ‘higher self’
Vs.
Actual Will- guided by ‘lower self’

35. General will leads to the formation of political society where individuals participate with:

A. Particular interests B. Group interests C. Majority interests D. Common interests

36. Which of the following thinkers held that “he who mixes his labour removes a thing from its natural
state and thus acquires a property right over that thing”?
A. John Locke B. Piene-Joseph Proudhon C. Adam Smith D. Mao Zedong

‘If I own a can of tomato juice and spill it in the sea so that its
Piene-Joseph Proudhon: profit as theft molecules mix throughout the sea, do I thereby come to own
the sea?”- Robert Nozick
 37. Who said that "the character of the people is not to be blamed any more than that of princes, for both alike are
liable to err when they are without any control"?

A. Emperor Nero B. Roman historian Titus Livy C. Immanuel Kant D. Niccold Machiavelli

38. Locke uses the description "white paper, void of all characters" to describe:

A. Natural Law B. Innocence of the primitive man C. Innocence of children D. Human mind at birth

Locke- ‘Tabula Rasa’- in n An Essay Concerning Human

Understanding (1689)
Tabula rasa is the theory that individuals are born without
built-in mental content, and therefore all knowledge
comes from experience or perception

39. With the help from the following code, find out the proper sequence in which Locke's social contract is
established:

(i) Civil Society (ii) State of Nature (iii) Government (iv) Social Contract
Aristotle on Slavery
Slave- like household property
Supported slavery but with many conditions
44. Which of the following is not said by Marx?

A. Withering away of the state B. The dictatorship of the proletariat C. The fetishism of commodities D.
The state is a necessary evil

45. “I do not wish them (women) to have power over men; but over themselves.” These words are attributed to which
of the following thinkers?
A. Hannah Arendt
B. Mary Wollstonecraft
C. J.S.Mill
D. Simone de Beauvoir

46. Assertion (A): In Machiavellian thought end justifies the means.

Reason (R): The key objective of the Prince was to bring and order and maintain his state

47. Who stated that placing restrictions on freedom of expressions of human beings is like robbing off the
present and the future races?

(a) J. S. Mill (b) John Locke (c) Isaiah Berlin (d) F. A. Hayek
48. Who among the following first modernized the tradition of Natural Law?

1. Hobbes 2. Locke 3. Machiavelli 4. Marx

49. Who among the following is called Father of Liberalism? Hobbes may be called the
grand father of Liberalism
1. Hobbes 2. Locke 3. Machiavelli 4. Rousseau

50. For liberalism, the most fundamental feature of the individual is:
A. His/her relations with other individuals
B. His/her relations with the State
C. His/her capacity to understand traditions
D. His/her capacity to make choices

51.Who among the following would you associate the concept of “Tyranny of Majority”?

1. Rousseau 2. Hobbes 3. Mill 4. Marx

52. Which socialist thinker charged Hobbes and Locke for promoting the culture “Possessive Individualism”?

1. Laski 2. Rosa Luxemburg 3. J.S. Mill 4. C. B. Macpherson

53.Which of the following statements is true of the Social Contract of Hobbes?
A. Everybody gives up their right of governing themselves.
B. The Leviathan is a party to the contract.
C. The contract is reversible.
D. The contract takes away only some of the natural rights.

54. Which of the following is NOT a political work written by J.S.

Mill? Books by J.S.Mill
A. Vindication of the Rights of Women • Three Essays on Religion- 1874
B. The Subjection of Women • Utilitarianism- 1863
C. On Liberty • Principles of Political Economy-1848
D. Considerations on Representative Government • A System of Logic- 1843

55. For whom “All existence is simply a matter in motion.”?

(a) Plato (b) Hobbes (c) T.H. Green (d) Rousseau

56. Which one of the following is not a supporter of Deontological vs Teleological ethics
Deontological view ?
(A) John Locke (B) John Rawls (C) Machiavelli (D) Isaiah Berlin Deontological: Action (to achieve
end/goal) in itself should be ethical

57. Who among the following has compared fortune with a woman ? Teleological: What matters is the End,
(A) Locke (B) Rousseau (C) Hobbes (D) Machiavelli which should be good, no matter what
means( or actions) adopted to achieve
the end/goal
58. Assertion (A): Machiavellism stands for double standard of
morals, one for the ruler and another for the private citizen.

Reason (R): The ruler, as the creator of the state, is not only outside
the Law, and outside morality as well. Machiavelli made political actions
separate from Religion and
conventional morality
59. Match List–I with List–II
List–I (Philosopher) List–II (Idea)
Machiavelli A. Revolt against Reason
Hobbes B. Moral Indifference
Locke C. Instinct of self-preservation
Rousseau D. Natural Right to Property
60. Who was Plato's guide and master?
(1 ) Xenophon (2) Aristophanes (3) Pythagoras (4) Socrates

61. Name Plato's best read book:

Plato’s other book
(1) Ideal State (2) Republic (3) Crito (4) Apology
• Laws
• Statesman
• Timaeus
• The Symposium
62. Which was the most important book written by Aristotle
among the following? Aristotle’s other book
(1) The State (2) Politics (3) The Republic (4) The Ideal State • Nicomachean Ethics
• Metaphysics
• Rhetoric
• On the Soul
63. With which city Machiavelli was associated?
Hobbes’ other book
(1) Sicily (2) Florence (3) Athens (4) Rome
• De Cive (On the citizen),
• De Corpore (On the
• Body)
64. Which among the written below, was famous book of
• De Homine
Hobbes?
• The Elements of Law,
(1) The Prince (2) The Republic (3) The Leviathan (4) The Spirit
Natural and Politic
of Laws
 Locke’s other book
65. Which is the most famous book of John Locke? • A Letter Concerning
(1) Two Treatises of Government (2) Social Contract Toleration,
(3) The Republic (4) Das Capital • An Essay Concerning
Human Understanding
• Some Thoughts Concerning
66. Who among the following had said that" Man is born free Education
and every -where he is in chains" ?
(1) Karl Marx (2) Montesquieu (3) Locke (4) Rousseau

Rousseau’s other book

67. Which among the following books, was not written by • Social Contract
Rousseau? • Emile, or Treatise On
(1) Discourse on the Origin of Inequality Education
(2) Discourse on Polity and Economy • discourse on science and
(3) Confessions arts’
(4) The Phenomenology of Mind • ‘Discourse on political
economy’
How to prepare for this segment?
• Re-visit Pol Sc videos on Classical and Modern Political Philosophy
• Pdf also available on www.polschelp.in

• Focus on- core thoughts, books, Quotes, anecdotes & Trivia

• Solve Past year’s MCQs on this theme

• Revise from the Pol Sc Help Exam Guide

• Available on https://polschelp.stores.instamojo.com/
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