CUET PG Political Science Question Paper 2024(Available): Download Question paper with Solutions PDF

Explanation:

Marx's historical materialism is a method for understanding societal changes based on material conditions.

• (A) is Correct: Historical materialism is indeed about understanding history through a materialist lens, focusing on the economic base and mode of production.
• (B) is Correct: Engels did give credit to Marx for originating the concept of historical materialism.
• (C) is Incorrect: While Marx did see the relations of production as foundational, he viewed them as the economic, not directly the political, structure of society.
• (D) is Correct: Marx argued that the relations of production in a society are linked to the development of its productive forces.

Explanation:

The concept of relative autonomy of the state suggests that the state, while influenced by the dominant class, is not merely its tool.

• Nicos Poulantzas is known for developing this concept, arguing that the state operates with a degree of independence from the direct control of the ruling class.
• While Miliband, Althusser, and Gramsci also contributed to Marxist state theory, Poulantzas is most associated with the concept of relative autonomy.

Explanation:

John Locke's concept of natural rights is central to liberal political thought.

• Locke posits that individuals possess inherent rights that are not granted by governments.
• These rights primarily include the rights to life, liberty, and property.
• Locke's ideas were influential in the development of ideas about individual freedom and limited government power.

Explanation:

The famous quote “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles" is from one of the most important documents of marxism.

• This assertion that class struggle is the main driving force behind history is central to Marx's analysis.

Explanation:

Direct democracy, where citizens participate directly in decision making, is associated with ancient Athens.

• Athens, during its classical period, was known for its practice of citizens assembling to vote directly on laws and policies.
• While other ancient cities had elements of democracy, they weren't examples of direct democracy.

Explanation:

'The Statesman' is a dialogue written by Plato, a key figure in ancient Greek philosophy.

• In this dialogue, Plato discusses the nature of the ideal statesman and the qualities they should possess.
• It forms part of his broader philosophical work exploring political theory and ethics.
• Unlike other great thinkers like Aristotle (who wrote “Politics”), this dialogue was by plato.

Explanation:

Realism in international relations emphasizes power politics and the pursuit of national interest.

• Thomas Hobbes, Kenneth Waltz, and Hans Morgenthau are all considered important realist thinkers.
• Woodrow Wilson, on the other hand, is known for his idealist perspective, which focuses on international cooperation, law, and morality, often contrasting with realism.

Explanation:

The SAARC specialized bodies were established in different years, this question is for factual recall and can only be answered through this understanding.

• The SAARC Agriculture Centre was established in 1988
• The SAARC Development Fund was established in 2010
• SAARC Arbitration Council was established in 2011
• South Asian Regional Standards Organisation (SARSO) was established in 2011

Explanation:

The correct order requires knowledge of the publication dates of Gandhi's works.

• Hind Swaraj was published in 1909.
• Satyagraha in South Africa was published in 1928.
• The Story of My Experiments with Truth was published in 1929.
• India of My Dreams was published in 1947

Explanation:

SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) includes countries located in South Asia.

• Afghanistan, India, and Sri Lanka are founding members of SAARC.
• Myanmar is part of Southeast Asia and is a member of ASEAN, not SAARC

Explanation:

The collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War were complex events with multiple contributing factors.

• (A) is Correct: The Soviet system faced significant structural issues, including economic stagnation, lack of innovation, and social discontent which are major reasons for collapse of communism.
• (B) is Incorrect: While the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan did weaken the Soviet Union and increase internal pressure, it was not the main reason for collapse of communism or end of cold war.
• (C) is Correct: Gorbachev's policies of Perestroika (economic restructuring) and Glasnost (openness) exposed the flaws within the system and inadvertently spurred its collapse.
• (D) is Correct: Economic and cultural globalization played a major role in increasing the flow of information to the communist block.

Explanation:

This question tests knowledge of Ambedkar's literary works.

• Ambedkar authored Thoughts on Pakistan, Annihilation of Caste, and The Problem of Rupee:Origin and Solution on his own.
• Gandhi, Nehru, and Tagore is a collection of essays by different authors on the same topic, and is not a work of Ambedkar.

Explanation:

The correct order requires knowledge of the years these global environment-related events took place.

• Rio Earth Summit took place in 1992
• Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997
• Johannesburg Summit took place in 2002.
• Copenhagen Summit happened in 2009.

Explanation:

This question tests knowledge about the timeline of significant events in Cold War.

• Korean War began in 1950
• Soviet invasion of Hungary happened in 1956
• Berlin War began in 1961
• Soviet invasion of Afghanistan began in 1979.

Explanation:

This matching tests the knowledge of classical political works and their authors.

• The Republic is written by Plato.
• Leviathan is written by Thomas Hobbes.
• Florentine History is a work of Niccolò Machiavelli.
• Two Treatises of Government is authored by John Locke.

Explanation:

This question requires matching contemporary political thinkers to their influential works.

• John Rawls is the author of A Theory of Justice.
• Robert Nozick wrote State and Utopia.
• Adam Smith is known for Wealth of Nations.
• Francis Fukuyama is famous for The End of History.

Explanation:

This question tests knowledge of the chronology of specific historical events.

• The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor took place in 1941
• Cuban Missile Crisis happened in 1962.
• IPKF to Sri Lanka was sent in 1987.
• Kargil War happened in 1999.

Explanation:

This question requires chronological knowledge of the tenures of Indian presidents.

• Dr. Zakir Hussain was President from 1967 to 1969
• Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was President from 1977 to 1982.
• Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam was President from 2002 to 2007
• Pranab Mukherjee was President from 2012 to 2017.

Explanation:

This question asks about the accuracy of the mentioned terrorist attacks with respect to time.

• The Mumbai Terror Attack took place in 2008.
• The Terror Attack on Indian Parliament took place in 2001.
• The Pulwama Terror Attack happened in 2019
• Uri Terror Attack happened in 2016.

Pay close attention to dates when memorizing historical events, small inaccuracies can lead to incorrect answers

Explanation:

The power to dissolve the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, is with the President.

• The President acts on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, which is headed by the Prime Minister.
• Neither the Chief Justice of India nor the Rajya Sabha, the upper house, has the power to recommend the dissolution.

In parliamentary systems, the head of state typically acts on the advice of the executive, not other parts of the government.

Explanation:

This question tests the knowledge of the establishment dates of major international organizations.

• UNO (United Nations Organization): Established in 1945 after World War II, making it the oldest organization in the list.
• NAM (Non-Aligned Movement): Officially came into being in 1961, during the height of the Cold War.
• ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations): Founded in 1967, aimed at promoting cooperation among Southeast Asian countries.
• SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation): Established in 1985 as a regional cooperation initiative in South Asia.

Explanation:

The Council of States, or Rajya Sabha, is the upper house of the Indian Parliament.

• (A) is Correct: The Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and not subject to dissolution.
• (B) is Correct: One-third, and not one-fourth, of its members retire every two years, and it's an important point to understand.
• (C) is Incorrect: The Rajya Sabha uses a system of proportional representation.
• (D) is Correct: The retirement order of members is indeed governed by the 1952 order, which is the legislative procedure.

Explanation:

This question requires understanding of the major theories and approaches in global justice.

• (A) is Correct: Thomas Pogge, in his works, did address many key questions pertaining to global justice.
• (B) is Correct: Rawls, through his eight principles, emphasizes the need for respect for human rights and duties globally.
• (C) is Correct: Rawls did distinguish between the application of justice principles within a domestic society and globally.
• (D) is Correct: Pogge argued that global institutions are partly responsible for creating the gap between the rich and the poor.

Explanation:

This matching question requires knowledge of influential contemporary thinkers in political philosophy and their works.

• Thomas Pogge is known for World Poverty and Human Rights.
• Charles Beitz authored Political Theory and International Relations. (Note: The options mention 'The Idea of Human Rights' which is not his core work and this is an inaccurate option).
• Thomas Nagel is known for The Possibility of Altruism.
• David Miller has contributed to Principles of Social Justice.

Explanation:

"Sexual Politics” is a seminal work of feminist theory.

• Kate Millett wrote “Sexual Politics”, a key text analyzing power dynamics between genders
• Mary Wollstonecraft is a pioneer of feminism but is not known for ‘Sexual Politics’.

Explanation:

Lucian Pye is well-known for his contributions to the study of political development and its links to other factors.

• Pye particularly emphasized the importance of administrative capacity as a vital element of political development.
• While other thinkers have dealt with political development and public administration, Pye's work has been specifically influential in linking both.

Explanation:

Latin America, despite its history of presidential dominance, is also known for its history of political instability.

• While some Latin American countries have made progress on gender equality, the region does not have the highest number of female presidents.
• While elections happen frequently, they are not the most in the world.
• The region's development has been significantly impacted by regime changes, military coups, and other forms of instability.

Explanation:

"The Spirit of the Laws" is a landmark work on political theory.

• Montesquieu's 'The Spirit of Laws' is a treatise on political theory, emphasizing separation of powers.
• This work is fundamental to understanding modern democratic ideas and the concept of checks and balances in governance.

Explanation:

The Indian constitution has a detailed framework for the process of constitutional amendment.

• (A) is Correct: The President cannot send back a Constitutional amendment bill, it is binding.
• (B) is Incorrect: The judiciary does not have the power to amend the constitution only the parliament does.
• (C) is Correct: Only the parliament can initiate any bill to amend the constitution.
• (D) is Correct: The parliament also does not have power to amend basic structure of constitution.

Explanation:

The correct order requires knowledge of the order these rights are mentioned in the constitution.

• Right to protection of life and personal liberty (Article 21)
• Right to equality of opportunity in public employment (Article 16)
• Right to freedom of speech and expression (Article 19)
• Protection against arbitrary arrest (Article 22)

Explanation:

The concept of humans as “political animals” (zoon politikon) is a cornerstone of Aristotelian political philosophy.

• Aristotle argued that humans are naturally inclined to form political communities because it is within these communities that they can fully realize their potential and achieve eudaimonia (human flourishing).
• Unlike other animals, humans have the capacity for reason and speech, which are essential for participating in political life.
• This idea highlights the social and communal nature of human beings, seeing political life as a natural expression of human nature.

Explanation:

David Easton's definition of politics is very influential in the discipline.

• Easton defined politics as “the authoritative allocation of values" to emphasize that politics is not just about making decisions, but also about ensuring these decisions are binding and effectively implemented.
• He argued that the political system is responsible for distributing resources and values, through public policy.

Explanation:

Jean Bodin is considered one of the pioneers of modern legal theory of sovereignty.

• Bodin, in the 16th century, laid the foundation for modern thinking on sovereignty by emphasizing the absolute and indivisible nature of sovereign power.
• Bodin defined sovereignty as supreme power over citizens and subjects which was free from any constraints.
• Later thinkers like John Austin built upon these ideas, but Bodin is recognized as the key originator.

Explanation:

The Non-Cooperation Movement was a major moment in India's freedom struggle.

• The Chauri Chaura incident, in which protesters attacked and burned a police station, resulting in the death of several police officers, led to Gandhi calling off the movement as he was an advocate of non-violence.
• Gandhi felt that this violence was against the spirit of the movement.

Explanation:

Positive liberty emphasizes the ability to act and achieve one's potential.

• Rousseau, Green, and Laski are generally regarded as proponents of positive liberty, which focuses on self-mastery and the conditions needed for human development.
• Robert Nozick, on the other hand, is a key proponent of negative liberty, which emphasizes freedom from external interference and the rights of the individual, and therefore opposes ideas of positive liberty.

Explanation:

Aristotle's concept of justice is centered on the idea of proportional equality.

• Aristotle argued that equals should be treated equally, and unequals should be treated unequally in proportion to their relevant differences. This is a key concept in his Nicomachean Ethics and Politics.
• This principle is based on the idea that justice requires treating similar cases similarly, while recognizing and addressing differences appropriately.

Explanation:

Technocracy in Latin America refers to the period when technical experts significantly influenced policy.

• The "techno-boys,” were mainly active from 1970s-1990s, therefore the later parts of the 20th century.
• Their influence was characterized by the implementation of neoliberal economic policies in many countries.

Explanation:

T.H. Marshall's theory of citizenship is a key concept in social and political theory.

• Marshall argues that citizenship consists of three different sets of rights that emerged over time.
• These are: civil rights (related to individual freedom), political rights (related to participation in governance), and social rights (related to welfare and socio-economic security).

Explanation:

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee played a key role in establishing the Panchayati Raj system.

• The Balwant Rai Committee in 1957 recommended a three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) to promote local self-governance in India.
• This committee's recommendations were crucial in shaping the initial forms of the system.

Explanation:

Marx's theory of surplus value has its roots in the works of classical economists.

• While Marx critiqued classical economists, his theory of surplus value is based on David Ricardo's labor theory of value.
• Ricardo's theories emphasized that the value of a commodity is directly related to the amount of labor that goes into its production.
• Marx develops this into his theory of surplus value where he argued that the capitalist exploits the working class by paying them less than the value they create through their labor.

Explanation:

This question tests your knowledge of prominent figures in the making of the Indian Constitution.

• Sarojini Naidu was a Member of the Constituent Assembly.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.
• Rajendra Prasad was the President of the Constituent Assembly.
• Motilal Nehru prepared a Constitution for India in 1928 (the Nehru Report).

Explanation:

The one-party-dominant system refers to a political system where one party consistently dominates political power for an extended period.

• Under Jawaharlal Nehru, the Congress Party enjoyed almost unchallenged dominance in Indian politics, hence it's considered a one-party dominant system
• While other leaders like Indira Gandhi and others have been powerful, their eras didn't establish a one-party system in quite the same way.

Explanation:

Habeas Corpus is a fundamental legal remedy against unlawful imprisonment.

• Habeas Corpus is a writ used to bring a person before a court to determine if their imprisonment is lawful.
• If the court finds that imprisonment is illegal, it can order the person's release.

Explanation:

This question asks for the chronological order of events related to United Nations History.

• UN Charter approved in San Francisco in 1945.
• Trygve Lie was appointed as Secretary General in 1946.
• First UN Peacekeeping force sent to Suez Canal in 1956.
• UNDP was established in 1965.

Explanation:

The concept of "command capitalism” is most linked to the policies adopted during the Second Five-Year Plan in India.

• The Second Five-Year Plan focused on the development of heavy industries.
• It saw the Indian state playing a central and directive role in economic planning, thus giving a "commanding height" to the public sector.

Explanation:

This matching question tests the knowledge of important agreements and their respective years.

• The Tashkent Agreement was signed in 1966.
• The Shimla Accord took place in 1971.
• The Indo-US Nuclear Deal was signed in 2005.
• The Ganga Water Sharing Agreement was signed in 1996.

Explanation:

Giovanni Sartori, a key figure in comparative political science, proposed a specific classification of party systems.

• Sartori identified single-party systems, moderate pluralism and polarized pluralism as distinct categories.
• However, the term “balanced or affective pluralism" is not part of his classification.

Explanation:

Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political thinker, was concerned about the potential downsides of democracy.

• Tocqueville, in his work Democracy in America, discussed the potential for a "tyranny of the majority" where the dominant group suppresses the rights and interests of minorities.
• While other theorists discussed similar concerns, the phrase is most prominently associated with Tocqueville.

Explanation:

Savarkar's concept of Hindutva is a subject of debate and discourse in India.

• Savarkar's idea of Hindutva defined Indian identity on religio-cultural lines, but not in a way that was inclusive of all religions
• Savarkar did exclude many religions by defining Hindutva based on religions that originated in the geography of India.

Explanation:

Gunnar Myrdal, a Swedish economist and sociologist, used the term 'soft state' in his work.

• Myrdal in Asian Drama described India as a 'soft state' due to its inability to enforce laws, implement policy, and address vested interests.
• This concept is critical for understanding development challenges in many nations.

Explanation:

This question tests the knowledge of Indian electoral system and the Election Commission of India.

• (A) is Incorrect: The First Past The Post system is followed for parliamentary and state legislative elections but not for all elections in India (e.g., Rajya Sabha and presidential elections follow different systems).
• (B) is Incorrect: The Election Commission of India does not directly oversee Panchayat and municipal elections; State Election Commissions handle them.
• (C) is Incorrect: The President of India can remove the Election Commissioner (and not Chief Election Commissioner) based on recommendations from the Election Commission.
• (D) is Correct: The appointment of multiple Election Commissioners is mandatory, in addition to the Chief Election Commissioner.

Explanation:

Gabriel Almond's framework for political culture is influential in political science.

• Almond identified three main types of political culture: parochial, subject, and participant.
• "Objective political culture" is not a term used in his classification.

Explanation:

This matching question requires knowledge of key authors and their works in public administration.

• Making Democracy Work is a work by Robert D. Putnam.
• Towards a New Public Administration: Minnow Brook Perspective is written by Frank Marini.
• Administration: The Art and Science of Organization and Management is a book by Albert Lepawsky.
• Public Administration and Public Management is a work by Jan-Erik Lane.

Explanation:

This question requires matching concepts from Marxist and communist theory with their respective thinkers.

• The concept of Communist Party is most prominently associated with Lenin.
• The concept of Hegemony is associated with Gramsci.
• The dictatorship of the proletariat is a key idea from Karl Marx.
• Polycentrism, is a concept associated with Togliatti.

Explanation:

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a key figure in the Indian renaissance.

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Atmiya Sabha in 1815 as a platform for intellectual discussions and debates on religious and social reforms, especially Hindu reforms.

Explanation:

Cynthia Enloe is a key feminist international relations scholar.

• Cynthia Enloe, known for her feminist analysis of international relations, wrote ‘Manoeuvres: The International Politics of Militarizing Women's Lives', and not the others.

Explanation:

The Indus Water Treaty is a significant agreement between India and Pakistan with a very complex history.

• While both India and Pakistan share multiple river systems, the Indus Waters Treaty is the main source of contention due to differing interpretations of its terms related to water allocation.
• The other treaties either do not exist or are not the main source of contention.

Explanation:

The President of India has the power to nominate a certain number of members to the Rajya Sabha.

• The President of India can nominate 12 members to the Rajya Sabha, and not 14, 16, or 20.
• These members are typically individuals with expertise in fields like literature, science, arts, and social service.

Explanation:

A "coming together federation" is formed when independent states decide to unite to form a larger, unified country.

• Switzerland is a prime example of a coming together federation, where different cantons (states) joined together to form the country.
• Spain and Belgium, on the other hand, are examples of holding together federations. Nepal is a unitary state.

Explanation:

The 1971 India-Pakistan war had a significant international dimension.

• During the 1971 war, the US deployed its Seventh Fleet to the Bay of Bengal, in what was seen as a show of support for Pakistan.
• This act was largely symbolic, but highlighted the Cold War dynamics in the region.