Political Science Concepts MCQs — Government, Democracy & Sovereignty

Actual Malice — Knowing a statement is false or showing reckless disregard for the truth.

Acquisitive Model — Bureaucracy model where top officials seek larger budgets and staff to expand power.

Administrative Agency — A government body created to perform a specific function.

Agenda Setting — Process of determining which policy issues will receive public or governmental attention.

Amicus Curiae Brief — ‘Friend of the court’ document filed by a non-party with interest in a case.

Appellate Court — Court that reviews decisions and procedures of lower courts for legal error.

Aristocracy — Rule by a privileged or ‘best’ class (Greek aristos = best).

Authoritarian Regime — Government controlled by a single ruler or elite with limited political pluralism.

Bicameral Legislature — Legislature consisting of two chambers or houses.

Bill of Rights — First 10 amendments to the US Constitution protecting fundamental liberties.

Capitalism — Economic system where production and trade are privately owned for profit.

Checks and Balances — System allowing government branches to limit each other’s powers.

Civil Law — Body of law that governs disputes between private persons over non-criminal matters.

Civil Liberties — Individual freedoms protected from government interference.

Common Law — Judge-made, precedent-based law originating in England.

Communism — System advocating communal ownership of property and the means of production.

Concurrent Powers — Powers shared by national and state governments.

Confederal System — League of independent states granting limited powers to a central body.

Confederation — Voluntary association of sovereign states with weak central authority.

Constitution — Fundamental law defining government powers, structure, and limits.

Consent of the People — Doctrine that legitimate authority derives from citizens’ approval.

Conservatism — Ideology favouring tradition, limited government, and cautious change.

Criminal Law — Defines offences against society and prescribes punishment.

Deficit — Shortfall between government expenditures and revenues.

Democracy — Government by the people, directly or indirectly through elected representatives.

Fusion of Powers — Parliamentary system where Executive and Legislature are interconnected.

Separation of Powers (Presidential) — System where Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary are independent.

Devolution — Transfer of powers from central to regional or local authorities.

Détente — Easing of strained political relations between nations.

Diplomacy — Management of international relations through negotiation.

Direct Democracy — System where citizens decide policies themselves rather than through representatives.

Dominant Culture — Values and norms of the controlling social group in a society.

Elite Theory — Theory that a small, powerful minority controls political decisions.

Fascism — Ultranationalist, authoritarian system elevating the state above the individual.

Modern Fascism — 20th-century ideology of ultranationalism and authoritarian rule.

Federal System — Political system that divides power between national and regional governments.

Federalism — Sharing of authority between central and state governments.

Federation — Permanent union of states under a central authority.

Government — Institution exercising legitimate authority to make and enforce laws.

Shadow Cabinet — Opposition team designated to scrutinize government ministers.

Horizontal Integration — Merger of competing firms within the same industry.

Ideology — Comprehensive belief system about politics, economics and society.

Imports — Goods and services brought into a country from abroad.

Isolationism — Policy of avoiding foreign entanglements.

Keynesian Economics — Supports active fiscal policy to stabilize the economy.

Legislature — Government branch responsible for making laws.

Legitimacy — Public acceptance of a government’s right to rule.

Liberal Democracy — Combines majority rule with protection of individual rights.

Liberalism — Promotes civil liberties, social progress, and regulated capitalism.

Libertarianism — Opposes most government intervention in social and economic affairs.

Liberty — Maximum individual freedom consistent with the rights of others.

Majoritarianism — View that government should act according to majority preference.

Natural Rights — Inherent rights not dependent on government recognition.

Nuclear Proliferation — Spread of nuclear weapons to additional states.

Pluralism — Coexistence of multiple social, religious or ethnic groups in society.

Pluralist Theory — Policy is the outcome of bargaining among interest groups.

Political Socialization — Process through which individuals acquire political beliefs.

Power — Ability to influence or control others’ behaviour.

Popular Sovereignty — Doctrine that ultimate authority resides with the people.

Republic — Government where sovereignty rests with the people, not a monarch.

Separation of Powers (General) — Doctrine that divides government into branches to prevent concentration of power.

Social Contract — Voluntary agreement among people to form a government for mutual benefit.

Socialism — Advocates public or cooperative ownership for equality.

Suffrage — The right to vote in political elections.

Totalitarian Regime — Government that exercises total control over all aspects of life.

Unitary System — Centralizes authority; local governments have only delegated powers.

Universal Suffrage — Extends voting rights to all adult citizens.

De Facto Government — Government that holds power in practice, though not legally recognized.

De Jure Government — Government that is legally established and constitutionally recognized.

Judicial Review — Power of courts to assess the constitutionality of laws and actions.

Political Culture — Shared values, attitudes, and practices about government in a society.

Political Party — Organized group seeking to gain political power through elections.

Civil Society — Voluntary organizations independent of government.

Rule of Law — Principle that everyone, including government, is subject to law.

Welfare State — System where the government assumes responsibility for citizens’ well-being.

Globalization — Worldwide interconnection of economies, politics and cultures.

Populism — Political style that appeals to ordinary people against perceived elites.

Realpolitik — Pragmatic politics based on national interest, not ideology.

Constitutionalism — Doctrine that government authority is limited by a constitution.

Anarchy (IR) — Absence of central governing authority among states in the international system.

Balance of Power — Distribution of power preventing dominance by any one nation.

Bureaucracy — Administrative system with hierarchy and formal rules.

Coalition Government — Forms when multiple parties cooperate to secure a parliamentary majority.

Decentralization — Dispersing powers from central to regional or local levels.

Good Governance — Concept stressing accountability, transparency and the rule of law.

Impeachment — Process of charging and removing public officials from office.

Judicial Activism — Tendency of courts to interpret laws broadly to promote social change.

National Interest — Concept guiding foreign policy to safeguard security and prosperity.

Political Ideology — Framework for interpreting political events and guiding action.

Public Policy — Government actions and decisions addressing public issues.

Referendum — Direct citizen vote on proposed legislation or constitutional change.

Sovereignty — Supreme legal authority within a territory, free from external control.

Transparency — Openness in government actions to ensure accountability.