INSIGHTS POLITICAL SCIENCE ANSWER WRITING CHALLENGE – 2014

POLITICAL SCIENCE ANSWER WRITING CHALLENGES

 

2013 CHALLENGES

2014

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 1 

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 2

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 3

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 4

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 5

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 6

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 7

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 8

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 9

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 10

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 11

Mains – 2014 Challenge – 12

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Challenge 1

Comment on the following in 200 words:

Question 1

 Locke is regarded as the pioneer of individualism which later developed into liberalism.

(Source: Sabine’s History of political theory)

Question 2

Equality of resources  (Source: Ronald Dworkin’s conception of equality)

ANSWERS

Challenge 2

Comment on the following in 200 words:

Question 1

Alienation is the lynchpin of Marxism (200 words)

Question 2

Early Marx and later Marx.  (200 words)

(source: Althusser’s notion of epistemological break in Marx)

ANSWERS

Challenge 3

Question

Comment on productive forces and production relations.  (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 4

Question 1

Comment on overdeveloped state.  (200 words)

Question 2

Explain the concept of “Congress System” as explained by Rajni Kothari. Can we say this is no more a relevant model to explain Indian Politics?  (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 5

Question 1

What do you mean by “relative autonomy of the state”. Give a brief idea about the Poulantzas Miliband debate regarding this.  (200 words)

Question 2

The notion of the encumbered self is the defining aspect of the communitarian critique of liberalism. Explain. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 6

Question 1

 Distinguish between Berlin’s notion of negative and positive liberty.  (200 words)

Question 2

What are new social movements? Explain how they are different from other social movements. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 7

Question

European Union is a normative political actor. Comment. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 8

Question

BIPA is the best alternative to multilateral trade negotiations. Comment. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 9

Question

The reason for Saarc’s ineffectiveness is the absence of economic integration of south asia. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 10

Question

Marx turns Hegel upside down. Comment on the basis of what Marx appropriates from Hegel and what differences Marx has with Hegel. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 11

Question

Do you think Aristotle can be regarded as a social democrat? If so, why? (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 12

Question

Paternal despotism is very important for John Stuart Mill to defend colonialism. Comment. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 13

 Topic: PLATO

Question

Most Plato interpreters through the ages have been seduced by his greatness.They have taken his political philosophy as a benign idyll, without taking into account its dangerous tendencies toward totalitarian ideology. Comment. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 14

Topic: PLATO

Question 

Popper’s critique of Plato is based on the notion that the idea portrayed in the Republic makes him an enemy of the open society. Do you disagree? (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 15

 Topic: PLATO

Question 

Explain the conception of Justice in Plato’s republic. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 16

 Topic: ARISTOTLE

Question

Comment on the idea of good represented by Aristotle. How is this different from the Platonic notion of good espoused through the theory of forms? (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 17

 Topic: ARISTOTLE

Question

The idea of Polis is central to Aristotle’s interpretation of man as a political animal. Comment. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 18

 Topic: ARISTOTLE

Question

How is Aristotle’s defense of slavery in Greek Society consistent with his ideals of democracy? (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 19

 Topic: POLITICAL THEORY

Question 

What do you mean by an interdisciplinary approach to Political Science? (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 20

Topic: POLITICAL THEORY

Question 

Research should be more relevant to society and Intellectuals have a positive role to play in a society. Comment on this on the background of post behavioral revolution. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 21

 Topic: POLITICAL THEORY

Question

Post behavioralism is a near hysterical response to political frustrations engendered by the disconcerting and shocking events of the late sixties and early seventies. Comment.  (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 22

Topic: Political theory- Meaning and approaches

Question

Charles Taylor called humans ‘self interpreting animals’. For Gadamer,’ interpretation is the distinctive human mode of being’.

Make sense of the above statements in the light of Political theory and the need for it. (300 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 23

 Topic: Political theory: Meaning and approaches

Question

Deep down, political theories are ideologies. And therefore, political theory is an intellectual passion of the elites. Discuss. (300 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 24

 Topic: Political theory: Meaning and approaches

Question 

There is a widespread belief that all evaluations are subjective. This makes political theory impossible. Discuss. (200 words)

Source: Political Theory by Rajeev Bhargava. Chapter 2

ANSWERS

Challenge 25

 Topic: Political theory: meaning and approaches

Question

In the 1950′s political philosophy was deemed dead. The 1960′s witnessed a revival of political theory. Discuss the reasons behind this revival leading to the blurring of theory and philosophy. (200 words)

Source: Political Theory by Andrew Heywood.

ANSWERS

Challenge 26

 Topic: Political theory: meaning and approaches

Question

The revived political theory differs in a number of respects from its earlier manifestations. Explain. (200 words)

Source: Political Theory by Andrew Heywood

ANSWERS

Challenge 27

Topic:  Political theory- meaning and approaches

Question

Conventional political theory has been shaken by the emergence of an antifoundationalist critique that challenges the rationalism that has been lying at the heart of political theory. Comment. (200 words)

Source: Political Theory by Andrew Heywood

ANSWERS

Challenge 28

 Topic: Political theory- meaning and approaches

Question 

Comment on the notions of

a) Falsification (150 words)

b) ‘Paradigm’ in the works of Thomas Kuhn (150 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 29

 Topic: Political theory- meaning and approaches

Question 

Is political science a ‘science’? How do you think is the discipline of political science different from natural sciences. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 30

Topic: Political theory- meaning and approaches

Question 

Differentiate between normative and empirical political theory. (200 words/UPSC- 2012)

ANSWERS

Challenge 31

 Topic: Political theory- meaning and approaches

Question 

Differentiate between normative and empirical political theory. (200 words/UPSC- 2012)

ANSWERS

Challenge 32

 Topic: POWER

Question

Explain the radical view of power in Steven Lukes. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 33

 Topic: POWER

Question 

How do you relate the Marxist conception of exploitation to Steven Lukes’ conception of power. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 34

Topic: POWER

Question

Knowledge is power. Comment. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 35

Topic: POWER

Question

How does Foucault’s conception of power as productive and capillary differ from earlier forms of power both as repressive and ‘power to’, in the sense in which Arendt and Talcott Parsons’ used the term. (200 words)

 ANSWERS

Challenge 36

 Topic: POWER

Question 

Politics is a concept driven by power. Comment. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 37

Topic:  POWER

Question

Explain the notion of Power in Marx and Weber (UPSC 2011/ 200 words)

 ANSWERS

Challenge 38

Topic: AUTHORITY

Question

Erosion of authority can pave way for totalitarian rule. Comment. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 39

Topic: AUTHORITY

Question

What is authority? How is ‘authority’ in a conservative tradition different from the liberal idea of authority. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 40

Topic: HEGEMONY

Question

Discuss the idea of legitimate power. How does the concept of hegemony complicate the notion of legitimacy? (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 41

Topic: HEGEMONY

Question

How would you relate the feminist conceptualization of patriarchy to the concept of hegemony. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 42

Topic: HEGEMONY

Question

Explain the difference between hegemony and domination in Gramsci. (UPSC 2013/200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 43

Topic: LEGITIMACY

Question

Comment on

a) Legitimation crisis in the works of Jurgen Habermas (150 words)

b) David Held’s conception of Legitimacy.   (150 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 44

Topic: LEGITIMACY

Question

Explain the relation between constitutionalism and legitimacy in liberal democracies. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 45

Topic: IDEOLOGY

Question 

Does Fukuyama’s End of History thesis celebrate an end of ideology? Critically analyse. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 46

Topic: IDEOLOGY

Question

Explain the conception of ideology in the writings of Karl Marx. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 47

Topic: IDEOLOGY

Question

Comment on false consciousness in Marxist thought. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 48

Topic: IDEOLOGY

Question

Human societies secrete ideology as the very element and atmosphere indispensable to their historical respiration and life. (Althusser). Comment.  (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 49

Topic: EQUALITY

Question 

In western political thought, liberty and equality will always be in an eternal tension. Comment. (300 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 50

Topic: EQUALITY

Question 

Differentiate between equality of welfare and equality of opportunity. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 51

Topic: EQUALITY

Question

Explain the idea of complex equality proposed by Michael Walzer. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 52

Topic: EQUALITY

Question

For Ronald Dworkin, Equality is the sovereign virtue. Comment. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 53

Topic: EQUALITY

Question

Explain in 200 words

                 a) equality of resources

                 b) equality of capabilities

ANSWERS

Challenge 54

Topic:  EQUALITY

Question

Is there a conception of equality in Marxist thought. Explain. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 55

Topic: Paper 2 – Indian government and politics – Planning and Economic Development

Question 

Explain the following:  (300 words)

a. Gandhian perspective of development

b. Nehruvian perspective of development

ANSWERS

Challenge 56

Topic: Paper 2 – Indian government and politics – Planning and Economic Development

Question 

Explain the idea of “collapse of the Indian state” in the works of Atul Kohli. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 57

 Topic: Paper 2 – Indian government and politics – Planning and Economic Development

 Question

Passive revolution, conceived by Gramsci, is an important category to explain Indian Politics. Comment.  (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 58

Topic: Paper 2 – Indian government and politics – Planning and Economic Development

Question 

Do you agree with the idea that the Indian state is a neoliberal state. Substantiate. (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 59

Topic:  Paper 2 – Indian government and politics – Planning and Economic Development

Question

Do you agree the Planning Commission has lost its relevance post liberalization? Substantiate.  (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 60

Topic: Paper 2 – Indian government and politics – Party system

Question

Analyse the changing socio economic profile of the legislators post independence. 

or

Do you agree there has been a democratisation of the indian parliament since independence. Explain. (300 Words).

ANSWERS

Challenge 61

Topic: Paper 2 – Indian government and politics – Party system

Question

Analyse the pattern of coalition politics in India in the last two decades.(200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 62

Topic: Paper 2 – Indian government and politics – Party system

Question 

What has been the recent trends in electoral behavior in India since 1990′s? (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 63

Topic: Paper 2 – Indian government and politics – Party system

Question 

What are Pressure groups? How do they work?. Explain by giving an example relevant to the indian context.  (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 64

Topic: Paper 2 – Indian government and politics – Party system

Question

Explain “the congress system in India” in the writing of Rajni Kothari.  (200 words)

ANSWERS

Challenge 65

1. Write short notes on the following in about 150 words each

  1. One Dimensional Man
  2. Equality of resources
  3. Fact-Value dichotomy in political science

ANSWERS

Challenge – 66

1.Write short notes on the following in 150 words

a) Location of Hegemony
b) Knowledge is Power

2. Answer in 300 words

a) Do you agree that pluralist democracies have posed a great threat to the fabric of nation-state ? Substantiate  

b) Explain how Mill tries to subsume justice under the concept of utility.

ANSWERS

 Challenge – 67

1. What are the challenges Political theory faces in the present times. Suggest remedies to overcome it.(300 Words)

2. “The true source of right is duty” – Gandhi. Comment (300 Words)

ANSWERS

Challenge – 68

1.Do you agree that the Behavioural approach appeared in order to counter the Marxist approach ? (300 Words)
 2. Examine the relation between Justice, Equality and Liberty. (300 Words)

ANSWERS

 Challenge – 69

1.What are the challenges Political theory faces in the present times. Suggest remedies to overcome it.  (300 Words)
 2. “The true source of right is duty” – Gandhi. Comment (300 Words)

ANSWERS

Challenge – 70

 Answer in approximately 150 words each

a) “Women have always been man’s dependent, if not his slave, the two sexes have never shared the world in equality” – Simone de Beauvoir.
b) “Power flows through out the system like blood in the capillaries of our body” – Foucalt
c) Relative autonomy of state
d) Paternal despotism of Mill
e) Ideologies as regimes of truth.

ANSWERS

Challenge – 71

1. Compare and contrast the pluralist & neo-pluralist conception of state. (200 Words)
2. “Because society is federal, the authority must be federal” – Laski. Comment. (200 Words)

ANSWERS

Challenge – 72

Questions – Topic – DEMOCRACY

1. Examine the major debates in contemporary democratic theory. ( 250 words) 
2. Explain how deliberative democracy tries to improve the functioning of liberal democracies. ( 250 words) 

ANSWERS

Challenge – 73

Topic – Political Culture 


1. Do you agree that political culture of a society is highly significant aspect of the political system ? ( 250 words)
2. Explain the causes of revival of political culture approach since the 1990s. ( 250 words )

ANSWERS

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