Introduction
Political Science Paper 1 in the CSS exam evaluates candidates’ understanding of political philosophy, theories of the state, democracy, sovereignty, and administrative systems. Practicing past paper MCQs is an effective way to prepare because it helps students identify recurring concepts and strengthen their grasp of thinkers from both Western and Muslim traditions. Below are the 2025 Political Science Paper 1 MCQs, complete with answers and brief explanations to make your preparation more effective.
Political Science Paper 1 – MCQs (2025 with Answers)
1. Which Muslim scholar gave the cyclical theory of ‘Rise and Fall of Sovereign Power’ (state)?
(A) Ibn-e-Khaldun
(B) Shah Waliullah
(C) Ibn-e-Taymiyyah
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (A) Ibn-e-Khaldun
👉 In Muqaddimah, Ibn Khaldun explained how states and dynasties rise, flourish, and decline due to social and moral changes.
2. According to a Muslim thinker, state is a moral institution to attain good for Millah (nation/people).
(A) Al-Mawardi
(B) Nizam-ul-Mulk Tusi
(C) Jamal-ud-din Afghani
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (A) Al-Mawardi
👉 Al-Mawardi emphasized that the state must ensure justice and welfare for the community as a religious and moral duty.
3. ________ collected all the ordinances relating to public law and arranged them in one volume.
(A) Al-Farabi
(B) Imam Ghazali
(C) Al-Mawardi
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (C) Al-Mawardi
👉 In Al-Ahkam al-Sultaniyya, Al-Mawardi organized Islamic public law, covering duties of rulers and governance structures.
4. The book The Open Society and its Enemies is written by:
(A) Karl Popper
(B) Kierkegaard
(C) John Rawls
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (A) Karl Popper
👉 Popper defended liberal democracy and criticized totalitarianism by analyzing the ideas of Plato, Hegel, and Marx.
5. ________ believes in the use of violence in armed insurrections as a means to capture state power.
(A) Karl Marx
(B) Mao Zedong
(C) Immanuel Kant
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (B) Mao Zedong
👉 Mao argued that revolutionary change requires violent struggle, famously saying: “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.”
6. ________ argues that Liberal Democracy is the final form of government for all nations.
(A) J. J. Rousseau
(B) Foucault
(C) Francis Fukuyama
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (C) Francis Fukuyama
👉 In The End of History and the Last Man, Fukuyama claimed that liberal democracy represents the peak of political evolution.
7. ‘Theory of Hegemony’ is propounded by:
(A) Montesquieu
(B) Derrida
(C) Jean Paul Sartre
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (D) None of these
👉 The correct name is Antonio Gramsci, who explained how ruling classes maintain control through cultural and ideological dominance.
8. ________ believes in rigid type of equality and aimed at the collective ownership of all means of production.
(A) Capitalism
(B) Socialism
(C) Marxism
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (C) Marxism
👉 Marxism supports abolition of private property and collective ownership to establish classless equality.
9. Which one of these is not a social contract theorist?
(A) Thomas Hobbes
(B) J. Locke
(C) J. J. Rousseau
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (D) None of these
👉 Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau are all social contract theorists, so “None of these” is correct.
10. According to Iqbal, the concept of Ummah is based on:
(A) Asabiyyah
(B) Individuality
(C) Khudi
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (C) Khudi
👉 Iqbal’s philosophy of Khudi (selfhood) emphasized individual and collective strength of Muslims forming the Ummah.
11. Who gave the concept of ‘Political Sovereignty’?
(A) Jean Bodin
(B) J. J. Rousseau
(C) Montesquieu
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (A) Jean Bodin
👉 Bodin, in the 16th century, introduced the idea of sovereignty as the absolute and perpetual power of the state.
12. The term ‘Law’ is derived from the German word:
(A) Logos
(B) Lag
(C) League
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (B) Lag
👉 The word “law” originates from the German lag, meaning something laid down, fixed, or established.
13. Change in the government is an important feature of a democratic system which is made possible through holding of:
(A) Coup d’etat
(B) Anomie Political Movement
(C) Fresh Elections
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (C) Fresh Elections
👉 Peaceful transfer of power through elections is a hallmark of democracy.
14. Which one of these is not the principle of Islamic state?
(A) Sovereignty of God
(B) Justice
(C) Both (A) & (B)
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (D) None of these
👉 Both sovereignty of God and justice are essential principles, so “None of these” is correct.
15. Constitutional law is considered:
(A) Subordinate law of the land
(B) Supreme law of the land
(C) Municipal law
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (B) Supreme law of the land
👉 The constitution is the highest law, and all other laws derive authority from it.
16. Public administration is the study of the:
(A) Government affairs
(B) Social movement
(C) Both (A) & (B)
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (A) Government affairs
👉 Public administration focuses on organization, policies, and functioning of government institutions.
17. Public Policy is generally consisting of the set of ________ adopted by a government.
(A) Actions
(B) Regimes
(C) Networks
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (A) Actions
👉 Public policy refers to the set of actions and decisions taken by government to address societal issues.
18. In parliamentary democracy, president is a/an ________ sovereign.
(A) Actual
(B) Titular
(C) De-facto
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (B) Titular
👉 In parliamentary systems, real executive power rests with the Prime Minister, while the president or monarch is a symbolic head.
19. Utilitarian thinkers believed in:
(A) Expanding sphere of state action
(B) Limiting sphere of state action
(C) Totalitarianism
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (B) Limiting sphere of state action
👉 Bentham and Mill argued for limiting state interference to maximize individual happiness.
20. Separation of power is the salient feature of ________ system.
(A) Parliamentary
(B) Presidential
(C) Unitary
(D) None of these
✅ Answer: (B) Presidential
👉 In the U.S. presidential model, executive, legislature, and judiciary are kept strictly separate.
Conclusion
The 2025 Political Science Paper 1 MCQs highlight recurring concepts from both Western and Muslim political thought, along with state theory and governance. By practicing with answers and explanations, students can not only memorize facts but also understand the reasoning behind them. This approach ensures stronger preparation for the CSS exam.