Paper: IAS Mains Previous Year Political Science (1999)

Paper-I- Political science-1999 (Main)

SECTION A

1. Comment on any three of the following in about 200 words each:

(a) “Policy or constitutional government may be described generally as a fusion of oligarchy and democracy”. (Aristotle)

(b) “The great and chief end, therefore, of men uniting into commonwealths, and putting themselves under government, is the preservation of property, to which in the state of nature there are many things waiting.” (John Locke)

(c) “ ............................all human history is a process whereby ideas objectify themselves in material reality. (Hegel)

(d) “Marx’s work could be seen as a compound of three elements-Green philosophy, English political economy and French socialism.” (Lenin)

2. “A scientific politics can develop only if the materials of politics are treated in terms of systems of actions.” In the light of this statement of Kaplan with regard to application of systems theory to political science, critically examine the drawbacks of its application.

3. Critically evaluate and bring out the weakest aspects of behavioral and post-behavoural approaches to analysis of political system. What measurable and quantifiable criteria are available in political science to evaluate political behaviour?

4. Critically examine any two of the following statements:

(a) “Liberty or freedom, signifies property the absence of opposition in external impediments of motion”. (Hobbes)

(b) “In the first place, it is mostly considered unjust to deprive anyone of his personal liberty, his property or any other thing which belongs to him by law .........” (John Stuart Mill)

(c) “ ......................We believe that as a matter of principle each number of society has an inviolability founded on justice”. (Ralws)

SECTION B

5. Comment on any THREE of the following in about 200 words each:

(a) Right to Constitutional Remedies under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution and application of the principle of Res Judicata.

(b) Ideas of Gokhale and Tilak and their impact on the Indian struggle for freedom.

(c) Influence of Gandhi, Nehru and Ambedkar in the framing of the Indian Constitution.

(d) Views of Lenin, Michels and Duverger on political parties.

6. “The electoral behaviour of Indian votes is more or less caste-ridden, including the selection process of party candidates.” In the light of the above statements, critically examine the positive or the negative role of caste in the Indian political system.

7. Differentiate a political party from a pressure group. Explain the role of R.S.S. and Bajarang Dalunits of Sangh Parivar as pressure-group in the Indian political system.

8. Write on any two of the following in not more than 300 words each”

(a) “Divisionism” in Indian political parties with special reference to Janta Dal, Congress, CPI and Alaki Dal.

(b) Impact of modernization and new communication technologies on political processes of Afro-Asian countries.

(c) Public Interest Litigation and Judicial Activism.



Paper-II- Political science-1999 (Main)

SECTION A

1. Comment on any three of the following in about 200 words each:

(a) National Interest and Ideology

(b) Agenda 21 and after

(c) The European Union

(d) Relevance of Diplomacy in the Nuclear Age.

2. “The decision-making is only a partial theory of international politics.” Critically examine the above statement.

3. “In a uni-polar world, non-alignment has lost its relevance.” Do you agree with this view? Give arguments in support of your answer.

4. Critically examine the various controversial issue in the functioning of the World Trade Organization from the point of view of developing countries, particularly India.

SECTION B

5. Comment on any THREE of the following in about 200 words each:

(a) Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

(b) Indo-Russian Summit 1997

(c) China’s foreign policy towards Pakistan in the present context.

(d) The Gulf Crisis 1991-92.

6. Write a critical essay on the role of the Third World in international relations, especially in the United Nations.

7. Examine the changing perspective of the US foreign policy towards South Asia in recent times and its implications for prospects of peace in the region.

8. Discuss some of the major issues of conflict and cooperation between India, Nepal and Bhutan.