CSS Political Science chapter 4: Government and institutions MCQs with answers

By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026

60 exam-style questions on Government and institutions, each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.

60 questions · 4 topics · 10 per test

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What chapter 4 covers

Ten Government and institutions questions with answers

Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.

1. Lobbying is

  1. A
    the secret counting of the ballots after a general election
  2. B
    the drafting of a new constitution by a special assembly
  3. C
    the appointment of judges by a ruler without any consultation
  4. D
    an attempt to influence legislators and officials on policy
Show answer

Answer: D. The word comes from the lobbies of legislatures, where those with interests approached members.

2. Which arrangement most helps to protect the independence of judges?

  1. A
    Appointment for a short term by the executive, which may renew it
  2. B
    Salaries that are fixed afresh each year by the Prime Minister
  3. C
    Promotion decided by the ministry of law at its own discretion
  4. D
    Security of tenure, with removal only by a special procedure
Show answer

Answer: D. Judges who cannot easily be dismissed or punished by the executive can decide cases without fear. Short terms and discretionary pay weaken independence.

3. A coalition government is formed when

  1. A
    one party wins every seat in the legislature at the election
  2. B
    no single party has a majority and several agree to govern together
  3. C
    the head of state suspends the parliament and rules alone
  4. D
    the army appoints the ministers after a change of regime
Show answer

Answer: B. Coalitions arise where the votes are divided among several parties, so no one of them commands a majority.

4. Government by the wealthy is called

  1. A
    gerontocracy
  2. B
    plutocracy
  3. C
    kleptocracy
  4. D
    meritocracy
Show answer

Answer: B. 'Ploutos' means wealth in Greek. Gerontocracy is rule by the old and kleptocracy rule by thieves.

5. In a presidential system the president

  1. A
    can be removed at any time by a vote of no confidence in the legislature
  2. B
    must always be chosen from among the members of the legislature
  3. C
    has only a ceremonial role while the legislature governs in practice
  4. D
    is elected independently of the legislature and serves a fixed term
Show answer

Answer: D. Separate election and a fixed term mean the president does not depend on legislative confidence. The United States is the model.

6. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch

  1. A
    reigns, while real power is exercised by an elected government under the constitution
  2. B
    rules without any constitutional limit on his authority or his will
  3. C
    is chosen by lot among the leading families for a fixed number of years and rules without a parliament
  4. D
    holds power only in time of war and returns it when peace is made
Show answer

Answer: A. The monarch is a symbol of the state whose powers are limited by the constitution and exercised by ministers.

7. The doctrine of separation of powers is intended mainly to

  1. A
    make the legislature powerless in relation to the executive and the courts
  2. B
    allow the executive to rule by decree without legislative approval
  3. C
    prevent the concentration of power and the abuse that follows from it
  4. D
    speed up the passing of laws by uniting law-making in one body
Show answer

Answer: C. By dividing legislative, executive and judicial functions among separate bodies, the doctrine guards liberty against tyranny.

8. In Britain the monarch is the nominal executive. The real executive is the

  1. A
    House of Lords, headed by the Lord Chancellor
  2. B
    Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister
  3. C
    Supreme Court, headed by its President
  4. D
    Privy Council, headed by its Lord President
Show answer

Answer: B. The monarch reigns, but the political executive power is exercised by ministers who are responsible to Parliament.

9. Which case established the principle of judicial review in the United States in 1803?

  1. A
    McCulloch v. Maryland
  2. B
    Marbury v. Madison
  3. C
    Brown v. Board of Education
  4. D
    Dred Scott v. Sandford
Show answer

Answer: B. In Marbury v. Madison, Chief Justice Marshall held that the Supreme Court may declare an Act of Congress void if it conflicts with the Constitution.

10. Under proportional representation, seats are allotted to parties

  1. A
    only to the party with the most votes
  2. B
    by lot among all parties
  3. C
    in equal numbers to every party
  4. D
    in proportion to the votes they receive
Show answer

Answer: D. Proportional systems aim at matching the share of seats to the share of votes, which usually encourages several parties.

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How many Government and institutions MCQs are there?

60, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 4 topics: Forms of government, Constitutions and separation of powers, Legislature, executive and judiciary, Elections, parties and pressure groups. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.

Is the CSS Political Science chapter 4 test free?

Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.

How is the chapter test marked?

The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.

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