2011 Government WAEC SSCE (School Candidates) May/June

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Government 1 - Objective

1. Government as an institution of the state is defined as a body which
   1. conducts elections for the country
   2. makes, enforces and interprets laws for the state
   3. hires and trains political leaders
   4. makes and interprets laws
2. The study of government in school is important because the students can
   1. be assisted by political leaders
   2. learn about their rights
   3. qualify for elections
   4. be nominated for a trip abroad
3. The primary function of government in a state is to
   1. maintain law and order
   2. provide transport services
   3. engage in campaigns and rallies
   4. imprison criminals
4. The functions of the state are achieved through
   1. political socialization
   2. separation of powers
   3. organs of government
   4. diplomatic means
5. A unique feature of a state is
   1. information
   2. anarchy
   3. organized laws
   4. direct democracy
6. Ability to enforce obedience is known as
   1. legitimacy
   2. power
   3. influence
   4. fame
7. A major source of political power is
   1. election
   2. force
   3. influence
   4. ombudsman
8. Power is transferred into authority through
   1. force
   2. legitimacy
   3. judiciary
   4. sovereignty
9. Political authority is the
   1. legitimate right to exercise political power
   2. ability to control political behaviour
   3. right to participate in political campaigns
   4. right to form political parties
10. The extent to which the citizens accept the institutions, officials and activities of government is known as
    1. authority
    2. permission
    3. legitimacy
    4. power
11. The concept of sovereignty was propounded by
    1. Adam Smith
    2. Jeremy Bentham
    3. Karl Marx
    4. Jean Bodin
12. Popular sovereignty belongs to the
    1. immigrants
    2. electorate
    3. cabinet
    4. legislature
13. Which of the following factors places limitation to the application of Sovereignty in a state?
    1. Civil service
    2. International laws
    3. Political culture
    4. Political parties
14. Democracy originated from
    1. Greece
    2. Britain
    3. USA
    4. Germany
15. Which of the following is a basic principle of democracy? Rule by
    1. the majority and the protection of the minority
    2. the wealthy few
    3. the minority at the expense of the majority
    4. two political parties
16. The concept of political culture was introduced by
    1. Friendrich Engels
    2. Abraham Lincoln
    3. Harold Laski
    4. Gabriel Almond
17. Which of the following is a component of political culture?
    1. Injunction
    2. Cognitive orientation
    3. Mandamus
    4. Harbeas corpus
18. The teaching and learning of political culture is known as political
    1. participation
    2. socialization
    3. administration
    4. development
19. Which of the following can contribute to political socialization?
    1. Gerrymandering
    2. Tourism
    3. Diplomatic immunity
    4. Terrorism
20. Which of the following political concepts promotes sharing and cooperation in a society?
    1. Aristocracy
    2. Capitalism
    3. Communalism
    4. Oligarchy
21. Which of the following is true about a capitalist state?
    1. Private individuals control the economy
    2. The workers are not exploited
    3. Government controls the means of production
    4. There is no class struggle
22. The highest stage of socialism is
    1. oligarchy
    2. capitalism
    3. totalitarianism
    4. communism
23. Foreign domination by a group of people for social and economic benefits is known as
    1. nationalism
    2. colonialism
    3. feudalism
    4. constitutionalism
24. A communist system recognises
    1. class division
    2. the need of individual
    3. human capital
    4. division of labour
25. Which of the following is the lowest in the hierarchy of a feudal system?
    1. Lords
    2. Serfs
    3. Knights
    4. Nobles
26. A common feature of feudalism is
    1. hierarchical land ownership between the lords and the serfs
    2. private ownership of the means of production and distribution
    3. separation of powers
    4. fusion of powers
27. An open market economy is a unique feature of
    1. welfarism
    2. socialism
    3. feudalism
    4. capitalism
28. Which of the following political systems discourages socialism?
    1. fascism
    2. Feudalism
    3. Communalism
    4. Welfarism
29. The manor is a unique feature of
    1. feudalism
    2. monarchy
    3. totalitarianism
    4. communism
30. The principle of rule of law was popularized by
    1. Gabriel Almond
    2. Charles Montesquieu
    3. Jean Bodin
    4. A. V. Diecy
31. The body charged with the responsibility of preparing a new constitution in a country is the
    1. electoral commission
    2. constituent assembly
    3. judicial service commission
    4. electoral college
32. The institution connected with law adjudication is the
    1. judiciary
    2. police
    3. government
    4. executive
33. Which of the following is not a characteristic of confederation?
    1. The right to secede is allowed
    2. Sovereignty resides in the centre
    3. The centre and units agree before taking decisions
    4. Autonomous units are more powerful than the centre
34. Which of the following is a function of a head of state?
    1. Settles cases
    2. Arbitrates electoral petitions
    3. Creates new constitutions
    4. Receives foreign dignitaries
35. Citizenship can be changed through
    1. proclamation
    2. residence
    3. renunciation
    4. announcement
36. On which of the following platforms do political parties mainly present their manifestoes to the electorate?
    1. Campaigns and rallies
    2. The state controlled mass media
    3. Public lectures
    4. Inter-party debates
37. In a two-party system, only two political parties
    1. exist in the country
    2. dominate the political scene
    3. register their members
    4. undertake political education
38. Which of the following is not a form of proportional representation?
    1. Alternative vote
    2. Second ballot
    3. List system
    4. Plurality system
39. The efficiency of public corporations can be enhanced through
    1. increased production of goods
    2. appointment of staff based on patronage
    3. frequent redeployment of staff
    4. less government interference
40. A chief could be deposed in the pre-colonial era if he
    1. violated the written constitution
    2. persistently neglected the advice of his elders
    3. refused to collect taxes for the British Governor
    4. married too many wives
41. A common feature in a pre-colonial centralized state was
    1. loyalty to one political superior
    2. absence of single superior political authority
    3. the existence of autocratic rule
    4. existence of separation of powers
42. Under the British Crown Colony system of administration, the head of the executive council was the
    1. Governor-General
    2. Head of government business
    3. Speaker
    4. Prime minister
43. Taxation as a feature of indirect Rule served as a
    1. source of revenue for colonial administration
    2. system of modernizing chieftaincy
    3. policy of making the local people poor
    4. means to ridicule the chiefs
44. One effect of the French policy of Assimilation was that it
    1. made all French West Africans French citizens
    2. increased nationalist activities in French West Africa
    3. delayed nationalism in French West Africa
    4. expanded education into the interior of French West Africa
45. The late development of nationalism in French West Africa was due to
    1. absorption of French colonial ex-service men into the French army
    2. migration of the citizenry to British West African colonies
    3. establishment of the traditional Council of Chiefs
    4. oppressive French colonial policies
46. Which of the following was a function of traditional rulers during the colonial era? They
    1. settled all forms of disputes
    2. implemented government policies
    3. collected and spent taxes and rates
    4. were sources of consultation on customary affairs
47. The first British West African country to practise the elective principle was
    1. Nigeria
    2. The Gambia
    3. Sierra Leone
    4. Ghana
48. The first Pan-West African political organization formed by the educated elite in the early twentieth century was the
    1. Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS)
    2. National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA)
    3. West African Students' Union (WASU)
    4. West African Youth League (WAYL)
49. Which of the following is a process in the transition from military to civil rule?
    1. Appointment of an Attorney-General
    2. Suspension of the constitution
    3. Setting up of a Constituent Assembly
    4. Non-implementation of development plans
50. The objective of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is to
    1. promote economic development among member states
    2. achieve African unity
    3. establish political unification of West Africa
    4. eradicate all forms of racism in West Africa

Government 2 - Essay

Section A: Elements of Government

Answer two question only from this section.

1. 1. State six functions of government in a state.
2. 1. Explain the concept of political participation.
   2. Highlight any four methods of political participation.
3. 1. What are the limitations to the application of Rule of law?
4. 1. Highlight the merits and demerits of a two-party system.
5. 1. Identify any four major functions of Civil/Public Service Commission.

Section B: Political and Constitutional Development In West Africa and International Relations

Answer two questions only from this section.

6. 1. In what six ways did colonial rule contribute to the decline of the powers of the traditional rulers in West Africa?
7. 1. Why did the French abandon the policy of Assimilation?
8. 1. Highlight four features of the 1979 Republican Constitution.
   2. State two ways by which the President could be removed from office according to the Constitution.
9. 1. Identify any six problems confronting local government in Nigeria.
10. 1. Outline any four ways of preventing military intervention in politics.
12. Highlight any four major objectives of the foreign policy of any one West African country.
14. Outline six benefits member states of the Commonwealth derive from the organization.