Western Political Thought

1. In Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” what do the shadows on the cave wall represent?

• Illusions and false beliefs

• Ultimate reality

• Physical objects in the cave

• Enlightenment

What is Plato’s ideal form of government, as described in The Republic?

• Democracy

• Oligarchy

• Aristocracy

• Monarchy

What was Aristotle’s most famous work, in which he addressed topics ranging from metaphysics to ethics?

• Nicomachean Ethics

• Politics

• Metaphysics

• Poetics

According to Aristotle, what is the highest good that humans should aim for in life?

• Pleasure

• Power

• Happiness (Eudaimonia)

• Wealth

Augustine’s concept of original sin is rooted in the story of:

• Adam and Eve

• Moses and the burning bush

• Abraham and Isaac

• Noah’s Ark

Machiavelli’s famous phrase “the ends justify the means” reflects his views on:

a)

b)

c)

d)

• Moral virtue

• Political expediency

• Social justice

• Religious piety

According to Machiavelli, what is the primary concern of a ruler?

• Moral righteousness

• The welfare of the people

• The preservation of power

• Religious conformity

According to Hobbes, what is the fundamental motive that drives human behaviour?

• Altruism

• Fear and self-preservation

• Social contract

• Religious morality

According to Locke, the purpose of government is to:

• Preserve absolute monarchy

• Protect natural rights and promote the common good

• Enforce religious conformity

• Suppress individual liberties

According to Rousseau, sovereignty in the social contract belongs to:

• The monarch

• The people as a whole

• The aristocracy

• The clergy