Q.1 Who introduced the concept of 'hegemony' in cultural theory?
Karl Marx
Antonio Gramsci
Max Weber
Louis Althusser
Explanation - Antonio Gramsci developed the concept of cultural hegemony to explain how ruling classes maintain power through consent and ideology rather than force alone.
Correct answer is: Antonio Gramsci
Q.2 In Marxist theory, ideology primarily serves to:
Educate citizens equally
Promote critical thinking
Maintain ruling class dominance
Eliminate inequality
Explanation - Marxist theory views ideology as a tool used by the ruling class to maintain dominance by shaping people's beliefs to accept existing inequalities.
Correct answer is: Maintain ruling class dominance
Q.3 According to Gramsci, hegemony is maintained through:
Military force
Cultural leadership
Legal enforcement
Technological advancement
Explanation - Gramsci argued that ruling classes maintain dominance through cultural leadership, shaping norms, values, and ideas to gain consent from the masses.
Correct answer is: Cultural leadership
Q.4 Louis Althusser described schools, churches, and media as:
Ideological State Apparatuses
Economic Structures
Legal Institutions
Political Machines
Explanation - Althusser introduced the concept of Ideological State Apparatuses, institutions that spread ideology to maintain ruling-class power.
Correct answer is: Ideological State Apparatuses
Q.5 Which of the following best describes ideology?
A set of false beliefs
A system of ideas and values
A personal opinion
An emotional response
Explanation - Ideology is broadly defined as a system of beliefs, values, and ideas that shape how individuals perceive and understand the world.
Correct answer is: A system of ideas and values
Q.6 Gramsci’s idea of hegemony emphasizes:
Violent revolution
Economic exploitation
Consent and cultural domination
Legal punishment
Explanation - Gramsci argued that ruling classes maintain dominance not just through coercion, but by gaining consent through cultural and ideological influence.
Correct answer is: Consent and cultural domination
Q.7 Which thinker highlighted the concept of 'false consciousness'?
Karl Marx
Max Weber
Émile Durkheim
Herbert Spencer
Explanation - Karl Marx introduced 'false consciousness' to describe how the working class is misled into accepting the dominant ideology that benefits the ruling class.
Correct answer is: Karl Marx
Q.8 Which of the following is an example of hegemony?
A government enforcing strict laws
People accepting consumerism as natural
A military dictatorship
Workers going on strike
Explanation - Hegemony works through cultural acceptance; consumerism becomes a 'natural' ideology when people accept it without questioning.
Correct answer is: People accepting consumerism as natural
Q.9 What role does media often play in maintaining hegemony?
Encouraging rebellion
Questioning authority
Reinforcing dominant ideologies
Promoting equality
Explanation - Media often reinforces dominant ideologies by shaping public opinion in ways that favor ruling-class interests.
Correct answer is: Reinforcing dominant ideologies
Q.10 Which sociologist argued that ideology is material and embedded in institutions?
Louis Althusser
Antonio Gramsci
Karl Marx
Michel Foucault
Explanation - Althusser emphasized that ideology is material, embedded in institutions such as schools and churches, which reproduce social order.
Correct answer is: Louis Althusser
Q.11 Hegemony differs from domination because it relies on:
Military force
Legal enforcement
Consent and persuasion
Physical violence
Explanation - Unlike domination through coercion, hegemony is about gaining consent by persuading people to accept ruling-class values as common sense.
Correct answer is: Consent and persuasion
Q.12 Which of these is an Ideological State Apparatus?
Police
Military
Media
Courts
Explanation - According to Althusser, media is an Ideological State Apparatus that spreads dominant ideology, unlike repressive apparatuses like police or military.
Correct answer is: Media
Q.13 Marx described ideology as:
A tool of liberation
A reflection of economic base
A neutral perspective
An individual belief
Explanation - Marx argued that ideology is shaped by the economic base and serves to justify the existing relations of production.
Correct answer is: A reflection of economic base
Q.14 Which concept refers to the acceptance of inequality as 'natural'?
Reification
Alienation
Hegemony
Legitimacy
Explanation - Hegemony explains how inequality is accepted as natural and unquestionable through cultural and ideological dominance.
Correct answer is: Hegemony
Q.15 Which thinker is most associated with the term 'organic intellectuals'?
Karl Marx
Antonio Gramsci
Louis Althusser
Pierre Bourdieu
Explanation - Gramsci introduced the concept of organic intellectuals, individuals from the working class who challenge dominant ideologies.
Correct answer is: Antonio Gramsci
Q.16 False consciousness refers to:
Class awareness
Believing in dominant ideologies that go against one’s own interests
Rejecting social norms
Developing critical consciousness
Explanation - False consciousness occurs when subordinate classes accept ruling ideologies that ultimately harm their own interests.
Correct answer is: Believing in dominant ideologies that go against one’s own interests
Q.17 What is the main function of ideology according to Althusser?
To liberate oppressed groups
To reproduce the conditions of production
To encourage free thought
To eliminate hierarchy
Explanation - Althusser argued that ideology ensures the reproduction of the relations of production by shaping people’s beliefs and behaviors.
Correct answer is: To reproduce the conditions of production
Q.18 Which of the following is an example of ideological control?
Police enforcing law
Schools teaching obedience
Military occupation
Economic sanctions
Explanation - Ideological control operates through institutions like schools, which teach obedience and acceptance of authority, reinforcing social order.
Correct answer is: Schools teaching obedience
Q.19 The idea that 'the ruling ideas are the ideas of the ruling class' comes from:
Karl Marx
Émile Durkheim
Max Weber
Michel Foucault
Explanation - Marx stated that ruling classes control not just material resources but also the dominant ideas within society.
Correct answer is: Karl Marx
Q.20 Hegemony is best described as:
Military dominance
Cultural leadership of ruling groups
Political elections
Economic prosperity
Explanation - Hegemony is when ruling groups maintain power by shaping culture and ideology to gain consent rather than relying solely on coercion.
Correct answer is: Cultural leadership of ruling groups
Q.21 Why is ideology powerful in maintaining social order?
It forces obedience
It creates consensus
It eliminates conflict
It abolishes inequality
Explanation - Ideology is powerful because it creates consensus, making social structures appear natural and unquestionable.
Correct answer is: It creates consensus
Q.22 Which is a Repressive State Apparatus according to Althusser?
Family
Police
Education
Media
Explanation - Repressive State Apparatuses include institutions like the police or army that enforce order through coercion, unlike ideological apparatuses.
Correct answer is: Police
Q.23 Which process allows subordinate classes to challenge ruling ideologies?
False consciousness
Cultural hegemony
Counter-hegemony
Alienation
Explanation - Counter-hegemony refers to alternative ideologies and movements that challenge the dominance of ruling-class ideologies.
Correct answer is: Counter-hegemony
Q.24 According to Gramsci, why are intellectuals important in society?
They spread ruling ideologies
They are independent thinkers
They serve as cultural leaders
They avoid politics
Explanation - Gramsci saw intellectuals as cultural leaders who either support ruling-class hegemony or promote counter-hegemonic ideas.
Correct answer is: They serve as cultural leaders
Q.25 What does ideology often disguise in capitalist societies?
Cultural traditions
Economic exploitation
Technological progress
Religious values
Explanation - In capitalist societies, ideology often disguises economic exploitation by making unequal relations appear fair and natural.
Correct answer is: Economic exploitation