Important Questions and Answers for Class 12 Political Science Chapter 2 Contemporary Centres of Power 2025-26

1. Multiple choice questions.

1. Which of the following best explains why the European Union is called a major centre of power in contemporary world politics?

• (a) It is only a military alliance.
• (b) It is an economic and increasingly political union with huge GDP and military capability.
• (c) It controls the UN Security Council.
• (d) It is a cultural organisation of European states.

Answer: (b) It is an economic and increasingly political union with huge GDP and military capability.

2. Which of the following is NOT a founding member of ASEAN?

• (a) Indonesia
• (b) Singapore
• (c) Brunei
• (d) Thailand

Answer: (c) Brunei

3. The term “ASEAN Way” refers to which of the following practices?

• (a) Military intervention in member states
• (b) Informal, non-confrontational cooperation respecting sovereignty
• (c) Supranational decision-making like the EU
• (d) Economic sanctions against non-members

Answer: (b) Informal, non-confrontational cooperation respecting sovereignty

4. Which country adopted the ‘open-door’ policy and economic liberalisation from 1978 onwards?

• (a) Japan
• (b) South Korea
• (c) China
• (d) India

Answer: (c) China

5. Which of the following correctly lists the three pillars of the ASEAN Community set up in 2003?

• (a) Political, Economic, Cultural Community
• (b) ASEAN Security, ASEAN Economic, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community
• (c) Military, Trade, Environmental Community
• (d) Industrial, Agricultural, Services Community

Answer: (b) ASEAN Security, ASEAN Economic, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community

6. Japan’s foreign policy since 1945 is strongly influenced by which constitutional principle?

• (a) Article 1: monarchy
• (b) Article 9: renunciation of war
• (c) Article 5: nuclear deterrence
• (d) Article 12: trade protectionism

Answer: (b) Article 9: renunciation of war

7. The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) primarily deals with which area?

• (a) Sports cooperation
• (b) Foreign and security policy coordination
• (c) Agricultural subsidies
• (d) Tourism promotion

Answer: (b) Foreign and security policy coordination

8. Which one of the following describes the nature of India–China relations after the Cold War, as given in the chapter?

• (a) Complete breakdown of diplomatic ties
• (b) Only military rivalry without any cooperation
• (c) Growing strategic and economic cooperation despite disputes
• (d) Merger of the two states

Answer: (c) Growing strategic and economic cooperation despite disputes

9. South Korea is described in the chapter as:

• (a) A resource-rich country with low HDI
• (b) An economic powerhouse and OECD member with high HDI
• (c) A purely agricultural economy
• (d) A closed, command economy

Answer: (b) An economic powerhouse and OECD member with high HDI

10. Which of the following is correctly matched with the year mentioned in the chapter’s EU timeline?

• (a) 1957 – Treaty of Paris
• (b) 1951 – Treaty of Rome
• (c) 1992 – Treaty of Maastricht, EU formed
• (d) 2016 – Ten new members joined the EU

Answer: (c) 1992 – Treaty of Maastricht, EU formed

2. Very Short Answer (VSA).

11. Why did European leaders support regional integration after the Second World War?

Answer: They wanted rapid reconstruction of war-ravaged economies and to avoid repeating the violent rivalries that had led to two world wars, so they turned to cooperation and regional integration.

12. What is meant by the European Union evolving into an “increasingly political” union?

Answer: It means that the EU is no longer confined to economic cooperation; it now takes joint positions on foreign and security policy and has symbols like a flag, anthem and common currency.

13. Mention any one key aim of ASEAN as stated in the chapter.

Answer: One key aim of ASEAN is to accelerate economic and social progress in the region by promoting cooperation among member states.

14. What was the main reason for China to launch economic reforms after 1978?

Answer: Economic stagnation and rising population pressures under the earlier command economy pushed China to introduce reforms and an open-door policy from 1978.

15. Name any one sector that was privatised in China as part of the post-1978 reforms.

Answer: Agriculture was privatised in 1982 as part of China’s post-1978 economic reforms.

16. What is the full form of ARF in the context of ASEAN?

Answer: ARF stands for ASEAN Regional Forum.

17. State any one major challenge faced by the European Union mentioned in the chapter.

Answer: One major challenge is euro-scepticism in some member states like the UK, Denmark and Sweden.

18. Which policy of India signalled increased engagement with ASEAN?

Answer: India’s ‘Look East’ and later ‘Act East’ policies signalled deeper engagement with ASEAN.

19. Name any one famous Japanese brand mentioned in the chapter that reflects Japan’s technological strength.

Answer: Sony is one of the famous Japanese brands mentioned to show Japan’s technological strength.

20. Which two regions are highlighted as destinations of China’s overseas investments in the chapter?

Answer: Africa and Latin America are mentioned as important destinations of China’s overseas investments.

3. Short Answer Questions.

21. Explain any two ways in which the European Union has emerged as a centre of power in the post-Cold War world.

Answer: The EU is an economic giant with a very high aggregate GDP and the Euro as a major trading currency, giving it leverage in global trade and the WTO. It is also a political and security actor, with significant military spending and influence, including France’s permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

22. How does the “ASEAN Way” differ from the European Union’s approach to regional integration?

Answer: The ASEAN Way stresses informality, non-confrontation and full respect for national sovereignty; decisions are usually by consensus. In contrast, the EU follows a more formal, institutional and partly supranational model, where some decisions are taken by common institutions above the nation-state level.

23. Briefly describe the three pillars of the ASEAN Community created in 2003.

Answer: The ASEAN Security Community works to maintain regional peace and stability. The ASEAN Economic Community aims at freer trade and economic integration. The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community focuses on social development, cultural cooperation and improving quality of life in the region.

24. Describe two major outcomes and one key challenge of China’s post-1978 economic reforms as given in the chapter.

Answer: The reforms led to high inflows of foreign direct investment, rapid rise in GDP and expansion of trade, turning China into a global economic power. However, they also produced serious challenges such as widening social disparities and environmental degradation within the country.

25. In what ways have India–China relations changed after the Cold War according to the chapter?

Answer: After years of mistrust following the 1962 conflict, the post-Cold War period saw gradual improvement. Strategic and economic cooperation grew, with trade rising from about $338 million in 1992 to $84 billion in 2017, and both countries taking similar positions in forums like the WTO despite unresolved border and strategic issues.

26. How has ASEAN tried to position itself in relation to major powers like India and China?

Answer: ASEAN has built economic linkages through free trade arrangements, including an FTA with India in 2010, and strong trade relations with China. Through Vision 2020 and the ASEAN Regional Forum, it projects itself as an outward-looking platform for dialogue and cooperation with major powers while retaining regional autonomy.

27. Why are Japan and South Korea considered important economic centres of power in Asia according to the chapter?

Answer: Japan, with few natural resources, became the world’s third-largest economy, a leading OECD member and technology hub with brands like Sony and Toyota. South Korea emerged as an economic powerhouse and OECD member, home to global firms such as Samsung and Hyundai and enjoying a high Human Development Index ranking.

28. Give a brief account of the steps of European integration mentioned in the chapter’s timeline.

Answer: Integration began with the 1951 Treaty of Paris, creating the European Coal and Steel Community. The 1957 Treaty of Rome established the EEC and Euratom. In 1992, the Maastricht Treaty formally created the European Union. In 2004, ten new members joined, and in 2016 the Brexit referendum signalled serious internal challenges.

4. True or False Questions.

29. The European Union today remains only an economic organisation with no role in foreign or security policy.

Answer: False.

30. ASEAN’s main objective includes promoting regional peace and stability among its member states.

Answer: True.

31. China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001 after pursuing export-led growth through Special Economic Zones.

Answer: True.

32. According to the chapter, India and China have no areas of cooperation and only compete with each other in world politics.

Answer: False.

33. Japan’s rise as an economic power is described in the chapter as being achieved despite its limited natural resources.

Answer: True.

34. The chapter states that South Korea is a member of the OECD and has well-known global brands like Samsung and Hyundai.

Answer: True.

35. The “ASEAN Way” refers to a highly legalistic and confrontational method of resolving disputes.

Answer: False.

36. Euro-scepticism in some European countries is mentioned in the chapter as one of the challenges to the EU project.

Answer: True.

5. Fill in the Blanks Questions.

37. ASEAN was established in ________ by Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Answer: 1967

38. The Treaty of ________ signed in 1992 led to the formation of the European Union (EU).

Answer: Maastricht

39. China created ________ to promote export-led growth as part of its post-1978 economic reforms.

Answer: Special Economic Zones (SEZs)

40. The three pillars of the ASEAN Community are the Security Community, the Economic Community and the ________ Community.

Answer: Socio-Cultural

41. Japan became a member of the ________ in 1964, reflecting its status as a leading industrial economy.

Answer: OECD

42. India’s ‘Look East’ and later ‘Act East’ policies deepen ties with ________ and other East Asian countries.

Answer: ASEAN

43. According to the chapter, South Korea’s Human Development Index (HDI) rank was ________ as of 2016.

Answer: 18

44. France strengthens the EU’s global political role by holding a permanent seat on the ________ Security Council.

Answer: UN

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