Class 12 Political Science
Chapter 1: The End of Bipolarity
Complete Question Bank + Map Work (Boards 2026)
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Section A: MCQ-Based Questions (1 Mark Each)
1. When did the Soviet Union disintegrate?
a) 1989
b) 1990
c) 1991
d) 1992
Answer: c) 1991
2. Who was the last President of the Soviet Union?
a) Boris Yeltsin
b) Vladimir Putin
c) Mikhail Gorbachev
d) Nikita Khrushchev
Answer: c) Mikhail Gorbachev
3. What does Shock Therapy refer to?
a) Sudden economic reforms toward communism
b) Military reforms
c) Sudden transition to capitalism and democracy
d) None of the above
Answer: c) Sudden transition to capitalism and democracy
4. Which treaty led to the formation of the European Union?
a) Warsaw Pact
b) NATO Treaty
c) Maastricht Treaty
d) Geneva Convention
Answer: c) Maastricht Treaty
5. Which of the following was not a part of the Soviet Union?
a) Ukraine
b) Kazakhstan
c) Hungary
d) Lithuania
Answer: c) Hungary
6. What is CIS?
a) Central International Security
b) Commonwealth of Independent States
c) Council of Internal States
d) Common Industrial Society
Answer: b) Commonwealth of Independent States
7. Which economic model was followed by the USSR?
a) Capitalism
b) Liberalism
c) Socialism
d) Mixed Economy
Answer: c) Socialism
8. What was the ideological conflict between USA and USSR known as?
a) Hot War
b) Cold War
c) World War
d) Ideological War
Answer: b) Cold War
9. Which country initiated reforms known as Glasnost and Perestroika?
a) USA
b) Germany
c) Russia
d) USSR
Answer: d) USSR
10. Which Eastern European country first held free elections in 1989?
a) Poland
b) Czechoslovakia
c) Hungary
d) Romania
Answer: a) Poland
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Section B: Short Answer Questions (2–4 Marks)
1. What were the main causes of the disintegration of the USSR? (Repeat)
2. Mention any three features of the Soviet political system.
3. State any three consequences of Shock Therapy. (Very Important)
4. Explain any three features of the Soviet economy.
5. Why was Gorbachev’s policy opposed by Communist leaders? (Source-based topic)
6. Mention the name and purpose of the treaty that formed the European Union.
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Section C: Long Answer Questions (6 Marks)
1. Discuss in detail the causes that led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union. (Most repeated)
2. What is Shock Therapy? Explain its consequences on post-Soviet states. (Expected)
3. Examine the political and economic conditions of former Soviet Republics after 1991.
4. How did the end of bipolarity impact world politics? (UN + US dominance)
5. How did Eastern European countries transition from authoritarian regimes to democracies?
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Section D: Source-Based Question (with sample passage and answers)
Passage:
"Gorbachev’s reforms like Glasnost and Perestroika introduced openness and restructuring in the Soviet
system. However, many people believed that these reforms were either too fast or too slow, leading to
dissatisfaction."
Questions:
a. What do Glasnost and Perestroika mean?
b. Why did people oppose Gorbachev’s reforms?
c. What was the result of such reforms in the Soviet Union?
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Section E: Map Work
Locate and label any 4 of the following:
1. Russia – Largest republic of former USSR
2. Ukraine – Important former Soviet republic (in news)
3. Poland – Eastern European country that first moved to democracy
4. Czechoslovakia – Now Czech Republic + Slovakia
5. Kazakhstan – Central Asian former Soviet state
6. Lithuania – First country to declare independence from USSR
7. Germany – Berlin Wall symbol of Cold War (East & West Germany)
8. Lithuania – First country to declare independence from USSR
