Comparative Politics: Nature and major approaches; political economy and political sociology perspectives; limitations of the comparative method
- Comment: The importance and limitations of the Political Economy Approach. (2004)
- Critically evaluate the nature of capitalist model of development and its usefulness and limitations for developing countries. (2005)
- Comment: Input-output functions of political system. (2006)
- Examine the relevance of the political economy approach to the study of comparative politics. (2007)
- How does comparative political sociology help in understanding of socio-political process of different countries of the world? (2008)
- How is the modern comparative politics approach different from the traditional legal-institutional approach? (2010)
- “Structural-functional approach to political analysis focuses more on status quoism, and less on change.” Elucidate. (2011)
- “Examining political phenomena through a process of cross – global investigation has become the fundamental function of Comparative Politics.” Discuss. (150 words) (2012)
- Elucidate the transdisciplinary nature of modern comparative politics and identify the contributions of political sociologists towards this goal. (200 words) (2012)
- Which are the major approaches of comparative politics? Explain in brief, the political economy approach to the study of comparative inquiry. (2015)
- Critically examine the Marxist aspect of political economy approach to the study of comparative politics. (2016)
- Explain the Political-Sociological Approach in the field of comparative politics and discuss its limitations. (2017)
- Describe the changing nature of Comparative Politics. Briefly explain the Political Economy approach to the study of Comparative Politics. (2018)
- Examine the significance of the comparative method in political analysis. Discuss its limitations. (2019)
- Discuss the subject matter of comparative politics. Outline the limitations of comparative political analysis. (2020)
- Discuss the political economy approach to the comparative analysis of politics. (150 words) (2021)
- Discuss the main limitations of the comparative method to the study of Political Science. (2022)
- What are the crucial functions of empirical political theory in Comparative Politics? (2023)
- Discuss the interpretive approach to the study of comparative politics. (2024)
- Discuss the psychological approach to the study of comparative politics. (2025)
- Discuss the political socialisation of open and closed societies. (2025)
- Answer in about 150 words: Criticism of the institutional approach in comparative political analysis has come up in successive waves. Comment. (2026) [10 marks]
Syllabus unit: Comparative Politics
PSIR Optional study material from LotusArise IAS
Two ways to prepare with us — the full self-study system, or just the notes you need right now.
| What you get | PSIR Mains Master Kit 2027 | PSIR Complete Notes (Store) |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 notes — Political Theory + Indian Government and Politics | Included | Included — Section A and Section B |
| Paper 2 notes — Comparative Politics and India and the World | Included | Included — Section A and Section B |
| Topic-wise PYQ bank | 1986–2026, with trend analysis and probables by Dec 2026 | 1991–2025 question papers, free with every notes pack |
| Practice question set for timed answer writing | ✅ Available now | ❌ |
| Answer toolkit — intros, conclusions, frameworks, thinker and example banks | By Dec 2026 | ❌ |
| Revision booklets for the last 60 days | ✅ Available now | ❌ |
| Format | Online articles + PDF | PDF download |
| Access | Valid until UPSC CSE Mains 2027 | Instant download after payment |
| Price | ₹1,770 (regular ₹5,000) | ₹1,180 for all four sections · ₹599 a paper · ₹354 a section |
| Best for | Aspirants who want the whole system in one place | Aspirants who want the notes now, in the parts they need |
