Secondary and Sr. Secondary Helpline

September 11, 2022

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 4 Alternative Centres of Power

Class 12 Political Science

Chapter 4 Alternative Centres of Power

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

1. Arrange the following in chronological order:

(a) China’s accession to WTO

(b) Establishment of the EEC

(d) Birth of ARF

Answer: (b) Establishment of the EEC – 1957

(d) Birth of ARF – 1994

(a) China’s accession to WTO

2. The ASEAN WAY:

(a) Reflects the lifestyle of ASEAN members.

(b) A form of interaction among ASEAN members that is informal and cooperative.

(d) The road that connects all the ASEAN members.

Answer: (b) A form of interaction among ASEAN members that is informal and cooperative.

3. Who among the following adopted an ‘open door’ policy?

(a) China (b) EU

Answer: (a) China

4. Fill in the blanks:

(a) The border conflict between China and India in 1962 was principally over……..and……..region.

(b) ARF was established in the year……..

(d) ………..plan influenced the establishment of the organisation for European Economic Cooperation in 1948.

(e)……….. is the organisation of ASEAN that deals with security.

Answer: (a) Arunachal Pradesh, Aksai Chin,

(b) 1994, (c) the US, (d) Marshall,

(e) Asian Regional Forum.

5. What are the objectives of establishing regional organisations?

Answer: The regional organisations are established with the following objectives:

1. To make regional development at par the fast growing global economy.

2. To accelerate economic growth through the social progress and cultural development.

3. To promote regional peace and stability based on the rule of law and the principles of United Nations Charter.

6. How does the geographical proximity influence the formation of regional organisations?

Answer: The geographical proximity influences the formation of regional organisations because:

1. It is influenced by almost some historical enmities and weaknesses.

2. Sometimes the similar interests come together.

3. Even fruitful areas for regional economy are also the result of geographical proximity.

7. Wha.are the components of the ASEAN Visiong020?

Ans: The com10nents of ASEAN Vision 2020 can be summed up as follows:

1. An ou.ward looking role in internatioial community.

2. To encourage negotiations over conflicts in tie region.

3. To mediate tc end the conflicts i.e. Cambodian conflict, East Timor Crisis, annual discussion on East Asian Cooperatioi through meetings.

8. Name the pillars aid objectives of ASEAN community.

Answer: The ASEAN community established the following three pillars:

1. The ASEAN Security Community

2. The ASEAN Economic Community

3. The ASEAN Socio-cultural Community.

The objectives of ASEAN community are as follows:

1. Territorial disputes should not escalate into armed confrontations.

2. To accelerate economic growth through social progress and cultural development.

3. To promote regional peace and stability based on the rule of law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.

4. To establish dispute settlement mechanism to resolve economic disputes.

5. To create Free Trade Areas for investments, labour and services.

9. In what ways does the present Chinese economy differ from its command economy?

Answer: The present Chinese economy has adopted the ‘open door policy’ to generate higher productivity by investments of capital and technology. It differed from its command economy in the following manner:

1. It broke stagnancy of command economy.

2.Command economy lagged behind the industrial production but Chinese economy recovered it by privatisation of agriculture and industry.

3. The present Chinese economy established new trading laws and created Special Economic Zones leading higher rise in foreign trade. During Command economy the international trade was minimal and per capita income was very low.

10. How did the European countries resolve their Post Second World War problem? Briefly outline the attempts that led to the formation of the European Union.

Answer: After the end of Second World War in 1945, the European States confronted the ruin of their economies and the destruction of assumptions and structures on which Europe had been founded. European countries resolved their Post Second World War problems in the following manner:

1. Under the ‘Marshall Plan’ the USA provided financial help to revive European economy.

2. The US also created a new collective security structure under NATO.

3. Under the ‘Marshall Plan’ the organisation for European Economic Cooperation was established in 1948 to extend cooperation on trade and economic issues among the Western European States.

4. European Union was founded in 1992 for a common foreign and security policy, cooperation on justice and home affairs and creation of a single currency. It evolved from an economic union to political one over time.

The following attempts led to the formation of European Union:

1. The Council of Europe was established in 1949 for political cooperation.

2. The process of economic integration of European Capitalist countries led to the formation of European Economic Community in 1957.

3. The above mentioned processes acquired a political dimension with the creation of European Parliament.

4. The collapse of Soviet bloc put Europe on a fast track and resulted in the establishment of European Union in 1992.

11. What makes the European Union a highly influential regional organisation?

Answer: As a supernational organisation, the European Union bears economic, political diplomacy and military influence as a regional organisation in the following manner:

1. Economic Influence:

(а) Three times larger share in world trade than the US.

(b) Its currency Euro, can pose a threat to the dominance of the US dollar.

2. Political and Diplomatic Influences:

(a) Two members of the EU, Britain and France hold permanent seats in the Security Council to influence the UN policies.

(b) The EU also includes various non-permanent members of the UNSC.

(c) The European Union play an influential role in diplomacy and negotiations except the military force i.e. the EU’s dialogue with China on human rights and environmental degradation is remarkable.

3. Military Influence:

(o) The EU’s combined armed fo^fees are second largest in the world.

(b) Its total expenditure on military is second to the US.

(d) The EU is world’s second most important source of space and communications technology.

12. The emerging economies of China and India have great potential to challenge the unipolar world. Do you agree with the statement? Substantiate your arguments.

Answer: The Indo-China relations experience strategically organised as rising economic powers in global politics and to play a major role in Asian economy after the end of Cold War. It can be proved on the following grounds:

1. The new economic policies of India and China have broken their economy from stagnancy.

2. The creation of special economic zones led to a phenomenal rise in foreign trade.

3. China has become the most important destination for foreign direct investment anywhere in the world. Hence, it has large reserves for foreign exchange to allow it to make big investment in other countries.

4. At the global level also, India and China have adopted similar policies in World Trade Organisation to deepen integration with the world economy to challenge unipolar world.

13. The peace and prosperity of countries lay in the establishment and strengthening of regional economic organisations. Justify this statement.

Answer: This statement represents the ASEAN Regional Forum and the European Union, where ASEAN Regional Forum is based on the notion not to escalate territorial disputes into armed confrontation:

1. The ASEAN is rapidly growing as a regional organisation with the Vision 2020 including an outward looking role in international community and to encourage negotiations over conflicts in the region.

2. ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) maintains coordination of security and foreign policy.

3. The EU has also been funded on the ground of common foreign and security policy, cooperation on justice and home affairs.

4. The European Union has also extended cooperation while acquiring new members especially from Soviet bloc.

14. Identify the contentious issues between China and India. How could these be resolved for greater cooperation? Give your suggestions.

Answer: The relations with China experience friendly gestures from India as India signed popular ‘Panchsheel’ to develop Indo-China relations in 1954 and advocated China’s membership to the United Nations. Still, after 1957, various contentious issues arose in Indo-China relations:

1. In 1962, military conflict over a border dispute of MacMohan Line resulted on unwarranted claim by China which now lie in Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin region of Ladakh.

2. Differences arose from Chinese take over of Tibet in 1950 which was protested by India against China.

3. After Panchsheel, attack by China on India in 1962, to occupy larger territories of India, created humiliation.

4. China’s assistance to Pakistan’s nuclear programme also created differences.

5. China’s military relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar were viewed as hostile to Indian interests.

All the above mentioned differences/ disputes could be resolved for greater cooperation-

1. Both the countries should make some more efforts to revive harmonious attitude between themselves.

2. Both the countries should move hand-in-hand to fight against terrorism, nuclear race and economic disparities.

3. Both the countries should develop understanding and respect.

4. Hence, both of them have signed agreements on cultural exchange and cooperation in science and technology.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

Very Short Answer Type Questions [ 1 Mark]

1. What is meant by ‘ASEAN WAT?

Answer: ‘ASEAN WAY’ is an interaction that is informal, confrontationist and cooperative to promote supernational structures in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

2. Correct the following statement and rewrite ASEAN stands for Association of South East African Nations.

What does ASEAN stand for?

Answer: ASEAN stands for Association of South East Asian Nations.

3. In which year the European Union was established?

Answer: 1992

4. What is the common currency of EU?

Answer: EURO

5. Name any two older members of EU.

Answer: Austria and Denmark

6. Name any two new members of EU.

Answer: Estonia and Poland.

7. What does the circle with golden stars on the European Union flag stand for?

Answer: The circle with golden stars on the European Union flag stands for solidarity and harmony between the people of Europe.

8. Mention the major challenges faced in Europe after Second World War.

Answer: 1. Shattered many assumptions and structures on which European states maintained their relations.

2. The European states confronted the ruin of economies and the destruction on which Europe had been founded.

9. What is European Union?

Answer: European Union is a group of European capitalist countries established in 1992 for common goal of foreign and security policy, cooperation and home affairs.

10. What was Marshall Plan?

Answer: Marshall Plan was introduced by America to provide financial help for revival of European economy.

11. Name two countries of European Union who opposed America’s Iraq invasion.

Answer: Germany and France.

12. What is ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)?

Answer: ASEAN Regional Forum was established in 1994 to carry out coordination and foreign policy among ASEAN members.

13. What is the significance of ASEAN flag?

Answer: In the ASEAN logo, the ten stellas of paddy (rice) represent the ten South East Asian countries bound together in friendship and solidarity. The circle symbolises the unity of ASEAN.

14. When did China get independence?

Answer: 1949

15. What is SEZs (Special Economic Zones)?

Answer: Special Economic Zones are created to set up their own enterprises by foreign investors.

16. Mention the three pillars formed in ASEAN.

Answer: 1. The ASEAN Security Community

2. The ASEAN Economic Community

3. The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Com-munity.

Very Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks]

1. Which four common symbols make the European Union look like a nation state?

Answer: The European Union has its own flag, anthem, founding date and currency.

2. Mention any two steps taken by China to improve its economy.

Answer: 1. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) were created to invite foreign investors to set up their own enterprises.

2. The privatisation of agriculture and industry in 1982 and 1998.

3. Mention the agreements signed between India and ASEAN.

Ans: 1. India signed Free Trade Areas (FTAs) with two ASEAN members, Singapore and Thailand.

2. India is trying to sign on FTA with ASEAN itself.

4. What are the odds which limit the ability of EU?

Answer: European Union is a supernational organisation but in many areas its member states have their own foreign relations and defence policies that are often at odds as-

1. British Prime Minister Tony Blair supported the US’s Iraq invasion and many new members made US led ‘coalition of willing’ while Germany and France opposed it.

2. Denmark and Sweden have resisted the Maastricht treaty and the adoption of the Euro.

5. “The European Union is a nation state more than a Economic Union”. Justify the statement.

Ans: The European Union has now started to act more as a nation state because:

1. European Union has its own flag, anthem, founding date and common currency.

2. European Union bears common foreign and security policy.

3. The EU has made efforts to expand areas of cooperation while acquiring new members especially from Soviet bloc.

6. How can we say that ASEAN is an economic association?

Answer: To more extent it can be said that ASEAN is an economic association:

1. ASEAN Economic Community aims at to create open market and production based activities within ASEAN states.

2. ASEAN has created Free Trade Areas (FTAs) for investment, labour and services.

3. The current economic strength of ASEAN as a trading and investment partner to the growing Asian economies as India and China make this attractive proposition.

7. What are the objectives of ASEAN Economic Community?

Answer: The objectives of ASEAN Economic Community are as follows:

1. To create common market and production based activities within ASEAN states.

2. To aid social and economic development.

3. To resolve economic disputes, the existing dispute settlement mechanism has been improved.

4. Free Trade Areas for investment, labour and services have also been created.

8. How do ASEAN members commit to uphold peace and neutrality?

Answer: ASEAN members commit to uphold peace and neutrality-

1. ASEAN security community is based on the conviction that territorial disputes should not escalate into armed confrontation.

2. By 2003, ASEAN had several agreements among members states to uphold peace, neutrality, cooperation, non-interference, respect for national differences and sovereign rights.

3. ASEAN Regional Forum was established in 1994 to coordinate security and foreign policy.

9. What are economic challenges of China despite its economic development?

Answer: Though the Chinese economy has improved dramatically, still everyone in China has not been benefitted by the reforms which can be judged by the following facts-

1. Unemployment has risen. About 100 million people are looking for jobs.

2. Female employment and conditions are bad as in Europe of 18th and 19th centuries.

3. Increasing environmental degradation and corruption.

4. Rising economic inequality between rural and urban residents.

10. How did relations improve after the conflict of 1962 between India and China?

Answer: Indo-China war of 1962 had complicated Indo-China relations. After 1976 the relations began to improve slowly because:

1. China’s policy became more pragmatic and less ideological due to change in China’s political leadership in the late 1970s when China got ready to settle the contentious issues.

2. A series of talks to resol ve the border issues were also initiated to develop harmonious relations.

Short Answer Type Questions [4 Marks]

1. How has the European Union evolved over time from an economic union to an increasingly political one?

Answer: The European Union has evolved over time from an economic union to an increasingly political one. The EU has started to act more as a nation state. While the attempts to have a constitution for the EU have failed, it has its own flag, anthem, founding date, and currency. It also has some form of a common foreign and security policy in its dealings with other nations. The European Union has tried to expand areas of cooperation while acquiring new members, especially from the erstwhile Soviet bloc. The process has not proved easy, for people in many countries are not very enthusiastic in giving the EU powers that were exercised by the government of their country. There are also reservations about including some new countries within the European Union.

2. Explain the political, diplomatic influence of European Union as a supernational organisation.

Answer: Political and Diplomatic Influences:

(a) Two members of the EU — Britain and France hold permanent seats in the Security Council to influence the UN policies.

(b) The EU also includes various non-permanent members of the UNSC.

i. e. the EU’s dialogue with China on human rights and environmental degradation is remarkable.

3. What led to the evolution of the EU from an economic union to an increasingly political one?

Answer: The European Union has now started to act more as a nation state because-

(i) European Union has its own flag, anthem, founding date and common currency.

(ii) European Union bears common foreign and security policy.

(iii) The EU has made efforts to expand areas of cooperation while acquiring new members especially from Soviet bloc.

4. What are the objectives behind the formation of ASEAN?

Answer: The objectives behind the formation of ASEAN are as follows:

1. Territorial disputes should not escalate into armed confrontations.

2. To accelerate economic growth through social progress and cultural development.

3. To promote regional peace and stability based on the rule of law and the principles of United Nations

; charter.

4. To establish Dispute Settlement Mechanism to resolve economic disputes.

5. To create Free Trade Areas for investment, labour and services.

5. Describe any four significant characteristics of ASEAN.

Answer: 1. To create common market and production based activities within ASEAN States.

2. To aid social and economic development.

3. To resolve economic disputes, the existing dispute settlement mechanism has been improved.

4. Free Trade Areas for investment, labour and services have also been created.

6. What role has been played by European Union in solving the problems of the European countries?

Answer: 1. The EU functions as an important bloc in international organisation as World Trade Organisation to intervene in economic areas.

2. The EU has expanded areas of cooperation while acquiring new members especially from Soviet bloc.

3. The EU has an influential role in the UN policies because its two members—Britain and France hold permanent seats in the UN Security Council.

4. The EU is influential in the areas of diplomacy, economic investments and negotiation.

7. Why India and China both view themselves as rising powers in global politics in spite of tensions between them? Substantiate your answer by giving any four events that have brought cordiality in their relationship.

Answer: Due to Indian initiatives, Indo-China relations improved. In 1954, India signed famous Panchsheel starting a new era of Indo-China friendship. But after 1957 some contentious issues had been arisen between them:

(i) Tibet Problem

(ii) Border Issues

(iii) Chinese Attack in 1962

(iv) Chinese Assistance to Pakistan.

Gradually, both the countries came together to develop harmonious relations between themselves:

1. Attempt to normalise relations were restored by exchange of ambassadors.

2. Joint Working Group was set up by both the countries to resolve border dispute.

3. Both of them committed to reduce the forces on Indo-China border.

4. Indian and Chinese leadership and official visits with great frequency.

5. Increasing transportation and communication links, common economic interests and global concerns.

8. Why was European Union founded? What were its objectives and significance?

Answer: The European Union was founded in 1992 for a common foreign and security policy, cooperation on justice and home affairs and to create a single currency. Objectives:

1. The circle of gold stars on the flag stands for solidarity and harmony between European Union States.

2. To expand areas of co-operation while acquiring new members especially from Soviet bloc.

9. Why ASEAN was established?

Answer: ASEAN is the regional association to provide a political forum to discuss political and security concerns-

1. Before and during the Second World War, the southeastern region of Asia suffered the economic and political consequences of repeated colonialism, both European and Japanese.

2. At the end of war it confronted problems of nation building, the progress of poverty and economic backwardness and the pressure to align with one great power or another during cold war.

10. “China has emerged as third alternative to world power”. Examine.

Answer: China emerged as the third alternative to world power since its economic reforms of 1978 as China has been the fastest growing economy since the reforms first began there-

1. China is projected to overtake the US as the world’s largest economy by 2040.

2. Its economic integration into the region makes it drive of East Asian growth.

3. Its strength of economy are population, landmass, resources, regional location, political influence, added to its power.

11. How did China end its political and economic isolation?

Answer: China had adopted Soviet model of economy. Despite development, China faced economic crisis as industrial production was not growing fast, international trade was minimal. Under these situations some major pplicy decisions were taken-

1. China established relations with the US in 1972.

2. China proposed four areas of modernisation as agriculture, industry, science and technology in 1973.

3. Open door policy was introduced to generate higher productivity by investment of capital and technology from abroad.

4. Privatisation of agriculture and industry in 1982 and 1998.

5. China set Special Economic Zones to remove trade barriers.

12. “Chinese economy has been recognised at the global level”. Justify.

Answer: China has introduced open market economy which is moving China towards global economy due to following facts-

1. The integration of Chinese-economy and interdependencies has enabled China to have considerable influence with its trade partners.

2. The open door policy has stabilised the ASEAN economy.

3. China’s outward looking for investment and aid policies in Latin America and Africa are protecting China as a global player.

Passage Based Questions [5 Marks]

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions:

ASEAN was and still remains principally an economic association. While the ASEAN region as a whole is a much smaller economy compared to the US the EU, and Japan, its economy is growing much faster than all these. This accounts for the growth in its influence both in the region and beyond. The objectives of the ASEAN Economic Community are to create a common market and production base within ASEAN States and to aid social and economic development in the region. The Economic Community would also like to improve the existing ASEAN Dispute Settlement Mechanism to resolve economic disputes. ASEAN has focused on creating a Free Trade Area (FTA) for investment, labour, and services. The US and China have already moved fast to negotiate FTAs with ASEAN.

Questions

1. What is the objective of ASEAN Economic Community?

2. Why did ASEAN establish Free Trade Areas (FTAs)?

3. How ASEAN Economic Community would resolve economic disputes?

4. Which countries have already moved fast to negotiate FTAs with ASEAN and why?

Answer:

1. To create common market and production based activities within ASEAN states itself and to aid social and economic development.

2. Free Trade Areas have been established for investment, labour and services.

3. By improving the existing ASEAN Dispute Settlement Mechanism.

4. ASEAN is rapidly growing into areas of regional organisation with its Vision 2020.

2. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions:

The conflict of 1962, in which India suffered military reverses, had long-term implications for India-China relations. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were downgraded until 1976. Thereafter, relltions between the two countries began to improve slowly. After the change in China’s political leadership from the mid to late 1970s, China’s policy became more pragmatic and less ideological. So it was prepared to, put off the settlement of contentious issues while improving relations with India. A series of talks to resolve the border issue were also initiated in 1981.

Questions

1. Why did India suffer military reverses as a result of conflict of 1962?

2. When did the relations between India and China begin to improve?

3. What was the change in the policy of China in the seventies?

4. Which efforts were made to resolve the border issues between India and China?

Answer:

1. Due to territorial claims principally in Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin region of Ladakh.

2. From the mid to late 1970s.

3. China’s policy became more pragmatic and less ideological in the seventies.

4. 1. It prepared to put off settlements

of contentious issues.

2. A series of talks to resolve the border issues were initiated in 1981.

Long Answer Type Questions [6 Marks]

1. How did China rise to be an economic superpower? Assess.

1. China established relations with the US in 1972.

2. China proposed four areas of modernisation as agriculture, industry, science and technology in 1973.

3. Open door policy was introduced to generate higher productivity by investment of capital and technology from abroad.

4. Privatisation of agriculture and industry in 1982 and 1998.

5. China set Special Economic Zones to remove trade barriers.

6. The integration of Chinese economy and inter-dependencies has enabled China to have considerable influence with its trade partners.

7. The open door policy has stabilised the ASEAN economy.

8. China’s outward looking for investment and aid policies in Latin America and Africa are projecting China as a global player.

2. Why is the EU considered a highly influential regional organisation in the economic, political and military fields?

Answer: Because-

1. Economic Influence:

(a) Three times larger share in World trade than the US.

(b) Its currency Euro can pose a threat to the dominance of US Dollar.

2. Political Influence:

(а) Two members of the EU, Britain and France hold permanent seats in Security Council to influence UN policies.

(b) The EU also includes various non-permanent members of UNSC.

(c) The European Union plays an influential role in diplomacy and negotiations except military force i.e. EU’s dialogue with China on Human Rights and environmental degradation is remarkable.

3. Military Influence:

(a) The EU’s combined armed forces are second largest in world.

(b) Its total military expenditure is second to the US.

(d) The EU is world’s second most important source of space and communication technology.

3. Discuss Indo-China relations.

Answer: The relations with China experienced friendly gestures from India as India signed popular ‘Panchsheel’ to develop Indo-China relations in 1954 and advocated China’s membership to the United Nations still, after 1957, various contentious issues arose in Indo-China relations-

1. In 1962, military conflict over a border dispute of MacMohan Line resulted an unwarranted claim by China which lies now in Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin regions of Ladakh.

2. Differences arose from Chinese take over of Tibet in 1950 which was protested by India against China.

3. After Panchsheel, attack by China on India in 1962, to occupy larger territories of India, created a humiliation.

4. China’s assistance to Pakistan’s nuclear programme also created differences.

5. China’s military relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar were viewed as hostile to Indian interests.

All the above mentioned differences/ disputes could be resolved for greater cooperation.

1. Both the countries should make some more efforts to revive harmonious attitude between themselves.

2. Both the countries should move hand-in-hand to fight against terrorism, nuclear race and economic disparities.

3. Both the countries should develop mutual understanding and respect.

4. Hence, both of them have signed agreements on cultural exchange and cooperation in science and technology.

Picture/Map Based Questions [5 Marks]

A1. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

Question.

1. The given cartoon is related to which country?

2. Which two symbols in this cartoon helped in identifying the country?

3. What message does this cartoon convey to the world?

Answer:

1. This cartoon is related to China.

2. The Dragon and the Great Wall helped in identifying the country.

3. This cartoon conveys a message to the world that China is emerging as a great economic power.

2. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

Question.

1. What does the cartoon represent?

2. Name the policy that is being represented in the cartoon.

3. What does the ‘Competition’ refer to in the cartoon?

4. “We’ll have to get used to it”. What does it denote?

Answer:

1. India’s policy towards ASEAN.

2. ‘Look East’ Policy since 1991 to interact with ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea.

3. Competition among various countries to develop potential relations with ASEAN.

4. It denotes India’s strategy towards using free trade areas with ASEAN

B. On a political outline map of world locate and label the following and symbolise them as indicated:

Questions

1. An older member of EU between Portugal and France. Symbolise (A)

2. An older member near Belgium and Netherlands. Symbolise (B)

3. The four new members of EU. Symbolise 1, 2, 3, 4.

4. Four old members of EU. Symbolise 5, 6, 7, 8.

Answer:

1. Spain

2. Germany

3. 1. Estonia 2. Poland

3. Hungary 4. Lithuania

4. 5. Finland 6. Denmark

7. Austria 8. Ireland

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 3 US Hegemony in World Politics

Class 12 Political Science

Chapter 3 US Hegemony in World Politics

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

1. Which among the following statements

about hegemony is incorrect?

(a) The word implies the leadership or predominance of one State.

(b) It was used to denote the predominance of Athens in ancient Greece.

(d) Hegemonic position is fixed. Once a hegemon, always a hegemon.

Answer: (d) Hegemonic position is fixed. Once a hegemon, always a hegemon.2. Which among the following statements is wrong about the contemporary world order?

(a) There is an absence of world government, which could regulate the State’s behaviour.

(b) The US is the predominant player in world affairs.

(d) States, which violate international law, are severely punished by the UN.

Answer: (c) States are using force against one another.

3. Which among the following statements is wrong with regard to Operation Iraqi Freedom?

(a) More than forty countries joined in the US led coalition of the willing to invade Iraq.

(b) The reason given for invading Iraq was to prevent it from developing weapons of mass destruction.

(d) The US-led coalition did not face major resistance from Iraqi forces.

Answer: (c) The action was taken with the prior approval of the UN.

4. Give an example each of the three types of hegemony that are dealt within the chapter. Do not cite examples that are in the chapter.

Answer: 1. Hegemony as Hard Power:

Tabasum was an artist living in Nigeria and was planning to join Art and Craft Academy to give proficiency to her artistic aptitude. But she lost her leg in 2003 missile attack by the US. After she overcame it, she made efforts to achieve and fulfill her dreams if the foreign armies leave her country.

2. Hegemony as Structural Power: Tabish is very good in his studies in the countryside of Middle East Asia and is planning to study subjects from Arts stream to accommodate himself in different aspects as per requirements. But parents want him to be a master in computers to become Software Engineer due to flair for job opportunities in the same.

3. Hegemony as Soft Power: Mayank is a young and energetic man of Melbourne, immigrants from Russia. His father gets upset when he puts on black shirt with white jeans while he goes to church. He justifies that black colour signifies protest for freedom and white signifies freedom in a peaceful manner.

5. Mention three ways in which US dominance since the Cold War is different from its position as a superpower during the Cold War.

Answer: 1. During Cold War, the US found it difficult to win over the Soviet Union as hard power due to retaliating capacity of the Soviet Union and to protest world from large scale destruction. But in the areas of structural and soft power, the US dominated.

2. During Cold War years, the Soviet Union provided an alternate model of socialist economy to maximise welfare of states. Still the world economy throughout the Cold War years adapted capitalist economy under the US.

3. In the area of soft power, the US became triumphant. As the example of blue jeans shows that the US could engineer a generational gap even in Soviet Society on culture basis.

6. Match the following:

Answer:(i)-(c); (ti)-(a); (iii)—(d); (iv)-(b)

7. what are the constraints on American hegemony today? Which one of these do you expect to get more important in the future?

Answer. “We can identify three constraints on American Power” which were actually not in operation in the years following 9/11. Hence the US could establish its hegemony. Recently all these constraints are slowly beginning to operate in the following ways:

1. The US bears institutional architecture in the American State itself. It refers division of powers between the three branches of government where American military’s executive branch can place significant brakes upon the unrestrained and immoderate exercise.

2. The second constraint on American hegemony emerges from open nature of American society. American society and suffering from a deep skepticism towards purposes and methods of government in America despite an imposition of particular perspectives on domestic opinion in the US. This is a huge constraint on US military action overseas.

3. The third constraint on US hegemony is the possession of NATO to moderate the exercise of the US hegemony today. The US has an enormous interest in keeping the alliance of democracies to follow the market economies alive and it may be possible to its allies in NATO to moderate the exercise of the US hegemony through their own liberal policies to fulfill their own ends.

8. Read the three extracts in the chapter from Lok Sabha debate on the Indo-US deal. Develop any one of these into a full speech defending a certain position on Indo-US relations.

Answer: The following speech has been developed based on the excerpts from Lok Sabha debate as presented by Major General (Retired) B.C. Khanduri of BJP:

Sir, I would respectfully draw the attention of august house towards the US hegemony in today’s scenario. But we should not ignore the fact that India might be next waiting in the wings to perform as a superpower to maintain its own identity. Moreover, hegemony can not stand forever due to its weaknesses. Therefore, we are supposed to have a good and harmonious relations with that of the US for mutual promotion of trade and technology. But India should not compromise from the same on the cost of its own security and identity.

Hence, India should work in a diplomatic manner while it thinks to go hand-in¬hand the US in such a manner that India could extract best benefits from the US hegemony and find out mutual options for itself.

Thanks.

9. “If big and resourceful states cannot resist the US hegemony, it is unrealistic to expect much smaller and weaker non-state actors to offer any resistance”. Examine this proposition and give your opinion.

Answer. This proposition focuses only on, the powers of the state and believes that only big and resourceful states can challenge the US hegemony which it approaches right in a practical manner, but if we think deeply these are thoughts and pens of writers, expressions of artists, media and intellectuals who have no boundaries including hegemony itself to be criticised and resisted in the form of non-government organisations (NGOs), social movements and public opinion. Hence, non-state actors may challenge the US hegemony also in their own way and it can work out also.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

Very Short Answer Type Questions [1 Mark]

l.What is meant by ‘Hegemon/?

Answer: The term ‘Hegemony’ stands for an international system which is dominated by a sole superpower or hyper-power. The collapse of the Soviet Union left the world with only one single power, the United States of America.

2. What was first Gulf War?

Answer: A massive coalition force of 660,000 troops from 34 countries faught against

Iraq and defeated it in what came to be known as the First Gulf War.

3. What was ‘Operation Iraqi’ Freedom?

Answer: On 19 March 2003, the US launched its invasion of Iraqi under the codename ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’. More than 40 other countries joined in the US coalition of the willing after the UN refused to give its mandate to the invasion.

4. What is meant by hegemony?

Answer: Hegemony is an international system to dominate world by only one superpower.

5. First Gulf War was fought against in which troops from countries fought.

Answer: Iraq, 34 countries.

6. What does the term ‘hegemony’ imply?

Answer: The word ‘hegemony’ implies the dominance of one state means world power in the form of military dominance, economic power, political clout and cultural superiority.

7. What is meant by 9/11 in the context of USA?

Answer: 9/11 denotes a series of attacks on the US by hijackers from Arab countries on 11 Sep 2001. It was the most disastrous attack on the US.

8. What is the New World Order?

Answer: The sudden collapse of Soviet Union led to the New World Order in the form of the US hegemony.

9. What is World Politics?

Answer: World Politics refers to distribution of power among the countries of the world. These countries are engaged to gain and retain power by their capabilities.

10. Mention the period of beginning of US hegemony.

Answer: 1991.

11. Name the elected president of the USA in the year 1992 and 1996.

Answer: William Jefferson Bill Clinton.

12. What was the focus of foreign policy of Bill Clinton?

Answer: The Clinton government tended to focus on ‘Soft issues’ like democracy promotion, climate change and world trade rather than on the hard politics of military power.

13. What was Guantanamo Bay?

Answer: A naval base in Cuba set up by the US where prisoners forbidden of the protection of international law or law of their own country or that of the US.

14. Mention any two constraints operated in the US hegemony.

Answer: Two constraints operated in the US hegemony are institutional architecture of American state (division of power) and open nature of American Society.

15. What are Global Public Goods?

Answer: Goods that can be consumed by people without reducing the amount of available goods for others are known as the global public goods.

Examples: Fresh air, roads, sea-lanes of communications (SLoCs).

16. What is SLoCs?

Answer: SLoCs stands for Sea Lanes of Communications. It is the naval power of hegemon that underwrites the law of the sea and ensures freedom of navigation in international water.

17. What is the full form of WMD?

Answer: WMD stands for Weapons of Mass Destruction.

18. What is meant by hegemony as hard power?

Answer. Hegemony as hard power implies dominance of superpower on ground of military power.

19. What is meant by hegemony as structural power?

Answer: Hegemony as structural power implies dominance of superpower on grounds of economic structure. The superpower must possess both the ability and the desire to establish norms for order and must sustain the global structure.

Very Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks]

1. When and why did the New World Order begin?

Answer: The New World Order began in 1991 after the collapse of Soviet Union. The world was left only with single superpower the US and came to be known as the US Hegemony to show the superiority of its military power. The US hegemony also shaped the world economy and emerged in the form of military domination, economic order, political clout and cultural superiority.

2. Why did US launch a war against Iraq?

Answer: On 19 March 2003, the US launched a war against Iraq under the codename of ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’ to be joined by forty other countries under the leadership of the US on the ground to prevent Iraq from developing weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) without no evidence against Iraq. Hence, the ostensible purposes were different as controlling Iraqi Oilfields and installing a regime friendly to the US.

3. How was Kuwait liberated from Iraq in 1990?

Answer: In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait rapidly occupying and subsequently annexing it. All diplomatic attempts were a failure in convincing Iraq to quit its aggression. The United Nations took a dramatic decision to mandate the liberation of Kuwait by force. A massive coalition force of 66,000 troops from 34 countries fought against Iraq and defeated it, known as the First Gulf War also.

4. What was ‘Operation Infinite Reach’ ordered by President Clinton?

Answer: Operation Infinite Reach was a series of cruise missile strikes on Al-Qaeda terrorist targets in Sudan and Afghanistan. For this, the US did not bother of any international law. This operation was ordered by President Clinton in response to bombing of the US embassies in Narobi, Kenya, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania in 1998.

5. What was Operation Enduring Freedom?

Answer: Operation Enduring Freedom was the US response against 9/11 attack to arrest all those who were suspected to be behind the attack, mainly Al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The US arrested the persons all over the world often without the knowledge of government of the person being arrested, transported them and detained in secret prisons.

6. How can hegemony be overcome?

Answer: To overcome hegemony there are different strategies developed by analysts. As the bandwagon strategy reveals to extract benefits by operating within hegemonic system. ‘To hide’ strategy implies staying as far from the dominant power as possible. And it may be possible that various challenges to occur from non-state actors in the form of their writings, expressions to mould the minds of people.

7. “The US did not start behaving like a hegemonic power right from 1991, it became clear much later that world was living in fact in a period of hegemony”. Examine the statement.

Answer: The US hegemony was the beginning of New World Order and process for its establishment had been started in August 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait and occupied it to make a part of Iraq. Despite UN’s diplomatic attempts to liberate Kuwait from Iraq, it was not liberated. Hence UN mandated liberation of Kuwait by force, a dramatic decision. A massive coalition force of 660,000 troops from 34 countries fought against Iraq and defeated it under UN’s ‘Operation Desert Storm’. But it was led by the US because 75 per cent of the coalition forces were from the US only. This war is popularly known as the First Gulf War establishing the US hegemony.

8. With reference to Iraq invasion, mention the American weaknesses.

Answer: Imperial powers have used military forces to accomplish only four tasks to conquer, deter, punish and police in a historical perspective. As the Iraq invasion shows American capacity to conquer is formidable and capability to deter and to punish is self evident. American weakness has been revealed in performing fourth task i.e. the policing in an occupied territory.

9. What was 9/11 event? How did the US respond to it?

Answer: 9/11 event implies a series of attacks on the US by hijackers from Arab countries on 11 September 2001. It was the most disastrous attack on the US. The hijackers attacked on important US building as World Trade Centre in New York, Pentagon building and Capital building of US Congress in Pennsylvania.

The US responded to it by launching ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ to arrest all those who were suspected to be behind this attack. The US forces made arrest all over the world without the knowledge of the government of the persons being arrested, transported and detained them in secret prisons mainly against Al-Qaeda and Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

10. “The US hegemony does not dominate the world only as hard and structural power but as a soft power also.” Justify the statement.

Answer: The US hegemony does not dominate the world only as militarily and economically but it has the capacity to create ‘manufacturing consent’ from the rest of the world in the cultural dimensions also. The cultural dimension implies class ascendancy in the social, political and ideological spheres where the ideas of ‘good life’ are flourished. Its most appealing example is of‘blue jeans’ from the US, which had the capacity to engineer even as generational divide.

Short Answer Type Questions [4 Marks]

1. How far is it correctly say that the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre was the attack on the US hegemony? Explain.

Answer: The US had established its hegemony through the launch of two operations namely ‘Operation Desert Storm’ where 75 per cent of the coalition forces were from the US and ‘Operation Infinite Reach’, a series of Cruise missile strikes on Al-Qaeda. These operations made the US more confident of the establishment of the US hegemony that no one could dare to challenge the US. But, suddenly hijackers from Arab countries attacked on the World Trade Centre on 11 September 2001 alongwith the other important buildings also as Pentagon building (the US defence department) and the capital building of US the Congress. It was the most severe attack on the US soil since the founding of the country in 1776.

Thus, it can be concluded that the 9/11 attack was the attack on US hegemony which challenged the US in its own way.

2. Describe any two constraints of American hegemony.

Answer: The US domination in military, economic, cultural aspects over other nations to show her supremacy is known as US hegemony.

Its constraints are as follows-

1. The institutional architecture of American State itself i.e. they follow the system of division of powers between three organs of government.

2. The open nature of American Society and Political Culture i.e. the American mass media may promote a particular issue on domestic public opinion but never opposed the purposes and methods of government in American Political Culture.

3. What military actions were taken by Clinton government despite their lack of interest were different from military power?

Answer: The US President William Jefferson Bill Clinton believed in the policy of soft issues like democracy promotion, climate change and the world trade in place of military dominance. But the US revealed its military dominance even during the Clinton era wherever it was required by the US in the following manner:

1. In 1999, the US responded.to Yugoslavian action against the predominant Albanian population in the province of Kosovo. The NATO air force countries under the US leadership bombarded targets around Yugoslavia for two months forcing the downfall of the government of Slobodan Milosevic and the stationary of NATO force in Kosovo.

2. In 1998, the US launched an ‘Operation Infinite Reach’ a series of cruise missile strikes on Al-Qaeda terrorist targets in Sudan and Afghanistan in response to the bombings of US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, Dar-es- Salaam and Tanzania.

4, Explain the hegemony of the United States of America as a structural power.

Answer: Hegemony as a structural power implies economic perspective of world economy. It can be summed up in the following ways:

1. An open world economy requires a dominant power to support its creation and existence.

2. The hegemon must possess both the ability and the desire to establish certain norms for order and must sustain global structure i.e. Bretton Woods system set up by the US after Second World Wan

3. The US reflects this hegemony by providing the global public goods, those can be consumed by one person without reducing the amount of goods available for someone else.

4. A classical example of structural power of the US is the academic degree Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) to sharpen business skills in a University.

5. “Economic preponderance of the US is inseparable from its structural power”. Discuss.

Answer: Economic preponderance of the US is inseparable from its structural power, it can be justified in the following manner:

1. The hegemon shapes the basic global economy in a particular manner aS

the US provided the Bretton Woods system after Second World War.

2. We can regard the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the products of American hegemony.

6. In reference of structural power mention the global public goods by which the US established its hegemony?

Answer: The global public goods can be consumed by one person without reducing the amount of the goods available for someone else:

1. Sea lanes of communications (SLoCs) is the naval power of the hegemon to underwrite the law of the sea and to ensure freedom of navigational international waters. These sea routes are commonly used by merchant ships.

2. Internet is the direct outcome of a US military research project that began in 1950. Even today, internet relies on a global network of satellites.

7. How does India maintain its relations with the US during post Cold War?

Answer: After the collapse of Soviet Union India decided to liberalise its economy and integrate it with global economy. India’s impressive economic growth rate made India an attractive economic partner for the US due to its technological dimensions and the role of Indian- American diaspora. These two factors are interrelated in the following ways:

1. The US absorbs about 65 per cent of India’s total exports in the software sector.

2. 35 per cent of the technical staff of Boeing is estimated to be of Indian origin.

3. 300,000 Indians work in Silicon Valley.

4. 15 per cent of all high-tech start ups are by Indian-Americans.

8. Explain the strategies which, may be performed by India to maintain Indo-US relations.

Answer: In today’s scenario India is supposed to decide what type of relations to have with the US. Moreover, the three strategies have been debated by Indian analysts:

1. Indian analysts observed military nature of US hegemony and suggested that India should maintain its aloofness from Washington and focus upon increasing its own comprehensive national power.

2. The analysts secondly suggest that India should take advantage of the US hegemony and the mutual convergences to establish the best possible options for itself in future perspective.

3. The third strategy is suggested that India should lead in establishing a coalition from the developing countries to become powerful and work out in weaning the hegemon away from its dominating ways. Moreover, it cannot be concluded that India may opt for one strategy to maintain Indo-US relations, but it needs a mix of strategies to maintain its own identity.

Passage Based Questions [5 Marks]

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions:

During the Cold War years, India found itself on the opposite side of the divide from the US. India’s closest friendship during those years was with the Soviet Union. After the collapse of Soviet Union, India suddenly found itself friendless in an increasingly hostile international environment. However, these were also the years when India decided to liberalise its economy and integrate it with the global economy. This policy and India’s impressive economic growth rate made the country an attractive economic partner for a number of countries including the US.

Questions

1. Name the country which was India’s closest friend during Cold War years.

2. What was India’s policy during post Cold War years?

3. What made India an attractive economic partner for the countries like the US?

Answer:

1. Soviet Union.

2. India decided to liberalise its economy and integrate it with global economy.

3. India’s policy of liberalisation and its impressive economic growth rate.

2. Read the following passage (NCERT Textbook, page 47) carefully and answer the questions:

Some people argue that it is strategically more prudent to take advantage of the opportunities that hegemony creates. For instance, raising economic growth rates requires increased trade, technology transfers and investment, which are best acquired by working with rather than against the hegemon. Thus, it is suggested that instead of engaging in activities opposed to hegemonic power, it may be advisable to extract benefits by operating within the hegemonic system. This is called the bandwagon strategy.

Questions

1. What is prudent during a period of hegemony?

2. What benefits can be acquired within the hegemonic system?

3. What is the bandwagon strategy?

Answer:

1. To take advantage of opportunities that a hegemon creates.

2. Increased trade, technology transfers and investment.

3. To extract benefits by operating within hegemonic system in place of being engaged in the opposed activities.

Long Answer Type Questions [6 Marks]

1. Examine any three factors responsible for the US hegemony in the world politics.

Answer: Three factors responsible for the US hegemony in the world politics are

(i) The US power lies in the overwhelming superiority of its military power. American military dominance today is both absolute and relative. In absolute terms, the US today has military capabilities that can reach any point on the planet accurately, lethally and in real time, thereby crippling the adversary while its own forces are sheltered to the maximum extent possible from the dangers of war.

(ii) No other power today can remotely match them. The US today spends

more on its military capability than the next 12 powers combined. Further more, a large chunk of the Pentagon’s budget goes into military research and development, or, in other words, technology. Thus, the military dominance of the US is not just based on higher military spending, but on a qualitative gap, a technological chasm that no other power can at present conceivably span.

(iii) The US invasion of Iraq shows that the American capacity to conquer is formidable. Similarly the US capability to deter and to punish is self-evident. More than forty countries joined in the US-led ‘coalition of the willing’ after the UN refused to give its mandate to theinvasion. Thus, no country can deny the US superiority in the world politics.

2. Explain the three types of US hegemony and give examples for each.

Answer: GO Hegemony as Hard Power:

(a) This hegemony signifies military status of America to be both absolute and relative. In absolute terms, it has military capabilities to reach any point on the Planet accurately and no other power today can remotely match them.

(b) The US military dominance is based on both the higher military expenditure and on a qualitative gap i.e. technological know-how.

(ii) Hegemony as Structural Power:

(a) It signifies ‘Economic Prospects’ of hegemon power to possess both the ability and the desire to establish certain norms for order and sustain global structure even including goods to be consumed by one person without reducing the amount of goods available for someone else.

(b) A classical example is academic

degree MBA (Masters in Business Administration) to presume business as a profession to be dependent upon skills that can be taught in a University which is uniquely American.

(iii) Hegemony as Soft Power:

(a) US Hegemony has its cultural dimensions also which implies class ascendancy in social, political and particularly ideological spheres to shape the behaviour of competing and lesser powers.Here, the consent goes hand in and more effective than coercion.

(b) For example, most of the dreams of individuals and societies across the globe, are dreams churned out by practices prevailing in twentieth—century America. All these are about the capacity to manufacture consent.

3. What are different natures of hegemony? Explain.

Answer: Hegemony is an international system to dominate world by only one superpower. The natures of hegemony can be found out as follows:

(i) Hegemony as Hard Power:

(a) It is based on the military capability between the states.

(b) The US military dominance is based on their higher expenditures on military as well as the technological know-how.

(c) The US bears military dominance in both the terms i.e. absolute and relative. In absolute terms the US military capabilities can reach any point on the planet and no other power can be a match to them.

(ii) Hegemony as Structural Power:

(a) It is based on economic factors of the world dominated by the hegemonic power.

(b) Hegemony must sustain global structure to establish certain norms for order and the US has set up Bretton Woods System.

(c) The US hegemony has provided the global public goods to be consumed by one person without reducing the amount available for someone else as SLoCs and the Internet, MBA degree.

(iii) Hegemony as Soft Power:

(a) To dominate world even in reference of cultural dimensions i.e. class ascendancy in social, political and ideological spheres.

(b) The US hegemony has the capacity to create ‘manufacturing consent’ by the class to be dominated by the hegemon.

4. How can the US hegemony be checked?

How long will hegemony last? How do we get beyond hegemony?

Answer: (i) The US hegemony has been symbolised as the global village and other countries as its neighbours.

(ii) If the headman of global village becomes intolerable, neighbours do not have any choice of leaving it, but develop a resistant.

(iii) Though there are some rules and norms called laws of war that restrict but do not prohibit war.

(iv) No single power can challenge the US militarily.

Still, to overcome the US hegemony, the following strategies have been found out: (a) Bandwagon strategy emphasises not to oppose hegemonic power, instead take advantage of opportunities that hegemon creates i.e. increased trade and technology transfer and investments to extract benefits by operating within hegemonic system. (.b) To hide strategy implies to stay as far removed from the dominant power as possible as China, Russia and the European Union. This strategy is applicable to small states but states may not be able to hide for substantial length of time.

(c) Non-state actors as writers, artists and intellectuals have no boundaries to work with. They can reach beyond the limits of the states to mould the minds of people through their expressions.

5. What is meant by Operation Iraqi Freedom? Mention its main and hidden objectives. Give any two consequences of this operation.

Answer: Operation Iraqi Freedom was the code name given by the US to launch invasion on 19 March 2003. More than 40 countries joined in the US led coalition of the willing after the UN refused to give its mandate to the invasion.

Main Objective: To prevent Iraq from developing Weapons of Mass Destructions (WMD). Since no evidence of WMD has been unearthed in Iraq. Hidden Objective: It was motivated by controlling Iraqi Oilfields and installing a regime friendly to the US. Consequences of this Operation

1. Although the government of Saddam Hussein fell swiftly but US has not been able to pacify Iraq.

2. A fully fledged insurgency against US occupation was ignited in. Iraq.

3. Conservatively estimated that 50,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the US-led invasion.

4. It is widely recognised that the US invasion of Iraq was, in some crucial respects, both a military and political failure.

Picture/Map Based Questions [5 Marks]

1. Study the cartoon given above and answer the following questions:

(i) Which country is represented by this mighty soldier?

(ii) Why have the names of so many countries been written on the uniform of the soldier?

(iii) What message does this cartoon convey to the international community?

Answer: (i) The United States of America is represented by this mighty soldier.

(ii) On 19 March 2003, the US launched its invasion of Iraq under the codename “Operation Iraqui Freedom”. More than forty other countries joined in the US-led invasion. The names of these countries have been written on this soldier’s uniform.

(iii) This cartoon shows that America is all powerful and can go to any extent to serve its interests. It attacked Iraq even after the UN refused to give its mandate to the invasion.

2. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

THE NEW U.S. FOREIGN POLICY?

Questions

1. Who has been represented by cartoon wearing cap?

2. What does this cartoon try to speak?

3. Which event can be correlated with this cartoon?

4. ‘You posed a potential threat’. What does this refer?

Answer:

1. The USA.

2. The US hegemony.

3. The US response to 9/11 attack against Al-Qaeda and Taliban.

4. 9/11 attack was an attack on the US hegemony and in response they launched operation Enduring Freedom to teach a lesson to the countries if it is dared to repeat.

3. Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

Questions

1. How long do you think the US will stay on the superpower stage?

2. Except China, who can be shown as waiting in the wings?

3. What is being represented in the cartoon?

4. Why China has been represented as waiting in the wings?

Answer:

1. The US will stay on the superpower stage till the rest of the world is resistant with the US and the mega states like China, Russia, India and EU follow the strategy ‘to hide’.

2. Either Russia or India or EU.

3. The well established US hegemony or unipolar world and other countries may be next in the wings.

4. China is a mega-state who can stand at par US hegemony if it accommodates its full potential for the same.

B. On a political outline map of the world locate and label the following and symbolise them as indicated:

Questions

1. The country Iraq invaded in Aug. 1990.

2. The country in the presidentship of Saddam Hussein.

3. The country referred to as a hegemonic power.

4. Operation Infinite Reach was launched against these countries.

Answer:

1. Kuwait (A).

2. Iraq (B).

3. The USA (C).

4. Afghanistan and Sud

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter 2 The End of Bipolarity

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

1. Which among the following statements that describe the nature of Soviet economy is wrong?

(a) Socialism was the dominant ideology.

(b) State ownership/control existed over the factors of production.

(d) Every aspect of the economy was planned and contained by the state.

Answer: (c) People enjoyed economic freedom.

2. Arrange the following in chronological order:

(a) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

(b) Fall of the Berlin Wall

(d) Russian Revolution

Answer: I. (d) Russian Revolution (1917)

II. (a) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)

III. (b) Fall of the Berlin Wall (Nov 1989)

IV. (c) Disintegration of Soviet Union

3. Which among the following is NOT an outcome of the disintegration of the USSR?

(a) End of the ideological war between the US and USSR

(b) Birth of CIS

(d) Crises in the Middle East

Answer: (d) Crises in the Middle East

4. Match the following:

Answer: (i)-(c); (ii)-(d); (iti)-(a); (iv)-(e); (v)-(b)

5. Fill in the blanks:

(a) The Soviet Political System was

based on ideology.

(b) was the military alliance

started by the USSR.

Soviet Union’s political system.

(d) initiated the reforms

in the USSR in 1985.

(e) The fall of the symbolised

the end of the Cold War.

Answer: (a) socialist (b) Warsaw Pact

(e) Berlin wall

6. Mention any three features that distinguish the Soviet economy from that of a capitalist country like the US.

Answer: The three features that distinguish the Soviet economy from that of a capitalist country like the US, can be summed up as follows:

1. Soviet economy experienced a complex communication network, vast energy resources and an efficient transport sector to connect its remotest areas.

2. Soviet Union industries produced every domestic product from pin to cars, whose quality might not match with that of the west technology.

3. Soviet Union ensured a minimum standard of living for all its citizens. Consequently Government subsidised basic necessities including health, education, children and other welfare schemes.

4. There was an absence of unemployment in Soviet Union.

5. Land and productive assets were owned by the state only.

7. What were the factors that forced Gorbachev to initiate the reforms in the USSR?

Answer: Mikhail Gorbachev was the General Secretary of Communist Party of Soviet Union in 1985. He was forced to initiate the reforms in the USSR due to following reasons:

1. To keep the USSR abreast of information and technological revolutions at par the West.

2. To normalise the relations with that of the West.

3. To democratise the Soviet System.

4. To loosen the administrative system which exempted ordinary people from the privileges.

8. What were the major consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union for countries like India?

Answer: The major consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union for countries like India can be analysed as follows:

1. Disintegration of Soviet Union gave an end to Cold War confrontations and to ideological disputes between two superpowers.

2. Military alliances had been abolished and demand arose for world peace and security.

3. Multipolar system was surpassed to exist where no single power could dominate and a group of countries could play a crucial role in world politics like NAM Countries.

4. The US became the sole superpower and capitalist economy became dominant at international level. World Bank and IMF became powerful advisors due to their economic support to these countries during transitional period.

5. The motion of liberal democracy emerged as a way to organise political life.

6. Due to disintegration of Soviet Union many new countries emerged with the independent aspirations and choices.

7. The Baltic and East European states wanted to join European Union and became the part of NATO. The Central Asian countries took the advantage of their geographical location and continued close ties with Russia, West, China and others.

9. What was Shock Therapy? Was this the best way to make a transition from communism to capitalism?

Answer: Shock Therapy was a painful process of transition from an authoritarian socialist system to a democratic capitalist system. This transformation system was influenced by the world bank and the IMF in Russia, Central Asia and East Europe. Though it varies in intensity and speed amongst the former second world countries but its direction and features were quite similar.

This was not the best way to make a transition from communism to capitalism due to following drawbacks:

1. Russia, the large state controlled industrial complex lost about 90 per cent of its industries through sales to private individuals and companies

2. It created “the largest garage sale in history” which led virtual disappearance of entire industries for the restructuring was carried out by market forces in place of government owned policies.

Hence, industries were undervalued and sold at throwaway prices.

3. It systematically destroyed old system of social welfare.

4. The value of ‘ruble’, the Russian currency, declined dramatically due to high rate of inflation and real GDP of Russia also declined between 1989 to 1999.

5. The withdrawal of government subsidies pushed large sections of society into poverty and it emerged mafia to start controlling many economic activities.

6. Privatisation led to new disparities which divided Russia between rich and poor people creating economic inequality.

7. Hence, Shock Therapy brought ruin to economies and disaster upon the people of entire region.

10. Write an essay for or against the following proposition. “With the disintegration of the second world, India should change its foreign policy and focus more on friendship with the US rather than with traditional friends like Russia”.

Answer: India should not change its foreign policy and focus more on friendship with US, but India is required to maintain healthy relations with Russia because India has experienced a long band of mutual trust, interests and popular perceptions with Russia in the following manner:

1. Russia and India share a vision of multipolar world order i.e. co¬existence of several world powers internationally, collective security, greater regionalism, democratisation with the decision-making through bodies like the UN.

2. More than 80 bilateral agreements have been experienced between India and Russia as a part of the Indo- Russia Strategic Agreement of 2001.

3. India has been benefitted from its relationship on the issues like Kashmir, energy supplies, sharing information on international terrorism, access to Central Asia and balancing its relation with China.

4. Russia is also important for India’s nuclear energy plane and assisting India’s space industry by giving cryogenic rocket to India whenever needed.

5. Co-operation with Russia and its republics like Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan in the form of partnership and investment in oil fields has also benefitted India.

6. Russia is also benefitted from India on ground of the second largest arms market for Russia. Indian military gets most of its hardware from Russia.

7. Russia and India have collaborated on various scientific projects also.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

Very Short Answer Type Questions [1 Mark]

1. When did Socialist Revolution take place in Russia?

Answer: 1917.

2. What was Shock Therapy?

Answer: Shock Therapy was the transitional form from authoritarian socialist system to a democratic capitalist system in Russia, Central Asia and East Europe under the influence of the World Bank and IMF.

3. What was the largest garage sale in history?

Answer: Largest garage sale in history was resulted due to shock therapy to undervalue the valuable industries of the USSR to sell them at throwaway prices.

4. What was the immediate cause of disintegration of USSR?

Answer: The rise of nationalism and the desire for sovereignty within various republics including Russia and the Baltic Republic (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), Ukraine, Georgia and others proved to be the most immediate cause for disintegration of the USSR.

5. What was Socialist Bloc?

Answer: The Second World countries or the group of east European countries who were liberated from fascist forces, followed the model of the USSR, known as Socialist Bloc.

6. What is the new name of former USSR?

Answer: Russia.

7. When did the Berlin Wall fall?

Answer: November 1989.

8. Who was the General Secretary of Communist Party of Soviet Union in 1985?

Answer: Mikhail Gorbachev.

9. Mention the role of Boris Yeltsin in the disintegration of the USSR.

Answer: Boris Yeltsin had emerged as national hero after popular election in Russian Republic. In Dec 1991, under the leadership of Boris Yeltsin, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus declared themselves independent.

10. What does CIS stand for?

Answer: Commonwealth of Independent States.

Very Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks]

1. What is meant by Shock Therapy?

Answer: The ‘Shock Therapy’ was the state of affairs which signifies the collapse of communism followed by a painful process of transition from an authoritarian socialist system to a democratic capitalist system-

1. ‘Shock Therapy’ administered in the year 1900 not to lead the people into the promised utopia of mass consumption.

2. It brought ruin to economies and disaster upon the people of entire region.

2. Why is it said that collapse of Berlin wall signified the collapse of bipolar world?

Answer: Collapse of Berlin Wall unified the

divided Germany and eight east European countries of the Soviet Bloc replaced their Communist government resulting into disintegration of Soviet Union. With the disintegration of Soviet Union, military alliances came to an end and the world became unipolar.

3. Mention any two characteristics of Soviet Political System.

Answer: 1. The Soviet Political System central around the Communist Party and no other political party or opposition was allowed.

2. The economy was planned and controlled by the state only.

The one party system had tight control over all institutions and was unaccountable to people.

3. People locked democracy and were snatched away their right to freedom of speech and expression.

4. “The Soviet Union lagged behind the West”. Comment.

Answer. The Soviet Union lagged behind the West in technology, infrastructure (transport, power etc.) as it could not cope with the political and economic aspirations of people and resulted in:

1. Though wages continued to grow but productivity and technology fell considerably behind that of the West.

2. This led to shortage of consumer goods and increased food import every year.

3. The above mentioned reasons made the Soviet economy stagnant.

5. Mention some features of Soviet Society.

Answer: 1. Soviet Society gave priority to the state and party institutions only.

2. Only the Communist Party was ruling over there and no opposition was allowed.

3. The economy was planned and controlled by the state only.

4. The Soviet Union became the great power after the Second World War.

6. Write anote onformationof Commonwealth of Independent States.

Answer: Disintegration of the USSR gave birth to Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) when under the leadership of Boris Yeltsin Russia, Ukraine and Belarus declared themselves as independent and gave a surprise to other republics especially to central Asian Republics. This issue was resolved quickly by making these republics as founding

members of the CIS and Russia became the successor state who inherited the Soviet sea in the UN and accepted all the international treaties and commitments.

7. Mention any two possibilities which were being presumed in changed scenario of world politics after disintegration of the USSR.

Answer: 1. The US, the only superpower could dominate the world and make a unipolar world.

2. A multipolar world could also exist where no other power could dominate or the group of countries could participate in the international affairs.

8. How did the USSR come into existence?

Answer: The USSR came into existence after the Socialist revolution in Russia in 1917 with the inspiration of socialism and a need of egalitarian society who opposed capitalism. This was considered the biggest attempt in human history to abolish the institution of private property and to design a society based on equality.

9. Who was Gorbachev? Why did he seek to reform Soviet Society?

Answer: Gorbachev was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1985. He was forced by the following factors to seek reforms in Soviet Society:

1. To keep the USSR abreast of the

information and technological revolutions.

2. To bring Soviet economy at par with the west.

3. To loosen the administrative system.

4. To democratise Soviet System and to normalise relations with the west.

10. How did Shock Therapy affect trade and commerce of Russia?

Answer. Shock Therapy affected trade and commerce of Russia in the following manner:

1. The value of Ruble, the Russian ’ currency declined.

2. Inflation rose at a very high rate and it lost all savings of people.

3. Lack of productivity and technology created shortage of food which increased food imports every year.

4. The GDP of Russia also declined between 1989 to 1999.

11. When and how did Russia revive its economy?

Answer: Russia revived its economy in 2000 by the export of natural resources like oil, natural gas and minerals. Even other countries have also gained due to crossing of pipelines from their region and they have been paid a rent. Russia has started some manufacturing units also to revive its economy.

12. Write a note on tension and conflicts that occurred in Russia.

Answer: In Russia, two republics—Chechnya and Dagestan—had violent secessionist movements. Moscow’s method of dealing with the Chechen rebels and indiscriminate military bombings have led to many human rights violation but failed to deter the aspirations for ‘independence’.

13. Mention the methods of‘Shock Therapy’ amongst the former Second World countries.

Answer: 1. The newly evolved criterion required to make a total shift to a capitalist economy to root out completely any structures evolved during Soviet period.

2. Shock therapy involved a drastic change in the external orientation.

3. Sudden and complete switch to free trade was considered essential.

4. It also involved openness to foreign investment, financial opening up and currency convertibility.

14. “ The old system of social welfare was systematically destroyed”. With reference to Shock Therapy, justify the statement.

Ans: 1. The Government withdrew subsidies and pushed people into poverty.

2. The middle classes were pushed to the periphery of society and the academic and intellectual manpower migrated.

3. A mafia had been emerged and started controlling many economic activities.

4. Privatisation led to new disparities.

Short Answer Type Questions [4 Marks]

1. Describe any four consequences of the disintegration of Soviet Union.

Answer: (i) The disintegration of Soviet Union meant the end of Cold War confrontations which demanded the end of armed race and restoration of possible peace.

(ii) This disintegration created the possibility to bring in a ‘multipolar system’ where no power could dominate.

(iii) The US became the sole superpower and the ‘capitalist economy’ was now dominant economic system at international level.

(iv) This disintegration emerged in many new countries dividing Soviet Union into 15 independent countries alongwith their own aspirations and choices.

2. Explain any two reasons for disintegration of the USSR.

Answer: 1. The internal weaknesses of Soviet political and economic institutions failed to meet the aspirations of the people.

2. Economic stagnation for many years led to severed consumer shortage and a large section of Soviet society began to double the system because Communist Party was not accountable to peoples.

3. What were the political reasons for disintegration of Soviet Union?

Answer: 1. The Communist Party of Soviet Union had ruled for over 70 years but it was not accountable to people.

2. Ordinary people had been alienated and were exempted from enjoying the privileges and to participate actively in political affairs.

3. Due to slow and stifling administration, the inability of system to correct mistakes lost popular support.

4. The centralisation of authority in > vast land.

4. In what manner Gorbachev’s reform policy was protested? Who took the command during these events?

Answer. 1. The East European countries which were the part of the Soviet Bloc, started to protest against their own

government and Soviet control.

2. Boris Yeltsin took the command during these events as he got popular support of people in the elections and began to shake off centralised control.

3. Power began to shift from centre to the republics which declared themselves independent.

4. In December 1991, under the leadership of Boris Yeltsin Russia, Ukraine and Baltics declared themselves as sovereign states.

5. Why did Soviet system become so weak and Soviet economy stagnant?

Answer: Soviet system became so weak and Soviet economy stagnant due to the following reasons:

1. The Soviet economy used much of its resources in maintaining nuclear and military arsenals.

2. Soviet economy concentrated on the development of its satellite states in Eastern Europe especially in the five central Asian Republics.

3. This led to a huge economic burden on people to be coped up with.

4. Ordinary citizens became more knowledgeable about the economic advancement of the West and backwardness of Soviet system.

6. Why did Gorbachev’s reform policy fail in spite of his accurate diagnosis of the problem?

Answer. 1. When Gorbachev carried out his reforms and loosened the system, he set in motion forces and expectations that few could have predicted and became virtually impossible to control.

2. Some sections of Soviet Society felt that Gorbachev should have moved much faster and were disappointed and impatient with him.

3. The members of communist party felt that their power and privileges were eroding and Gorbachev was moving too quickly.

4. In this tug of war, Gorbachev lost support on all sides and divided public opinion with the disillusionment of inadequate dependence.

Passage Based Questions [5 Marks]

1. Read the following passage (NCERT Textbook, page 27) carefully and answer the questions:

In eastern Europe, Czechoslovakia split peacefully into two, with the Czechs and the Slovaks forming independent countries. But the most severe conflict took place in the Balkan republics of Yugoslavia. After 1991, it broke apart with several provinces like Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina declaring independence. Ethnic Serbs opposed this, and a massacre of non-Serb Bosnians followed. The NATO intervention and the bombing of Yugoslavia followed interethnic civil war.

Questions

1. In Eastern Europe which republic split into two?

2. Name the republic/place where severe conflict took place.

3. Name various provinces with which Yugoslavia had been broken in 1991?

4. Which incidents resulted into inter-ethnic civil war?

Answer:

1. Czechoslovakia split into two with Czechs and Slovaks.

2. Balkan republics of Yugoslavia.

3. Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Herzegovina.

4. 1. Ethnic Serbs opposed the breakirigup

of several provinces independently following a massacre of non-serb Bosnians.

2. NATO intervention and bombing on Yugoslavia.

2. Read the following passage (NCERT Textbook, page 18) carefully and answer the questions:

The Soviet system, however, became very bureaucratic and authoritarian, making life very difficult for its citizens. Lack of democracy and the absence of freedom of speech stifled people who often expressed their dissent in jokes and cartoons. Most of the institutions of the Soviet state needed reform : the one-party system

represented by the communist party of the Soviet union had tight control over all institutions and was unaccountable to the people. The party refused to recognise the urge of people in the fifteen different republics that formed the Soviet Union to manage their own affairs including their cultural affairs. Although, on paper, Russia was only one of the fifteen republics then together constituted the USSR in reality Russia dominated everything, and people from other regions felt neglected and often suppressed.

Questions

1. What was Soviet system?

2. How many republics formed Soviet Union?

3. Which republic dominated in the USSR?

4. Why did people become dissatisfied

with the rule of Communist Party of Soviet Union?

Answer:

1. Soviet system was bureaucratic and

authoritarian making life difficult for citizens.

2. Soviet system lacked democracy and the freedom of speech of people was also snatched away.

2. 15 Republics.

3. Russia.

4. 1. Soviet Union had tight control over

all institutions.

2. Soviet Union was unaccountable to people.

3. Soviet Union refused 15 republics to manage their own affairs.

Long Answer Type Questions [6 Marks]

1. What was Soviet system? Assess any four features of Soviet system.

Answer: Soviet system was introduced after Socialist Revolution in Russia in 1917. It was based on the principle of egalitarian society and planned economy controlled by the state. Its four features can be summed up in the following ways:

1. The Soviet system ensured a minimum standard of living for its citizens.

2. The government subsidised basic necessities including health,education, childcare and other welfare schemes.

3. There was no unemployment in the Soviet system.

4. State ownership was the dominant owned and controlled by the Soviet state.

2. Explain six factors which helped Soviet Union becoming superpower after Second World War.

Answe: The following factors helped Soviet Union becoming superpower after Second World War:

1. The east European countries the Soviet army had liberated from the fascist forces came under the control of the USSR.

2. The political and economic systems of all these countries were modelled after the USSR and collectively were called the second world.

3. The WARSAW PACT, a military alliance held them together and the USSR was the leader of the bloc.

4. The Soviet economy was then more developed than the rest of the world except for the US.

5. It had a complex communication network, vast energy resources including oil, iron and steel, (machinery) production and a transport sector that connected its remotest _areas with efficiency.

6. It had a domestic consumer industry that produced everything from pins to cars to make themselves self-dependent.

3. “During the Cold War era India and the USSR enjoyed a special relationship which made critics to say that India was part of Soviet camp”. Examine the statement.

“India and the USSR enjoyed mutual dimensional relationship.” Justify the statement.

Answer: During the Cold War era India and the USSR enjoyed a special relationship which made critics to say that India was part of the Soviet camp. It was a multi-dimensional relationship:

1. Economic:

(a) The Soviet Union assisted India’s public sector companies at a time when such assistance was difficult to get.

(b) It gave aid and technical assistance for steel plants like Bhilai, Bokaro, Vishakhapatnam and machinery plants like Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.

2. Political:

(а) The Soviet Union supported India’s positions on the Kashmir issue in the WN.

(b) The Soviet Union also supported India during its major conflicts during the war with Pakistan in 1971.

3. Military:

(a) India received military hardware from Soviet Union.

(b) India got technological know-how regarding maintenance of military arsenal.

4. Cultural:

(a) Hindi films and Indian culture were popular in the Soviet Union.

(b) A large number of Indian writers and artists visited the USSR.

4. Mention the causes of Soviet disintegration.

Answer: The causes of Soviet disintegration can be summed up as follows:

1. Economic Stagnancy:

(a) Economic institutions experienced internal weaknesses to meet the aspirations of people.

(b) Economic stagnation for many years to severe consumer shortages.

2. Political and Administrative Causes:

(a) The only ruling Communist Party was not accountable despite its rule of 70 years.

(b) The ordinary people were

abstained from taking participation in political riots, hence the system became incapable of correcting its mistakes.

(d) Due to non-participation of people, the government lost popular support from all sides.

3. Gorbachev’s Reform Policies:

(а) Gorbachev’s reforms aimed at keeping the USSR abreast of information and technological revolutions taking place in the west.

(b) Gorbachev focused to normalise relations with the west.

(d) But Society was divided into two sections towards Gorbacheve’s reforms and both of them had contradictory views towards him.

4. Rise of Nationalism and Desire for Sovereignty:

(a) The rise of nationalism in various republics of Soviet Union proved to be immediate cause of revolutions in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Georgia.

(b) The nationalist dissatisfaction with the Soviet Union was strongest in European and prosperous part in Russia and the Baltic areas as well as Ukraine and Georgia.

5. What sot of conflicts had occurred in Soviet Republics? Explain.

Answer: 1. In Russia:

(a) Chechnya and Dagestan had violent secessionist movements.

(b) Moscow’s method to deal with Chechen rebels and indiscriminate military bombings led to many human rights violation but for deter aspirations for independence.

2. In Central Asia:

(a) Tajikistan witnessed a civil war that went on for ten years till 2001.

(b) In Azerbaijan’s provinces of Nagorno-Karobakh, some local Armenians want to secede and join Armenia.

(d) There are still movements against the existing regimes in Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia.

(e) Even countries and provinces are fighting over river water.

3. In Eastern Europe:

(a) Czechoslovakia, split peacefully into two with the Czechs and Slovaks, forming independent countries.

(b) The severe conflict took place in the Balkan republics of Yugoslavia.

(c) After 1991, Yugoslavia broke \ apart with several provinces like Croatia, Slovania, Bosnia and Herzegovina declaring independence.

(d) Ethnic Serbs opposed this and a massacre of non-Serbs Bosanians followed.

(e) The NATO intervention and the bombing of Yugoslavia followed inter-ethnic Civil war.

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter-1 The Cold War Era

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

1. Which among the following statements about the Cold War is wrong?

(а) It was a competition between the US and Soviet Union and their respective allies.

(b) It was an ideological war between the superpowers.

(d) The US and USSR were engaged in direct wars.

Answer: (d) The US and USSR were engaged in direct wars.

2. Which among the following statements does not reflect the objectives of NAM?

(a) Enabling newly decolonised countries to pursue independent policies.

(b) No to joining any military alliances.

(d) Focus on elimination of global economic inequalities.

Answer: (c) Following a policy of neutrality on global issues.

3. Mark correct or wrong against each of

the following statements that describe the features ol Tliitary alliances formed by the superpowers.

(a) Member countries of the alliance are to provide bases in their respective lands for superpowers.

(b) Member countries to support the superpower both in terms of ideology and military strategy.

(d) Superpowers assist all the member countries to develop their own nuclear weapons.

Answer: (a) True (6) True (c) True (d) False

4. Here is a list of countries. Write against each of these blocs they belonged to during the Cold War.

Answer: (a) Poland—Eastern Alliance (WarsawPact)

(b) France—Western Alliance (NATO)

(d)Nigeria—NAM

(e) North Korea—Eastern Alliance (Warsaw Pact)

(f) Sri Lanka—NAM

5. The Cold War produced an arms race as well as arms control. What were the reasons for both these development?

Answer: The Cold War produced an arms race as well as arms control:

1. Cuban Missile Crisis engaged both of them (superpowers) in the development of nuclear weapons to influence the world.

2. US dropped nuclear bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with the intention to stop Soviet Union from making military and political gains in Asia.

3. Both the powers were not ready to initiate a war because they knew that destruction from these will not justify any gain for them.

4. Both the powers were to be rational and responsible being restraint and avoiding risk of another World War to ensure human survival.

5. Hence, both the superpowers decided to limiting certain kinds of nuclear and non-nuclear weapons by signing various significant agreements within a decade i.e. Limited Test Ban Treaty, Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty etc.

6. Why did the superpowers have military alliances with smaller countries? Give three reasons.

Answer: Superpowers had military alliances with smaller states who were helpful for them in gaining access to:

1. Vital resources as oil and minerals.

2. Territory from where the superpowers could launch their weapons and troops.

3. Locations from where they could spy on each other.

4. Economic support to pay their military expenses.

7. Sometimes it is said that the Cold War was a simple struggle for power and that ideology had nothing to do with it. Do

you agree with this? Give one example to support your position.

Answer: Yes, the Cold War was a simple struggle for power and that ideology had nothing to do with it because:

1. The Cold War led to several shooting wars but this did not lead to another World War.

2. Despite direct confrontations in Korea (1950-53), Berlin (1958-62), the Congo (early 1960s), neither alliance system crossed certain limits.

3. Many lives have been lost in some of the arenas like Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan but World War spread a nuclear war or global hostilities.

8. What was India’s foreign policy towards the USandUSSR during the Cold War era? Do you think that this policy helped India’s interests?

Answer: India’s foreign policy towards the US and USSR was two fold:

1. Took particular care in staging away from the two alliances.

2. Raised voice against the newly decolonised countries becoming part of these alliances.

3. Moreover, India tried to reduce the differences and rivalries between these alliances from escalating into a full scale war.

Yes, this policy served India’s interests also:

1. Non-alignment allowed India to take international decisions that served India’s interests rather than interests of superpowers and its allies.

2. India maintained a balance between two superpowers as if India felt ignored by one superpower it could tilt towards other superpowers.

3. Neither the alliance could take India for granted.

9. NAM was considered a ‘third option’ by third world countries! How did this option benefit their growth during the peak of the Cold War?

Answer: Non-alignment offered newly decolonised countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, a third option—not to join either alliance. A majority of NAM members was categorised as the Least Development Countries (LDCs), to be developed more economically not to remain dependent on richer countries. A new International Economic Order (NIEO) originated with this realisation. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) brought out a report in 1972 entitled towards a New Trade Policy for Development which proposed a reform of global trading system:

1. LDCs got control over their own natural resources which were being exploited by developed western countries.

2. To make western market available for LDCs to make trade more beneficial.

3. To reduce cost of-technology from western countries.

4. To provide LDCs with a greater role in international economic institutions.

10. What do you think about the statement that NAM has bdcoPie irrelevant today? Give reasons to support your opinion.

What is the relevance of non-aligned movement after the end of Cold War?

Answer: By the mid 1970s, NAM had become an economic pressure group and by late 1980s, the NIEO initiative had faded due to stiff competition from developed countries who acted as a united group while non-aligned countries struggled to maintain their unity in face of this opposition. Non-alignment both as an international movement and as a core of India’s foreign policy lost some of its earlier relevance. Though non-alignment contained some core values and enduring ideas. It was based on a recognition that decolonised states shared a historical affiliation and can become powerful force if they come together, as very small and poor countries need not to become follower of any big powers instead they could persue an independent foreign policy also.

In nutshell, it can be concluded that NAM has not lost its relevance. It has stood test of adverse circumstances. It has served an important purpose of protecting and preserving interests of third world countries.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

Very Short Answer Type Questions [1 Mark]

1. Why was the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation also called Western Alliance?

Answer: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was an association of twelve states. All these states belonged to western Europe. Therefore, this association was also called Western Alliance.

2. Name the two superpowers responsible for Cold War. When did the world become unipolar?

Answer: The US and USSR were responsible for Cold War. The world became unipolar in 1991 after disintegration of USSR.

3. What does USSR stand for?

Answer: Union of Soviet Socialist Republic.

4. When did NATO and WARSAW PACT come into existence?

Answer: NATO—April 1949

WARSAW PACT—1955

5. Mention the period of first and second World Wars.

Answer: First World War: 1914-1918

Second World 1939-1945

6. What is meant b; .old War?

Answer: Cold War is a state of extreme unfriendliness existing between two superpowers especially with opposing political system which expresses itself not through fighting but through political pressures and threats.

7. “ Non-alignment does not imply neutrality or equidistance.” What does this statement mean?

Answer: Neutrality refers to a policy of staying out of war and not to help end a war. Non-aligned states including India worked to prevent wars and rivalries between others.

8. What was deterrence relationship between superpowers?

Answer: Deterrence relationship refers that both sides have the capacity to retaliate against an attack and to cause so much destruction that neither can afford to initiate war.

9. How did superpowers maintain arms- control?

Answer: Superpowers maintained arms control by signing significant agreements within a decade as Limited Test Ban Treaty, Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, Anti- Ballistic Missile Treaty and hold several rounds of arms limitation talks.

10. What do you understand by Least Developed Countries?

Answer: Majority of NAM members were categorised as Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to be more developed economically and to lift their people out of poverty.

11. What was the difference in the ideology of Western Alliances and that of Eastern Alliances?

Answer: The Western Alliance headed by the US represented ideology of liberal democracy and capitalism while the eastern alliance headed by Soviet Union committed to socialism and communism.

12. What was India’s policy of Non¬alignment?

Answer: India’s policy of Non-alignment was not a policy of‘fleeing away’ instead India was in favour of actively intervening in world affairs to soften Cold War rivalries and prevented differences from escalating into a full scale war.

13. Why did India not join either of the two camps during the Cold War?

Answer: India did not join either of the two camps during the Cold War because India played an active role in mediating between the two rival alliances for the sake of peace and stability. Their strength was based on unity of NAM members and their resolve to remain non-aligned despite the attempts and made by two superpowers to bring them into their alliances.

14. How were the military alliances beneficial to smaller nations during the Cold War?

Answer: Smaller nations got the promise of protection, weapons and economic aid against their local and regional rivals. A state was supposed to remain tied to its protective superpowers to unite influence of other superpower and its allies.

15. Name any two foreign leaders alongwith the countries they belonged to, who are recognised as the founders of NAM.

Answer: Yugoslavia’s Josip Broz Tito; Egypt’s leader Gamal Abdel Nasser.

16. What was Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT)?

Answer: It was arms control treaty between superpowers. It banned nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water. It was signed by the US, UK and USSR in Moscow on 5 August, 1963. It entered into force on 10 October, 1963.

17. When and where the first NAM Summit was held?

Answer: The first NAM Summit was held in Belgrade in 1961 and it was attended by 25 member states.

Very Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks]

1. What is meant by the Cuba Missile Crisis?

Answer: Cuba was an ally of the Soviet Union and received both diplomatic and financial aid from it. In 1962, Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba to convert it into a Russian base. This move fired the US. It ordered American warships to intercept any Soviet ships heading to Cuba as a way of warning the USSR of its seriousness. A clash seemed imminent in what came to be known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.

2. What was the main objective of New International Economic Order?

Answer: The main objective of NSEO was to develop more to Least (Economic)

Developed countries of NAM and to lift them out of poverty by their sustainable development.

3. Mention two military features of the Cold War.

Answer: 1. Cold War divided the world into two divisions namely Western and Eastern alliances as well as SEATO and CENTO.

2. Mad arms race had taken to manu-facture atom-bomb and nuclear weapons by Super Powers of the world.

4. Explain Eastern and Western alliance during Cold war.

Answer: 1. Cold War gave birth to Eastern Alliance known as Warsaw Pact headed by Soviet Union in 1955 with the principal function to counter NATO’s forces.

2. Cold War created Western Alliance known as NATO in April 1949 by association of twelve states. Its policy was that an armed attack on any one of them would be regarded as an attack on all of them and everybody would be obliged to help each other.

5. When did NATO come into existence? How many states joined it?

Answer: NATO came into existence in April 1949 and twelve sca+ joined it.

6. Name any two t,rms control treaties signed between two superpowers in 1960s.

Answer: 1. Limited Test Ban Treaty (5 August, 1963)

2. Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (1 July, 1960)

7. Name two leaders who played crucial role in Cuban Missile Crisis.

Answer: 1. Nikita Khrushchev—Leader of Soviet Union

2. John F. Kennedy—US President

8. Explain any four objectives on Non- aligned Movement.

Answer: 1. NAM aimed at an end of colonisation and freedom to all nations.

2. NAM promoted and maintained international peace and security.

3. NAM aimed at removal of disparity among developed, poor and very small countries.

4. NAM aimed at promotion of New International Economic Order to encourage cooperation among nations.

9. Mention any four important events which took place during Cuban Missile Crisis.

Answer: 1. In 1962, USSR installed Missiles in Cuba with intention to convert it into Russian base.

2. America became aware of it and as a warning ordered American warship to intercept Soviet ships moving to Cuba.

3. The US was feared of developing nuclear weapons on part of the USSR to challenge supremacy of the US.

4. The Cuban Crisis divided the world into two power blocs to expand their own spheres of influence in the world.

10. Who was the key leader of NAM who tried to reduce the Cold War conflicts?

Answer: Pt. Jawahar Lai Nehru was the key leader of NAM who played a crucial role in mediating between two Koreas. Nehru appealed for reduction of Cold War conflicts and the establishment of world peace and security through co-operative disarmament.

11. Why were most of the countries categorised as Least Developed Countries?

Answer:1. The economic development of these countries was very low.

2. They were dependent on richer countries for their sustainable development.

3. Their natural resources were being exploited by developed countries.

4. They could not participate in international economic institutions and they had a little say, if participated.

Short Answer Type Questions [4 Marks]

1. Why did India distance itself from the two camps led by the U.S. and the Soviet Union? Explain.

Answer: The end of the Second World War was the beginning of the Cold War between the two superpowers of the world, namely the US and the USSR. These two superpowers were keen on expanding their spheres of influence in different parts of the world. Most countries of western Europe sided with the US and those of eastern Europe joined the USSR. But India kept a distance from these superpowers. It means, it became a member of the non-alignment-movement by not joining either alliance. Non-alignment was not a noble international cause which had little to do with India’s real interests. A non-aligned posture also served India’s interests very directly, in at least two ways.

(t) Non-alignment allowed India to take international decisions and stances that served its interests rather than the interests of the superpowers and their allies. .

(ii) India was often able to balance one superpower against the other. If India felt ignored or unduly pressurised by one superpower, it could tilt towards the other. Neither alliance system could take India for granted or bully it.

2. “The drop of bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the US was a political game.” Justify the statement.

Answer: The Second World War ended when the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 causing Japan to surrender. Moreover, this action was criticised on the ground that the US knew that Japan was about to surrender and dropping of bombs was not necessary. US action was intended to stop Soviet Union from making military and political gains in Asia and elsewhere and to show that the US was supreme.

3. Explain the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Answer: In 1962, Soviet Union decided to convert Cuba into a Russian base as it provided USSR diplomatic and financial aid both. Hence, Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba. The US became aware of it and ordered American warships to intercept to Soviet Union to remove missiles to avoid full scale nuclear war. A clash seemed imminent what came to be known as Cuban Missile Crisis.

4. Name any two founders of Non-aligned Movement. The first NAM summit was the culmination of which three factors?

Answer: Two founders of Non-aligned Movement were:

1. Indonesia’s Sukarno and

2. Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah

The first NAM was held in Belgrade in 1961. This was the culmination of following three factors:

1. Cooperation among member countries.

2. Growing cold war tensions and its widening arenas.

3. The dramatic entry of many new decolonised African countries into international arena.

5. What is the rationale of Non-aligned movement after the end of Cold War?

Whmh core values keep non-alignment relevant even after Cold War has ended?

Answer: Non-aligned Movement was based on a recognition that decolonised states shared a historical affiliation and can become powerful force if they come together. It meant that very small and poor countries need not become followers of any big power, instead they could persue an independent foreign policy also. It was based on a resolve to democratise the international system to redress existing inequities also.

6. “ Non-alignment posture was in the interest of India”. How?

Answer: Non-alignment posture was in the interest of India because:

1. Non-alignment allowed India to take international decisions to serve her own interests.

2. India maintained a balance between two superpowers as if India felt ignored by one. India would tilt towards other superpower.

7. How did deterrence relationship prevented war between two superpowers?

Answer: 1. Even if one of them tries to attack and disable the nuclear weapons of its rivals, the other would still be left with enough nuclear weapons to inflict unacceptable destruction.

2. Both sides have capacity to retaliate against an attack and to cause so much destruction that neither can afford to initiate war.

3. Both superpowers were expected to behave more rationally and in responsible manner in the sense that they understood the risks in fighting wars which may create a massive destruction.

Passage Based Questions [5 Marks]

1. Read carefully the passage given below and answer the following questions:

The Cold War was not simply a matter of power rivalries, military alliances and of balance of power. These were accompanied by a real ideological conflict as well, a difference over- the best and most appropriate way of organising political, economic and social life all over the world.

Questions

1. Why is a war like situation called Cold War?

2. Identify one military pact each signed by each of the two super powers to balance the power rivalries.

3. Differentiate between the ideologies represented by the rival blocs.

Answer:

1. The Cold War referred to the competition, the tensions and a series of confrontations between the US and Soviet Union. It never escalated into a hot war, i.e. a full-scale war between these two powers.

2. The US and USSR decided to collaborate in limiting or eliminating certain kinds of nuclear and non-nuclear weapons. A stable balance of weapon, they decided, could be maintained through ‘arms

control’. Starting in the 1960s, the two sides signed significant agreements, namely, Limited Test Ban Treaty and Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

3. The Western alliance, headed by the US, represented the ideology of liberal democracy and capitalism while the eastern alliance, headed by the Soviet Union, was committed to the ideology of socialism and communism.

2. Read the passage (NCERT Textbook, pages 2-3) given below carefully and answer the questions:

In April 1961… the Soviet Union were worried that the United States of America would invade communist ruled Cuba and overthrow the Cuban President Fidel Castro…. Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of Soviet Union, decided to convert Cuba into a Russian base. In 1962, placed nuclear missiles… Three weeks after the Soviet Union had placed the nuclear weapons in Cuba, the Americans became aware of it. They became reluctant to do anything that might lead to full scale war between the two countries… A clash seemed imminent in what came to be known as “Cuban Missile Crisis”. The prospects of this clash made the whole world nervous.

Questions

1. Why was the Soviet Union worried about America invading Cuba?

2. In response to the action taken by America, what did Nikita Khrushchev do?

3. Why were the two superpowers reluctant to start nuclear war?

Answer:

1. The Soviet Union was worried about America invading Cuba that the US world overthrew Cuban President Fidel Castro to capture power in Cuba.

2. They became reluctant to do anything that might lead to to full scale war between the two countries.

3. The two superpowers became reluctant because both of them knew that it might lead only a massive destruction and will not justify any gain for them.

3. Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions:

The Western alliance was formalised into an organisation, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which came into existence in April 1949. It was an association of twelve states which declared that armed attack on any one of them would be regarded as an attack on all of them. Each of these status would be obliged to help each other. The eastern alliance known as the Warsaw Pact was led by Soviet Union, created in 1955 and its principal function was to counter NATO’s forces in Europe.

Questions

1. What does NATO stand for?

2. What was NATO’s policy?

3. What was Warsaw Pact?

4. Mention the main function of Warsaw Pact.

Answer:

1. NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

2. NATO was an association of twelve states which declared that armed attack on any one of them would be regarded as an attack on all of them and each of them would be obliged to help each other.

3. Warsaw Pact was eastern alliance, led by Soviet Union, created in 1955.

4. Main function of Warsaw Pact was to counter NATO’s forces in Europe.

Long Answer Type Questions [6 Marks]

1. Describe any six factors responsible for the disintegration of USSR.

What is meant by New International Economic Order? Mention any four reforms of the global trading system proposed by UNCTAD in 1972.

Answer: Six factors responsible for the disintegration of USSR are—

(i) The internal weaknesses of Soviet political and economic institutions failed to meet the aspirations of the people.

(ii) Economic stagnation for many years led to severe consumer shortages and a large section of Soviet society began to doubt and question the system and to do so openly.

(iii) The Soviet Union had become stagnant in an administrative and political sense as well. The Communist Party that had ruled the Soviet Union for over 70 years was not accountable to the people. Ordinary people were alienated by slow and stifling administration, rampant corruption, the inability of the system to correct mistakes it had made, the unwillingness to allow more openness in government and the centralisation of authority in a-vast land.

(iv) The Soviet economy used much of its resources in maintaining a nuclear and military arsenal and the development of its satellite states in Eastern Europe and within the Soviet system. This led a huge economic burden that the system could not cope with.

(v) When Gorbachev became the President, he carried out reforms and loosened the system. He set in motion forces and expectations that few could have predicted and became virtually impossible to control. There were sections of Soviet society which felt that Gorbachev should have moved much faster and were disappointed and impatient with his methods. Others, especially members of the Communist Party and those who were served by the system, took exactly the opposite view. In this tug of war, Gorbachev lost support on all sides.

(vi) The rise of nationalism and the desire for sovereignty within various republics including Russia and the Baltic Republics, Ukraine, Georgia, and others proved to be the final and most immediate cause for the disintegration of the USSR.

The non-aligned countries were more than merely mediators during the’ Cold War. The challenge for most of the non-aligned countries — a majority of them were categorised as the Least

Developed Countries (LDCs) — was to be more developed economically and to lift their people out of poverty. Economic development was also vital for the independence of the new countries. Without sustained development, a country could not be truly free. It would remain dependent on the richer countries including the colonial powers from which political freedom had been achieved. The idea of a New International Economic Order (NIEO) originated with this realisation.

The UNCTAD brought out a report in 1972 entitled Towards a New Trade Policy for Development. The report proposed a reform of the global trading system so as to:

(i) give the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) control over their natural resources exploited by the developed western countries.

(ii) obtain access to western markets so that LDCs would sell their products and, therefore, make trade more beneficial for the poorer countries.

(iii) reduce the cost of technology from the western countries, and

(iv) provide the LDCs with a greater role in international economic institutions.

2. What led to the emergence of bipolar world? What were the arenas of Cold War between the two power blocs?

Answer: Emergence of bipolar world:

1. Two superpowers expanded their own spheres of influence in different parts of the world.

2. It divided the world into two alliances namely Western and Eastern alliance headed by the US and Soviet Union respectively.

3. The smaller states in alliances got the promise of protection of weapons and economic aid against their local rivals, hence they remained tied to its protective superpowers to limit influence of other superpower and its allies.

Arenas of Cold War:

1. Crisis and war occurred between alliance systems but did not cross certain limits.

2. Many lives were lost in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan, but world was spared from nuclear war and global hostilities.

3. The Cold War led to several shooting wars but it did not lead to another World War despite direct confrontations in Korea (1950-53), Berlin (1958-62) and the Congo (the early 1960s).

3. How did Europe become main arena of conflict between the superpowers?

Answer: 1. Superpowersusedtheirmilitarypower to bring countries into their respective alliances.

2. Soviet Union used its influence in Eastern Europe so that the eastern half of Europe remained within its sphere of influence.

3. In East and Southeast Asia and in West Asia, the US built an alliance called South East Asian Treaty Organisation (SEATO) and the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO).

4. The Soviet Union responded by having close relations with regional countries such as North Vietnam, North Korea and Iraq.

4. “India’s policy of non-alignment was criticised on a number of counts.” Explain.

Answer: A non-aligned posture also served India’s interests very directly as well as India intervened in world affairs to soften cold war rivalries by reducing differences between the alliances and from escalating into a full scale war. Though India’s policy of non-alignment was criticised on a number of counts:

1. India’s non-alignment was said to be ‘unprincipled’ in the name of persuing in national interest.

2. India often refused to take firm stand on crucial international issues.

! 3. Sometimes India took contradictory postures, having criticised others for joining alliances, Indian signed the Treaty of friendship in August 1971 with the USSR for 29 years

4. During Bangladesh crisis also India developed good relations even with the US in the name of diplomatic and military support.

5. Explain various arms control treaties.

Define the various treaties to control arms.

Answer: 1. Limited Test Ban Treaty: Banned nuclear weapon tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water signed by the US, UK and USSR in Moscow on 5 August 1963 came into force on 10 October, 1963.

2. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty:

It allows only nuclear weapon states to have nuclear weapons and stops others from acquiring them. A nuclear weapon state is one which had manufactured and exploded nuclear explosive device prior to 1 Janaury, 1967. So there are five nuclear weapon states: US, USSR, Britain, France and China.

3. Strategic Arms Limitation Talks I and II (Salt I and II): The first round began in November 1969. The Soviet Union leader Leonid Brezhnev and the US President Kichard Nixon signed the following in Moscow on 26 May 1972— (a) Anti Ballistic Missile System Treaty, (b) Interim Agreement on limitation of strategic offensive arms.

It came into force on 3 October, 1972. The second round started in November 1972. The US President Jimmy Carter and the Soviet leader Brezhnev signed Treaty on limiting strategic offensive arms in Vienna on 18 June, 1979.

4. Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty I and II (START I and II): Treaty I signed by the USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev and the’ US president George Bush (Senior) on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms in Moscow on 31 July 1991.

Treaty II was signed for same purpose in Moscow on 3 January, 1993 between Russian President Boris Yeltsin and the US President George Bush (Senior).

Secondary and Sr. Secondary Helpline

September 11, 2022

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 4 Alternative Centres of Power

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 3 US Hegemony in World Politics

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter 2 The End of Bipolarity

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter-1 The Cold War Era

Featured Post

All the Prime Ministers of India with Information