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Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Solutions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Solutions Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance

1. (A) Complete the following statements by selecting the appropriate option.

Question 1.
The concept of Lokpal is taken from
(a) United States
(b) United Kingdom
(c) Sweden
(d) Russia
Answer:
(c) Sweden

Question 2.
The Right to Information was passed in the year
(a) 1950
(b) 1976
(c) 2016
(d) 2005
Answer:
(d) 2005

(B) State the appropriate concept for the given statements.

Question 1.
Person investigating complaints against government officials.
Answer:
Ombudsman

2. (A) Complete the concept map.

Question 1.

Answer:

(B) State whether the following statements are true or false with reason.

Question 1.
Lokayukta can investigate complaints against political executives.
Answer:
This statement is True.

1. Lokayuktas were created by the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 to look into allegations of corruption against public functionaries in the States.
2. A member of the public can file specific allegations with the Lokayukta for inquiry against any public servant including legislators, political executives, local bodies, public enterprises.

Question 2.
Good Governance aims at efficient use of natural resources.
Answer:
This statement is True.

1. One of the core values of good governance is effectiveness and efficiency.
2. It refers to sustainable human development in the context of efficient use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.

3. Explain the correlation between the following.

Question 1.
Good Governance and E-Governance.
Answer:
Good Governance aims to replace traditional public administration riddled with corruption and redtapism and to make it more citizen-centric, responsible and responsive. The core values of good governance include efficiency, inclusiveness, being consensus-oriented, transparency, accountability, etc. Specific programmes aimed at good governance include setting up of Lokpal and Lokayuktas, Creating of Citizen’s Charters, Right to Information Act, institutional mechanisms like NHRC, NCW, etc.

E-Governance is one of the most important aspects of good governance. It involves the employment of Information and Communications Technology (I.C.T) to facilitate efficient and instant transmission and processing of information as well as storing and retrieval of data. Thus, e-governance helps to implement core values of good governance such as transparency, effectiveness, accountability and participation of citizens.

4. Express your opinion of the following.

Question 1.
E-governance speeds up governmental processes.
Answer:
I agree with this statement.
E-governance refers to the use of Information and Communications Technology (I.C.T) to carry out the varied and complex aspects of governance and of citizen’s expectations. E-governance facilitates instantaneous transmission and processing of information as well as efficient storing and retrieval of data. This helps in speeding up governmental processes and taking decisions expeditiously. Large scale digitisation of records enables easy and reliable access over the internet.

Question 2.
E-governance brought administration closer to people.
Answer:
I agree with this statement.
E-governance refers to the use of Information and Communications Technology (I.C.T) to carry out the varied and complex aspects of governance and of citizen’s expectations. Large scale digitisation of records enables easy and reliable access over the internet.

E-governance helps in increasing the geographical and demographical reach of the government. Efforts have been made at various levels to improve the delivery of public services and simplify the process of accessing them. The objective of National e-Governance Plan is to bring public services closer to the people i.e., make them citizen centric.

5. Answer the following question in 80 to 100 words.

Question 1.
Explain various institutions protecting rights of different sections in India.
Answer:
The core values of good governance include administration being consensus-oriented based on principles of inclusiveness and equity as well as responsiveness to the needs of citizens.

The benefits of good governance must be available to all the sections of the society. The constitution provides for socio-economic and political safeguards to certain disadvantaged sections of the society. Besides the safeguards, provided for them the government has created several commissions to safeguard the rights of different sections of the society. These include the following:
1. National Commission for Scheduled Castes – Deals with matters related to the safeguards provided in the constitution for the Scheduled Castes and inquire into specific complaints relating to deprivation of rights of the Schedule Castes.

2. National Commission for Scheduled Tribes – Deals with matters related to the safeguards provided in the constitution for the Scheduled Tribes and inquire into specific complaints relating to deprivation of rights of the Schedule Tribes.

3. National Human Rights Commission – It deals with protection of rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity guaranteed by the constitution.

4. National Commission for Women – This was created to facilitate the redressal of grievances and accelerate socio-economic development of women.

5. National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights – It seeks to protect, promote and defend child rights in the country. The Commission defines a child as a person in the 0 to 18 years of age group.

6. National Commission for Backward Classes – The focus is welfare of socially and economically backward classes.

7. National Commission for Minorities – It monitors the working of the safeguards for minorities provided in the Constitution and by laws enacted by the Parliament and the State Legislatures. The National Commission for Minorities recognises the following religious communities as minority communities: Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Parsis and Jain.

8. National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission – This provides for a consumer disputes redressal mechanism e.g.,consumer courts are set up.

6. Answer the following question with reference to the given points.

Question 1.
Explain in detail the following values of Good Governance.
(a) participation
(b) transparency
(c) responsiveness
(d) accountability
Answer:
In development administration, not only the government but also citizens and NGO’s play a vital role. The term ‘governance’ is used to describe this cooperative effort of the government and non-governmental bodies in public administration. Governance is broader than government as

1. it includes formal institutions of government e.g., legislature, bureaucracy as well as informal institutions e.g., NGO’s.
2. it aims to improve the performance of public institutions with focus on values like accountability, transparency, citizen feedback, etc.

The Good Governance approach aims at the following-

1. to reform the traditional, huge-sized public administration which was riddled with red tape and corruption.
2. to replace the archaic systems with responsible, participative and equitable systems.
3. to look at interlinkages between government and civil society.
4. to make the administration citizen-centered and not rule bound.

a. Participation – The effective functioning of any democratic system requires that people get an opportunity to participate in the process of decision making and its implementation.

b. Transparency – This value of good governance enables people to keep the government under scrutiny for e.g., Right to Information Act (2005) provides citizens access to information about public policies and actions.

c. Responsiveness – The government must be prompt and sensitive while designing policies to serve all stake holders within a reasonable time frame.

d. Accountability – This cannot be enforced without the rule of law and transparency. Any organization is accountable to those who will be affected by it’s decisions and actions, i.e. to stakeholders. Governmental institutions, private sector and civil society institutions must be accountable.

Activity

Question 1.
Find out the information regarding State level commissions working for safeguarding rights of various sections of society (Text Book Page No. 58)
Answer:
The State Level Commissions are-
1. State Information Commission was constituted with the objective to fulfill the mandate assigned in the RTI Act 2005. It consists of State Information Commissioners headed by the State Chief Information Commissioner.

2. State Commission for Women was constituted on 25th January 1993. It consists of a chair person, 6 nonofficial members, a member secretary and a DGP as ex-officio member. It aims to investigate into practices derogatory to women and suggest remedial measures. It also advises the government on matters related to upliftment to the status of women.

3. State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was established by the Social Justice and Special Assistance Department dated 1st March 2005. It’s role is to study existing socio-economic, political and educational situation of Scheduled Castes and Tribes and to suggest measures to improve the same. It also investigates grievances raised by members of Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes.

4. State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) was established on 6th March 2001 to protect, promote and enforce human rights. It can inquire suo motu (of its own accord) or on petition presented to it, into complaints of violation of human rights.

5. State Commission for Protection of Child’s Rights was set up in July 2007 to protect and defend child rights in the State.

6. State Commission for Minorities – was set up to safeguard the interests of religious and linguistic minorities.

Question 2.
Find out information about Ombudsman. (Text Book Page No. 58)
Answer:
Ombudsman is a Swedish term. In general, it means “a legal representative” or an official appointed to investigate complaints especially against public officials. The first country to set up ombudsman institution in 1809 was Sweden. In India, the Lokpal (for centre) and Lokayuktas (for States) are the ombudsman. The ARC (1966-70) headed by Morarji Desai recommended the institution of Lokpal and the Bill was first introduced in Parliament in 1968. Orissa was the first State to constitute institution of Lokayukta.

After the India Against Corruption Movement led by Anna Hazare, the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2013 was passed in Parliament and came into force on 16th January 2014. The Lokpal is a multimember body, consisting of a chairperson and a maximum of 8 members. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas inquire into allegations of corruption / maladministration against public functionaries.

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 5 Contemporary India: Good Governance Intext Questions and Answers

ACTIVITY (Text Book Page No. 48)

Question 1.
Identify NGO’s that are working in your Area/City/State. Look at the issues and work done by them. In which NGO would you like to work?
Answer:
1. For environmental causes

• Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)
• Vanshakti
• Earth5R
• Bombay Environmental Action Group (BEAG)
• Vasundhara
• PETA

2. For child welfare

• Child Right and You (CRY)
• Prerana
• Helen Keller Institute
• Bal Asha Trust
• Salaam Baalak Trust
• Akansha Foundation
• Apnalaya

3. For educational purposes

• Teach for India
• Door step School
• Magic Bus India Foundation
• Pratham Education Foundation
• VIDYA .
• Abhilasha Foundation

4. For women’s welfare

• Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action (SNEHA)
• Apne Aap Women’s Collective (AAWC)
• Women’s India Trust (WIT)
• MAJLIS

5. For the disabled/ill/aged

• AASRA
• National Association for the Blind (NAB)
• ALERT-India (leprosy patients)
• Cancer Patients Aid Association (CPAA)
• Committed Action for Relief and Education (CARE)
• Cheshire Homes India

Question 2.
Find out E-governance initiatives of Government of Maharashtra (Text Book Page No. 54)
Answer:
Maharashtra is a pioneer in citizen centric e-governance initiatives such as

1. SARITA (Stamps and Registration Information Technology based Administration) for registration of 67 different types of documents over the entire State.
2. SETU (Integrated Citizen Facilitation Centres) act as one stop service centre for people who have to visit government offices for permits/affidavits, etc. The Society for promotion of Excellence and Transparency for better Understanding of the requirements of citizen in interface with government.
3. E-validity for caste/minority status certificates.
4. Online Disability certificates.
5. SEVARTH – integrated system to provide electronic salary payment to all government personnel.
6. SARTHI – Computerisation of driving license and vehicle registration.
7. Rojgar Wahini – to provide free services like vocational guidance, job opportunities, self employment guidance, etc.

Question 3.
Consumer Protection Act (1986) (Text Book Page No. 56)
Answer:
The Consumer Protection Act was enacted by Parliament in 1986 to protect the interests of consumers in India. It is replaced by the Consumer Protection Act 2019.
It aims to check unfair trade practices, ‘defects in goods’ and ‘deficiencies in services’ and has led to a widespread network of consumer fora and appellate courts all over the country. The Act provided six rights to consumers:

• Right to seek redressal against unfair trade practices.
• Right to be heard and be assured that their interests receive due consideration at an appropriate forum.
• Right to be assured wherever possible, access to a variety of goods and services at competitive . prices.
• Right to be informed about the quality, standard, price of goods and services.
• Right to be protected against marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and property.
• Right to consumer education.

To ensure consumer rights, Consumer Disputes Redressal System included a three-tier level i.e.,

• National Consumer Commission (set up by central government).
• State Consumer Commission (set up by each State).
• District Consumer Forum (in each district of the State).

The redressal agencies (consumer courts) set up were. Central Consumer Protection Council and State Consumer Councils. Consumer courts are special purpose courts dealing with cases involving consumer disputes, conflicts and grievances.

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Solutions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Solutions Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration

1. (A) Complete the following statements by selecting the appropriate option.

Question 1.
Article had granted a ‘special status’ to Jammu and Kashmir.
(a) 352
(b) 360
(c) 370
(d) 110
Answer:
(c) 370

Question 2.
Left wing Extremism originated in 1967 in
(a) Nagaland
(b) Jharkhand
(c) Gadchiroli
(d) Naxalbari
Answer:
(d) Naxalbari

(B) Identify the incorrect pair in every set and correct it.

Question 1.
(a) Naxalism – Red Corridor
(b) CPI (Maoist) – Uri attacks
(c) Assam – Sons-of-soil movement
Answer:
(b) Jaish-e-Mohammed – Uri attacks

Question 2.
(a) Boko Haram – Ireland
(b) LTTE – Sri Lanka
(c) ETA – Spain
Answer:
(a) Boko Haram – Nigeria
OR
IRA – Ireland

(C) Complete the following statements by using appropriate reason.

Question 1.
The left wing extemists prevent execution and implementation of developmental work, because ……………..
(i) they are against government.
(ii) the opposition parties ask them to do so.
(iii) they want to show that the government structure at field level is ineffective.
Answer:
(ii) the opposition parties ask them to do so.

Question 2.
In 1990’s Kashmiri Pandits migrated from Kashmir valley, because …………………..
(i) they weren’t from Kashmir.
(ii) there was growth in Islamic militancy.
(iii) there were no job opportunities for them.
Answer:
(i) they weren’t from Kashmir.

2. (A) Find the odd word.

Question 1.
Terrorism, Naxalism, Nationalism, Extremism.
Answer:
Nationalism (not a violent activity)

(B) State the appropriate concept for the given statements.

Question 1.
Threat use violence with an intention to create panic in the society.
Answer:
Terrorism

Question 2.
Involvement of people in decision making process of State.
Answer:
Good Governance

3. (A) Complete the concept maps.

Question 1.

Answer:

(B) State whether the following statements are true or false with reason.

Question 1.
Democracy is required to establish national integration and social transformation.
Answer:
This statement is True.

1. Democracy and national integration are complementary, since the core of the structural aspect of national consolidation is the democratic system of governance.
2. Participation of diverse socio-cultural groups in the process of governance is possible only through a representative democratic system. Democracy helps in political participation and social transformation by removing ethnic, caste and gender inequality.

Question 2.
National movement in India played an important role in national integration.
Answer:
This statement is True.

1. The national freedom movement extended across the length and breadth of the country and involved people of different religions, regions and cultures.
2. It played a vital role in bringing Indians together emotionally and politically into a nation and integrating them in a common frame work of political identity and loyalty.

4. Explain the correlation between the following.

Question 1.
National Unity and Regional Aspirations
Answer:
National Unity is possible when citizens of that State exhibit psychological oneness, solidarity and shared values. It is not homogeneity but a form of ethnic, religious and linguistic acceptance. Regional aspirations occur in forms like demand for separate States, language issues, etc., Regional aspirations have their roots in historical/linguistic/cultural issues or may be a product of regional political outfits. Sometimes, regional aspirations may even become secessionist as in case of Khalistan movement. India has tried to reconcile regional aspirations with national unity by creating a federation with a strong centre, creating of smaller States as well as the linguistic reorganisation of States.

5. Express your opinion of the following.

Question 1.
Peace and stability are necessary for the nation’s progress.
Answer:
Peace, stability and public order are necessary for nation’s progress and good life of citizens. An unruly society will lead to violence, loss of life, destruction of property, economic and political instability. Conflict resolution is linked to maintenance of law, order and peace. In the absence of order and stability, divisive tendencies will prevail, infrastructure will be targeted, investments will be discouraged thus becoming a barrier to economic growth. At a basic level, political stability is ensured using constitutional machinery and socio-economic development. In case of any problem occurring, the State tries to resolve it peacefully. In case the issue escalates or becomes violent, the State may employ force if necessary.

6. Answer the following question in 80 to 100 words.

Question 1.
What is Left Wing Extremism in India?
Answer:
Left Wing Extremism (also called Maoist movement or Naxalism) has major support base among landless labourers, dalits and tribals who experience a sense of oppression, injustice and neglect. The first attempt to promote a peasant struggle was the Telangana Movement (1946-51). The Naxal Movement originated in 1967 in Naxalbari (West Bengal) led by Kanu Sanyal and writings of Charu Majumdar.

Since 1980s the movement has taken a militant turn. In 2004 CPI (M-L), People’s War Group (PWG) and Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) of India merged to form CPI (Maoist) which aims to overthrow the government, Naxal activities aim to destroy public property and attack police and officials. The Red Corridor of naxal activities extends across States like Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, etc.

Some of their broad tactics are as follows:

1. Use of propaganda slogans
2. Establishment of mass movements
3. Mobilisation of women, tribals and minorities into the revolution
4. Mobilisation of urban population on mass issues
5. Develop appropriate forms of military organisation

Question 2.
Explain cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Answer:
The India Independence Act (1947) provided that princely States (562 existed then) could decide to join either Pakistan or remain independent. Maharaja Hari Singh of the Dogra dynasty delayed such a decision. In 1947, Kashmir’s population was 77% Muslim and 20% Hindu. The problem in
the region began when Pakistan sent Pashtun tribal raiders in October 1947 to force Hari Singh to join Pakistan. However, the Maharaja appealed to India for help and signed the Instrument of Accession making the State as a part of India.

The Government of India sent troops to the region to drive away the infiltrators. This led to the first India-Pakistan conflict (1947-48). In 1965, Pakistan attacked India but the local Kashmiri population did not support Pakistan. In 1965, Amanullah Khan created the Plebiscite Front in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. It’s militant wing i.e., National Liberation Front carried out sabotage activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 1977, the Plebiscite Front was renamed Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Similarly, Pakistan lent support to guerilla outfits in the region like Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. In the 1990s, as instances of militancy increased, the minority Pandit population was forced to flee from Kashmir. At this time, local insurgency grew into terrorism sponsored by Pakistan and having training camps in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Pan-Islamic terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul, etc., and several Pakistan based persons like Hafeez Sayed have promoted terror activities and radicalisation of the local population. In recent years stone pelting by young protestors has increased.

7. Answer the following in 150 to 200 words.

Explain the role of the State with help of given points.
(a) Peace and order
(b) Economic development
(c) National Building
(d) Governance
(e) Welfare

Activity

Trace the changes that have taken place in Art 370 of the Indian constitution.

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 4 Contemporary India: Challenges to Peace, Stability and National Integration Intext Questions and Answers

Activity (Text Book Page No. 39)

Question 1.
What are the Fundamental Duties enshrined in the Indian constitution?
Answer:
To spread awareness about them, fundamental duties were inserted in the Part IV Article 51(A) of the Constitution by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment, 1976.
The fundamental duties include:

1. To abide by the Constitution and respect the National Flag and National Anthem.
2. To cherish and follow the noble ideas which inspired our national struggle for freedom.
3. To respect and protect the sovereignty, integrity and unity of India.
4. To defend and serve the country.
5. To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India and to abolish evils hampering women’s dignity.
6. To value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.
7. To protect and improve the natural environment including forests, rivers, trees, lakes and to show kindness towards animals.
8. To develop scientific temper and spirit of inquiry.
9. To protect public property and prevent violence.
10. To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity.
11. A parent or guardian should provide opportunities for education to his child, between the age of 6 to 14 years. (This has been added by 86th Constitutional Amendment)

Question 2.
Find out the details of the following events and discuss them in the classroom:
(i) Assam Oil Blockade (1980)
(ii) Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi (1991) (Text Book Page No.41)
Answer:
(i) Assam Oil Blockade (1980)
The Assam Movement (1979-1985) led by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP) was against the illegal immigrants in Assam. There were a series of protests to compel the government to identify and expel illegal immigrants (mostly Bangladeshi) and to provide safeguards to the indigenous Assamese. Some of the protests were violent e.g., the Nellie massacre (1983). On 15th August 1985, the Assam Accord was signed between the Rajiv Gandhi Government and leaders of the Assam movement by which all migrants who had entered the State prior to January 1, 1966 were accepted.

The Oil Blockade was part of the Assam agitation. Crude oil from Assam was pumped to a refinery at Barauni (Bihari). However, AASU protested and blockaded oil supply in 1980. A committee was appointed to suggest a new location for refinery within Assam. They suggested Bongaigaon near West Bengal border. The oil blockade resulted in huge losses to the petroleum industry.

(ii) Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi (1991)
Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India (1984-1989) occurred as a result of suicide bombing in Sriperumbudur, Chennai on 21st May 1991. It was carried out by a member of LTTE (Sri Lanka) known as Thenmozhi Rajaratnam (Dhanu) At least 14 others were killed in the explosion of the RDX laden belt by Dhanu. The assassination was attributed to LTTE being antagonised by Mr. Rajiv Gandhi’s sending of Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka and the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord with President J. Jayewardene in 1987.

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Solutions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Solutions Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues

1. (A) Complete the following statements by selecting the appropriate option.

Question 2.
Today the Indian approach to gender issues focuses on
(a) Education
(b) Welfare
(c) Development
(d) Empowerment
Answer:
(d) Empowerment

Question 3.
The first UN Conference on Human Environment was held in 1972 in
(a) Johannesburg
(b) Stockholm
(c) Rio
(d) New Delhi
Answer:
(b) Stockholm

(B) Identify the incorrect pair in every set and correct it.

Question 1.
(a) JGSY – Infrastructure development in rural areas
(b) PMKVY – Skill training to youth
(c) MGNREGA – Housing for everyone
Answer:
(c) MGNREGA – assured employment every year for every rural household

Question 2.
(a) National Commission for Women – 1992
(b) Planning Commission – 2015
(c) Rio+20 summit – 2012
Answer:
(b) Planning Commission – 1950

(C) Find the odd word in the given set.

Question 1.
National policy for empowerment of women, protection of women from domestic violence act, Muslim women (protection and right on marriage) Act, the secual harassment at workplace (prohibition prevention and readressal) Act.

Question 2.
Climate change, waste management, water scarity, deforestation.

2. State whether the following statements are true or false with reason.

Question 1.
Planning Commission was created to promote agriculture in India.
Answer:
This statement is False.

1. The Planning Commission was set up in 1950 to formulate a plan for the effective and balanced utilisation of the country’s resources.
2. It’s function was to prepare Five Year Plans to tackle poverty, employment and promote the Welfare State. The Green Revolution was introduced to promote agriculture in India.

Question 2.
National Commission for Women was set up to protect rights for women in India.
Answer:
This statement is True.

1. National Commission for Women was set up to facilitate the redressal of grievances of women.
2. It aimed to safeguard the rights and legal entitlements of women and accelerate their socio¬economic development.

3. Explain the correlation between the following.

Question 1.
Women Empowerment and Sustainable Development.
Answer:
Empowerment is a process by which any category of oppressed persons gain control over their own lives by developing self esteem and courage to fight against injustice. Sustainable development refers to development using resources in a way that allows for them to renew or to continue to exist for other e.g., recycling materials. This seems almost impossible without gender equality and women’s empowerment. Women are empowered when they are able to access opportunities without restrictions such as in education, career, etc.,

Women’s economic empowerment refers to the ability of women to enjoy their right to control and benefit from resources, income etc as well as the ability to improve their economic status and well-being. Political empowerment includes affirmative action policies to increase participation of women in parliamentary / government positions and policymaking. Thus, women’s empowerment is a key factor for sustainable economic growth, social development and environmental sustainability.

Question 2.
Poverty and Development
Answer:
Poverty refers to deprivation of the basic necessities such as food, clothing, health services, education, etc., that determine quality of life. In economic terms, it is expressed as the poverty line. Development means some measurable improvement in some particular area. Alleviation or even eradication of poverty is the most important aim of developmental work.

Poverty is related to other problems of underdevelopment such as unemployment and inequalities. It hinders economic development as well as leads to issues of health, sanitation and disease, housing, crime, etc. Poverty alleviation i.e., set of economic and humanitarian measures, such as good governance, economic growth, government support in health education etc., are important for development.

4. Answer the following questions in 80 to 100 words.

Question 1.
Explain the traditional and non-traditional perception of poverty.

Question 2.
From 1960’s to 21 century what efforts has India taken to achieve development?

5. Answer the following question with reference to the given points.

Question 1.
Explain condition of women in India.
(a) Economic inequality
(b) Trafficking and exploitation
(c) Literacy rate
(d) Political representation
Answer:
All over the world, women have to face serious problems such as discrimination and violence, under-representation in economic and political decision-making, inequalities in education, health care, landholdings and workplaces and even in human rights.

Some of the important gender issues:
(a) Economic inequality – Participation of women in the labour market is about 28% only.
There is also income inequality due to wide gender wage gaps as well as inequality of opportunities to women e.g., unequal access to education and finance. In many countries, women are either not encouraged to work or employed in the informal sector. Women continue to be underrepresented in high-level, highly paid positions and experience gender discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace. Women experience high levels of poverty, unemployment and other economic hardships.

(b) Trafficking and exploitation – Women are often exploited and denied basic rights. They are trafficked for purpose of sexual and economic exploitation particularly prostitution, ‘sold’ as brides, subjected to sexual crimes, forced labour, street begging, etc. Trafficking in women means that they are deceived or forced/sold, physically confined, abused with no access to protection or health care.

(c) Literacy rate – low literacy among women is acute in India. As per 2011 census report, female literacy rate is only 65.46% while for males it is 82.14%. The reasons for the low female literacy are-

1. traditional patriarchal notions that do not consider female education as economically advantageous
2. Schools in rural areas are not easily accessible and travel may not safe or easy.
3. Benefits of schemes like R.T.E have not reached many rural females.
4. Social evils like child marriage, female foeticide, dowry, etc.

(d) Political Representation – Poor political representation of women is a significant gender concern in India. The First Lok Sabha had only 24 women of total 489 members i.e., 5% and the 17th Lok Sabha (2019) has 78 women (14%). This is the highest representation of women in Lok Sabha till date. The Women’s Reservation Bill which proposes to reserve 33% of all seats in Lok Sabha and in State Assemblies for women is pending in the Lok Sabha. However, there exists 33% reservation for women in rural and urban local bodies.

Activity

Question 1.
Find out information on international agreements on environmental balance. (Text Book Page No. 34)
Answer:
1. Stockholm conference (Declaration of UN Conference on Human Environment, 1972) led to a 109 point Environmental Action Plan and establishment of the UN Environmental programme (UNEP).

2. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Faura (CITES) (1973) – grouped almost 30,000 plant and animal species into three levels of protection depending on the degree of regulation required.

3. Montreal Protocol (1987) – For protection of the ozone layer. It phases out production and use of ozone depleting chemicals.

4. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (1992) – The aim was to promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

5. Kyoto Protocol (1997) – It supplements the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate change (UNFCCC) to limit six greenhouse gas emissions. It involved 37 countries and the UN.

6. Paris Agreement (2016) – It is an agreement within the UNFCCC, dealing with greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening global response to the threat of climate change.

Question 2.
Find out percentage of handicapped voters in 17th Lok Sabha suggest measures to increase their percentage.

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 3 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Humanitarian Issues Intext Questions and Answers

ACTIVITY (Text Book Page No.26)

Question 1.
What are the different initiatives taken by the Indian Government to protect the environment?
Answer:
1. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched on October 2, 2014 to achieve the mission of a clean India in both rural and urban areas. It was implemented by the Ministry of Drinking water and sanitation and the Ministry of Urban Development respectively. Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) aims to make India Open Defecation Free (ODF) For Urban Areas, it includes elimination of ODF, eradication of manual scavenging and proper solid waste management.

2. Namami Gange Programme (Clean Ganga Project) is implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga to conserve and rejuvenate the river Ganga. The centre allocated a total of Rs 20000 crore for the project. The key achievements include sewerage treatment capacity, river front development and surface cleaning of the river.

3. Green Skill Development Programme was launched in June 2017 by the MoEF and CC. It refers to skills that contribute to preserve and restore the environment, thus enabling youth to be employed or self-employment. Green skills include Pollution Monitoring, Waste Management, Forest and Wildlife Management, etc.

4. Constitutional Provisions – Article 48 (DPSP) says the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment. Article 51-A States that it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment.

5. Legislation – (i) Indian Wild Life Protection Act (1972) Forest Conservation Act (1980) and Environment (Protection) Act (1986)
(ii) National Environmental Policy (2006) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change (MoEF and CC) along with Pollution Control Boards administer and enforce environmental laws. There is also the National Green Tribunal.

Question 2.
Salient Features of National Policy for Women (2016). (Text Book Page No.33)
Answer:
National Policy for Women was unveiled by Union WCD Minister, Smt Maneka Gandhi on 17th May 2016. It will replace National Policy for Empowerment of Women (2001). It shifts the focus from entitlements to rights and from mere empowerment to creating an enabling environment for women. It seeks to create conducive socio-cultural, economic and political environment to enable women to enjoy fundamental rights and realize their full potential. It’s priority areas include health, food security and nutrition, education, involving women in governance and decision making, encouraging entrepreneurship, facilitating women in the workplace and dealing with violence against women.

Question 3.
Find out information on international agreements on environmental balance. (Text Book Page No. 34)
Answer:
1. Stockholm conference (Declaration of UN Conference on Human Environment, 1972) led to a 109 point Environmental Action Plan and establishment of the UN Environmental programme (UNEP).

2. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Faura (CITES) (1973) – grouped almost 30,000 plant and animal species into three levels of protection depending on the degree of regulation required.

3. Montreal Protocol (1987) – For protection of the ozone layer. It phases out production and use of ozone depleting chemicals.

4. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (1992) – The aim was to promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

5. Kyoto Protocol (1997) – It supplements the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate change (UNFCCC) to limit six greenhouse gas emissions. It involved 37 countries and the UN.

6. Paris Agreement (2016) – It is an agreement within the UNFCCC, dealing with greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening global response to the threat of climate change.

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Solutions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Solutions Chapter 1 The World Since 1991

1. (A) Complete the following statements by selecting the appropriate option.

Question 1.
One of the important trends in the post-1989 international relations was
(a) End of bipolarity
(b) Rise of regionalism in Asia
(c) End of non-alignment
(d) Demand for a new international economic order
Answer:
(a) End of bipolarity

Question 2.
The ‘Maastricht’ Treaty is with reference to
(a) United Nations Peace Keeping Force
(b) European Union
(c) American interventions in Kuwait
(d) Creation of BRICS
Answer:
(b) European Union

1. (B) State the appropriate concept for the given statements.

Question 1.
When a State influences other States without the use of military force.
Answer:
Soft power

Question 2.
A State with a leading position in international politics with abilities to influence global politics and fulfill its own interest.
Answer:
Super power

2. (A) Complete the concept maps.

Question 1.

Answer:

Question 2.

Answer:

2. (B) Observe the maps in the textbook and answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Name any four countries in the Schengen area.
Answer:
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, France.

Question 2.
Name any two non-European Union countries within Schengen area.
Answer:
Norway, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia.

3. State whether the following statements are true or false with reason.

Question 1.
SAARC is important for trade in South Asia.
Answer:
This statement is True.
(i) SAARC has eight member States from South Asia. It aims to accelerate economic growth and promote the welfare of the people of South Asia.
(ii) In 1993, South Asian Association for Preferential Trade Agreement (SAPTA) came into existence. It was replaced in 2006 by South Asian Association Free Trade Area (SAFTA). This helps in trade and economic activity in the region.

Question 2.
‘Maastricht’ Treaty was signed for the defence of Europe.
Answer:
This statement is False.
(i) On 7th February 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed to create the European Union.
(ii) This treaty led to the expansion of spheres of cooperation in internal affairs, foreign policies and defence policies.

Question 3.
The decade of 1980s is seen as the golden age of humanitarian intervention.
Answer:
This statement is False.
(i) The 1990s are seen as the ‘golden age of humanitarian intervention.’ In 1993, the World Conference on Human Rights was held in Vienna, which led to the creation of the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
(ii) Increasing awareness about human rights and their protection in international law gave rise to the phenomenon for protection of rights in the form of ‘humanitarian intervention’.

4. Express your opinion of the following.

Question 1.
Humanitarian intervention
Answer:
One of the main purposes of the UN is maintenance of international peace, security and cooperation. UN Peacekeeping Force comprises of military personnel and resources sent by member States. In the post-cold war era, the UN rationale for intervention was not just to stop ongoing wars but also to prevent reoccurrence of conflicts and protect the human rights of the affected people. The UN intervened in Cambodia, Somalia, Yugoslavia, East Timor, Eritrea, Syria, etc., for this purpose.

In 1993, over 170 nations participated in the World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna to reaffirm their commitment to protect human rights. The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was created to coordinate human rights initiatives. The increasing awareness about human rights protection in international law gave rise to humanitarian intervention especially in conflict zones. NGO’s have contributed significantly in the spread of humanitarian intervention for e.g. ICRC, Oxfam, etc. The 1990s are described as “golden age” of humanitarian intervention.

Question 2.
Regionalism in international politics.
Answer:
Countries which lie in geographical proximity create or join regional organisations which are based on common political, ideological, economic and infrastructural concerns. Some nations make special agreements regarding trade and economic cooperation. This is called a trade bloc.

(i) European Union (EU) was created in 1992 by Maastricht Treaty. It led to increased spheres of cooperation between European nations e.g. foreign affairs, defense, trade and creation of Euro as a common currency. Creation of Schengen Area is one of the achievements of the EU since the Schengen visa allows eligible individuals to travel freely within the 26 nations of the Schengen area.

(ii) ASEAN created in 1967 with headquarters at Jakarta comprises of 10 South-East Asian nations such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. It aims to promote political economic and security cooperation among it’s members.

(iii) SAARC formed in 1985 at Dhaka with 7 members. Today, it has 8 member countries of South Asia like India, Bhutan, Pakistan, etc. It aims to promote regional integration and economic development. It’s main achievement is the SAFTA.

(iv) BIMSTEC – is a regional organisation founded in 1997 comprising of 7 member countries lying around Bay of Bengal for e.g. Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Myanmar. It aims to facilitate collaboration in economic, security and other concerns between member States.

(v) Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an Eurasian political, economic and security organisation formed in 2001 with 6 member states. In 2016, India and Pakistan joined SCO. It’s focus is on maintaining peace and stability in the region, cooperation in trade, technology, etc.

Regional organisations play an important role in international politics. Due to this, unipolarity (US as the only superpower) ended leading to multipolarity.

5. Answer the Following.

Question 1.
Explain the term soft power with examples.
Answer:
According to American academic, Joseph Nye there are two types of power viz. hard power and soft power.
(i) Hard power is the ability to get others to act in ways that are contrary to their preferences and wills. It is the ability to coerce through threats and inducements for e.g.,Iraq invasion of Kuwait.

(ii) Soft power is when a country influences other countries without the use of military force. It is the ability to get others to want the outcomes that you want i.e. through attraction rather than coercion. Such influence is spread through economic, socio-cultural means.

Soft power was an important aspect of US domination. It implied the use of monetary aid, cooperative programmes, cultural exchanges, strong relations with allies. Examples of US soft power are cultural exports like fast food chains, movies, educational exchange programmes as well as disaster assistance programmes such as tsunami relief (Japan), flood control (Pakistan).

6. Answer the following question in detail with help of given points.

Question 1.
Discuss the European Union with help of given points.
(a) History
(b) European Commission
(c) European Parliament
(d) European Council
(e) European Court of Justice
Answer:
(a) History – The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and European Economic Community (EEC) were created to foster economic interdependence. On 7th February 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed to create the European Union. This led to expansion of spheres of cooperation to include internal affairs, judicial matters, foreign policy, etc. The Euro (€) is the official currency of 19 out of 28 countries of the EU. These nations are collectively called ‘Eurozone’.

(b) European Commission – The Commission is the executive bureaucratic arm of the EU. It is mainly responsible for drawing up proposals for new European legislation,and it implements the policy decisions of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.

(c) European Parliament – The European Parliament is composed of 751 Members, who are directly elected every five years. It is a body entrusted with legislative, supervisory, and budgetary responsibilities.

(d) European Council – The structure of the European Council consists of the Presidents or Prime Ministers of each member State, accompanied by their foreign ministers, and a full¬time President of the European Council. The European Council meets four times a year and provides strategic leadership for the EU.

(e) European Court of Justice (ECJ) – The ECJ interprets, and adjudicates on, EU law and treaties. As EU law has primacy over the national law of EU member States.

ACTIVITY

Find out the role played by India in BRICS (Text Book Page No. 13)
Answer:
BRICS refers to five major emerging national economies, i.e., Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It accounts for about 40% of the world’s population and 20% of the GDP. It is an emerging investment market and global power bloc. India serves a multi faceted role on the economic and political fronts.

(i) New Development Bank (NDB) was proposed by India during the BRICS summit in New Delhi. It was established in 2014 and intends to provide non conditional financing. India has contributed $ 10 billion to the NDB to refurbish industrial bases in Brazil and South Africa. There is a regional office of NDB in India.

(ii) In 2012, India introduced “security” on the agenda, as the theme of the summit in New Delhi was BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Security and Prosperity.

(iii) India has also highlighted climate governance at BRICS meeting.

(iv) BRICS membership elevates India’s global profile for e.g., India has assumed the role of a trade facilitator in Africa and South Asia. It aims to promote intra-BRICS trade, which means urging member nations to import goods mainly from each other.

(v) India is seen as a strong voice at BRICS and the UN against proposals and actions that could harms any member’s interests for e.g., India turned down China’s proposal to invite Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Mexico into the BRICS to focus only on development within current members.

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 1 The World Since 1991 Intext Questions and Answers

ACTIVITY (Text Book Page No. 7)

Question 1.
What is One Belt One Road and China Pakistan Economic Corridor policy of China?
Answer:
One Belt One Road also called OBOR or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) since 2016, is a global development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 involving infrastructure development and investments in nearly 70 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. It is an ambitious economic development and commercial project that focuses on improving cooperation among multiple countries.

BRI involves building a network of roadways, railways, power grids, maritime ports, oil and gas pipelines and associated infrastructure projects. The project covers two parts i.e., Silk Road Economic Belt (land based) and expects to connect China with Central Asia, East and West Europe to connect China with Central Asia, East and West Europe) and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (sea based and connects China to Africa, South East Asia, Mediterranean) BRI consists of six economic corridors such as China-Pakistan corridor, China- Indochina Peninsula corridor etc.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) launched in 2015 is a part of the greater OBOR. It is a collection of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan for e.g., special economic zones, ports, energy projects, etc. The Gwadar Port (Balochistan province of Pakistan) which is considered the deepest seaport in the world is considered to be significant in the BRI. India has objected to the CPEC as upgrade works to the Karakoram Highway are taking place in Gilgit Baltistan (which is Indian territory) and will undermine India’s security and position in the region.

Question 2.
Who are the members of the European Union? (Text Book Page No.9)
Answer:
There are 27 countries who are members of European Union. These are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden. UK was a member but left in January 2020.

The following countries are part of Eurozone.
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. The Eurozone is the monetary union of 19 out of 27 countries of the EU i.e., those who have Euro (€) as their common currency. The other 8 EU countries continue to use their national currencies.

Question 3.
Discuss the case of Brexit. (Text Book Page No. 11)
Answer:
British Exit i.e., Brexit is the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. In June 2016, 52% voted to leave the EU following a UK wide referendum. The UK finally left the EU on 31st January 2020.
The main reasons for Brexit were-
(i) EU threatens British sovereignty and prevents radical reforms.
(ii) The Euro has been a disaster and caused the Greek economic crisis.
(iii) UK could have a more rational immigration system outside the EU as the EU allows too many immigrants.

Brexit is a rejection of globalisation. The European Union signified a move from a single market to a single currency, a single banking system and eventually a single political entity. Many persons argue that Brexit goes against the concept of globalisation, i.e., it symbolizes a protest against the economic model that has been in place since 1992.

Many voters feel that globalisation has benefited only a small elite and hanker for a return to the security provided by the nation-States i.e., jobs, living standards, welfare facilities seemed better protected in the nation-States prior to globalisation for e.g., unemployment across the Eurozone is more than 10% and Italy, Greece, etc., are facing economic crisis.

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Solutions Chapter 2 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Globalisation Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board Class 12 Political Science Solutions Chapter 2 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Globalisation

1. (A) Choose the correct alternative and complete the following statements

Question 1.
In 1995, GATT was replaced by the
(a) WTO
(b) ECOSOC
(c) UNDP
(d) TRIPS
Answer:
(a) WTO

Question 2.
……………… refers to a company that operates in several countries but has a distinct home base
(a) Transnational Corporation
(b) Mixed Economy
(c) Multinational Company
(d) Liberalism
Answer:
(c) Multinational Company

(B) Find the odd word.

Question 1.
Mobile, Satellite, Internet, Gramophone.
Answer:
Gramophone (not functioning on modern technology)

(C) State the appropriate concept for the given statements.

Question 1.
The international agency dealing with international trade.
Answer:
World Trade Organization (WTO)

Question 2.
The companies that operate in several countries.
Answer:
Multi National Companies

(D) Identify the incorrect pair in every set and correct it.

Question 1.
(a) Nestle – Trans National Corporation
(b) Copyrights – Intellectual Property
(c) India – Capitalist Market Economy
Answer:
(c) USA – Capitalist Market Economy
OR India – Economic Liberalism (Mixed economy)

Question 2.
(a) Amnesty International – Human Rights
(b) Green Peace – Environmental Issues
(c) Chernobyl – Trade Agreement
Answer:
(c) Chernobyl – Nuclear disaster

2. State whether the following statements are true or false with reason.

Question 1.
Globalisation brought in the concept of market economy.
Answer:
This statement is True.
(i) During the Cold War, the economic systems followed by countries, depended upon their ideology. For e.g., most West European nations and the USA were free democracies and followed capitalist economy.

(ii) In the era of globalisation there is only ‘market economy’. However, the nature of market economy is determined by the countries ideology for e.g., China has a socialist market economy, West European nations are described as ‘welfare market economies’ and USA is considered as ‘capitalist market economy’.

(iii) In most countries, the State has with draws from economic activities and the private sector and profit motive has propelled the economy.

Question 2.
Non-state actors have become irrelevant in the age of globalisation.
Answer:
This statement is False.
(i) Good governance and the participatory State focus on the role of the civil society which includes non-state actors such as NGO’s.

(ii) International relations today, are not only between States but also include non-state actors. These sometimes also pose a challenge to the position of the State. Globalisation has made non-state actors relevant. This includes organisations which are beneficial e.g., NGO’s working for humanitarian issues as well as threatening organisations e.g., terrorist outfits.

3. Explain the correlation between the following.

Question 1.
Globalisation and culture
Answer:
Globalisation refers to the rapid spread of goods and services, technology and information, ideas and culture, trade and interactions across the world. It is the connection of different parts of the world resulting in the expansion of international cultural, informational, economic and political activities. Events in one part of the world have an impact on other parts of the world. Changes have taken place economically and culturally.

Today a ‘global cosmopolitan culture’ has emerged i.e movement of people across the world and public awareness of global issues. This is noticed in matters like values eg secularism, clothing food choices, ways of celebrating festivals, etc. There is international awareness of India’s rich cultural and historical heritage. Similarly, westernisation and urbanisation have influenced Indian society eg breakup of the traditional joint family and rise of individualism and materialism in the country.

Question 2.
GATT and WTO
Answer:
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was signed on 30th October 1947 by 23 countries with the purpose to promote international trade by reducing/eliminating trade barriers such as tariffs or quotas. It came into force on 1st January 1948. It aimed to boost economic recovery after World War II through reconstructing and liberalizing global trade. It introduced the most favoured nation principle. GATT was refined over 8 rounds of negotiations, leading to creation of World Trade Organization (WTO) which replaced GATT on 1st January 1995.

WTO covers services and intellectual property also. It is the international agency overseeing the rules of international trade i.e., it promotes free trade agreements, organizes trade negotiations, settles trade disputes, etc. It’s headquarters is in Geneva. It has 123 member States. The WTO dispute settlement system is faster, more automatic than the GATT system and it’s rulings cannot be blocked.

4. Express your opinion of the following.

Question 1.
Participatory State is beneficial to the society.
Answer:
Participatory State advocates more involved forms of citizen participation and greater political representation than traditional representative democracy. It goes beyond traditional democratic practices wherein decisions are made by the majority. In a participatory State, all sections of the society are involved in the making of policy. Participatory State is beneficial as it gives citizens a central role in public policy through public discussion, negotiations, voting, etc. It emphasizes the importance of making citizens aware and providing for a form of communication which promotes political dialogue.

5. Answer the following question in 80 to 100 words.

Question 1.
What are the positive and negative aspects of Globalisation?
Answer:
Globalisation refers to the rapid spread of goods and services, technology and information, ideas and culture, trade and interactions across the world. It is the connection of different parts of the world resulting in the expansion of international cultural, informational, economic and political activities. In the early 1990s, the term globalisation was used to include economic, political, socio¬cultural, technological and ideological changes that occurred in the world in the post cold war era. The world has become more interconnected due to advances in technology and communication. Events in one part of the world have an impact on other parts of the world. Changes have taken place economically and culturally.

The Positive aspects of globalisation are-

1. It creates more employment opportunities.
2. It encourages free trade.
3. It leads to better choice of goods and services to the consumer.
4. It leads to wider investments in developing countries.
5. It enhances efficiency of the tertiary sector i.e., banking and finance.
6. It increases purchasing power of citizens and enhances their standard of living.
7. It increases labour productivity and reduces capital-output ratio.
8. It helps to increase efficiency in the production system.

The negative aspects of globalisation are-

1. Globalization promotes technological adaption to increase productivity but has also resulted in loss of jobs.
2. Local/small scale industries cannot withstand competition from the MNC’s and may be bought off or shut down.
3. Less developed countries may become dependent on the technologically superior countries.
4. It has caused specialization of labour and so there are few employment opportunities for unskilled labour.
5. It has led to increased gap between rich and poor nations.
6. It may lead to overexploitation of resources and negatively impact the environment.
7. It leads to the harmful effects of consumerism.
8. It may lead to reduction in social welfare schemes in both developed and developing countries.

Activity

Talk to people of the older generation to find out what changes have taken place in the age of globalisation.

Class 12 Political Science Chapter 2 Key Concepts and Issues Since 1991: Globalisation Intext Questions and Answers

Activity (Text Book Page No. 18)

Question 1.
What has been the impact of globalisation on the Indian agricultural sector, especially the small farmer?
Answer:
Globalisation has both positive and negative consequences on Indian agriculture.
The positive consequences are-
(i) Availability of modern agro technologies in pesticides / herbicides, fertilizers, new varieties of high yield seeds to increase food production.
(ii) There are new markets for agricultural products.
(iii) Farmers can sell their goods directly to companies and eliminate the role of middlemen.

The negative effects of globalisation on agriculture are-

1. Farmers are shifting from traditional / mixed cropping to unsustainable cropping practices mainly for cash crops.
2. MNC’s have captured the India market, making farmers dependent on expensive HYV seeds, fertilizers, etc.
3. Small and marginal farmers may not be able to avail of the advantages of globalisation. They may be pushed into debt leading to tragic consequences like farmer suicides.

Question 2.
Find out what the Arab Spring movement was and how social networking was used during that movement. (Text Book Page No. 21)
Answer:
Arab Spring was a series of protests and uprisings against the governments that spread across large parts of the Arab world in the early 2010s. (i.e. December 2010 to December 2012). It began with protests in Tunisia and spread quickly to other countries like Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain. There were riots, civil wars and the main slogan of protestors was “the people want to bring down the regime”.

There were sustained street demonstrations in Iraq, Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, etc. The social media i.e. facebook, etc. was the driving force behind the swift spread of the revolutions. The results of these movements were that regimes of Tunisia (Abidine Ben Ali), Egypt (Hosni Mubarak) Libya (Gaddafi), Yemen (Abdullah Saleh) were ousted while in Syria, Iraq, etc., a full scale civil war resulted. Only in Tunisia, there was a transition to constitutional democratic government.

Question 3.
Find out cases where agitations have used social networking to highlight their demands. (Text Book Page No. 21)
Answer:
Social networking and micro media have aided many protests and agitations. Some examples are:
(i) Arab Spring movements (2010-2012) used media power eg., Facebook to over throw despotic rulers e.g., Gaddafi in Libya or Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.

(ii) In India, the Anti-Corruption Movement led by Anna Hazare (2011) was helped by extensive media coverage and social media posts specially among the youth and students.

(iii) Social networking played a vital role in the “Me Too” movement all over the world to expose workplace sexual harassment especially in the glamour industry.

(iv) Social networking played a major role in galvanising support during the pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong.

(v) Various social media handles fuelled the protests against NRC, CAA, etc., in various States of India.

Question 4.
Can the cooperative movement of India be an answer to the domination of multinational and transnational companies? The philosophy of the cooperative movement is to provide both, empowerment and finance to the members while that of the corporations work on profit motive. Give your opinion on this. (Text Book Page No. 17)
Answer:
Cooperative Movement in India can be traced to the Cooperative Credit Societies Act (1904). India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru had strong faith in the cooperative movement. Hence, cooperatives became an integral part of Five Year Plans in India. In 1958, National Development council recommended setting up of Cooperative Marketing Societies. The major sectors where cooperatives dominate are in dairy, agriculture, banking and rural credit, etc. Article 43, Part IV (DPSP) of the constitution, mentions about promotion of cooperatives mainly in rural areas.

The importance of the cooperative sector.

• it provides agricultural credits where the State and private sectors have not been able to do so.
• it helps to overcome the constraints of agricultural development.
• it provides empowerment to the members.
• it can be an answer to the domination by the MNC’s which work solely on the profit motive. If the problems of cooperatives are overcome, they can strengthen the financial sector and lessen our reliance on MNC’s.