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NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science Social And Political Life Chapter 4

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4

Civics educates students to participate in public proceedings and discussions about current events. Additionally, students may learn fundamental and civic virtues like voting, giving back to the community, and cooperating with others for the sake of everyone. Students could also pick up tips on actively participating in social life, learning about laws, and making well-informed decisions.

By now,  students must be aware that parliament makes laws. If students have questions like “Do laws apply to everyone?” they may discover the answers in NCERT Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 Solutions- Understanding Laws. How do new laws get passed? Could there be unpopular or controversial laws? What should we do as citizens in such a situation? Therefore, read the notes and comprehend the main points covered in Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 Solutions.

Extramarks has a repository of excellent study materials. Understanding Laws Class 8 Solutions are prepared by Extramarks subject experts. To understand all topics with great clarity taught in class, students are advised to use these NCERT Solutions. As a result, Extramarks Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 Solutions help students understand the key concepts and so that they answer any question with ease.

In addition to NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4, students can take advantage of various study materials available at Extramarks for all classes. Material such as NCERT books, CBSE revision notes, CBSE sample papers, CBSE previous year question papers, and more are readily available at the Extramarks website.

Key Topics Covered in NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4

The following key topics are covered in NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4- Understanding Laws:

  • Introduction 
  • Do Laws Apply to All?
  • How do New Laws Come About?
  • Unpopular and Controversial Laws
  • Conclusion 

Let us look at Extramarks’ in-depth information on each subtopic in NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4- Understanding Laws.

Introduction 

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 introduces what laws are in this section.

Law is nothing more than a set of regulations created by the government or by a society to maintain social peace. Laws help in the efficient operation of society. The parliament in a democracy must make this collection of laws. They have the authority to control members’ behaviour and inflict punishments when violations occur. These laws cannot discriminate against different people. These laws carry severe penalties for any violation.

Do Laws apply to All?

In case you are wondering if the laws are the same for all, NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 explains this in the following section.

  • All citizens residing on the nation’s territory are subject to the same laws. There can be no prejudice based on someone’s gender, caste, or religion.
  • According to the rule, no one is above the law, and everyone is equal before the law. The government officials and employees are also subject to this rule and the country. Every crime or legal infraction carries a penalty and a procedure for proving the offender’s guilt.
  • The British colonialists who introduced the rule of law in India. Historians have disputed this claim on two grounds -Numerous historians have claimed that the colonial law was arbitrary and the Indian nationalists helped in the legal sphere in India.  . An example of arbitrariness is the sedition act of 1870.  Indian nationalists started protesting and denounced them and demonstrated against British regulations.
  • This nationalism also desired more equality and a shift from rules that people had to follow to laws that also incorporated ideals of fairness.
  • Indian legislators also emerged in the nineteenth century and asked for respect in the colonial courts. As a result, the Indians played a  crucial role in the evolution of  India’s legal system. 

What does the term ‘Act’ mean?

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 explains the concept of an ‘Act’ in the following section.

The terms legislation, statute, and law are highly similar to the word “Act” in everyday speech. The Indian Constitution outlines issues and grants the Central Government the authority to enact laws.

For instance, the federal government of India creates laws governing defense and telecommunications. These laws, which the parliament enacts, are also referred to as Central Acts. The legislation should have the President of India’s approval after being approved by the Indian parliament. The act must be published in the Official Gazette as the last step. Until and unless it is published in the Official Gazette, the act is not in effect.

The parliament approved the Information Technology Act and signed by the Indian President on August 15, 2000. On October 17, 2000, the act was published in the Official Gazette. Because this specific act was not in effect in India on October 16, 2000, they would not have been held accountable if someone had broken its rules at that time.

The Indian constitution also outlines concerns and gives states the authority to enact specific legislation. Consider the regulations governing businesses like internet cafés. Such laws, passed by the State Legislature, are also referred to as State laws. The State Governor should sign the act after the State legislature has approved it. At the very last minute, the act must be published in the state’s official gazette to take effect.

When an act is approved by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, the two Houses of Parliament, it becomes a law. The act must then have the President of India’s approval before being published in the Official Gazette.

How do New Laws come about?

If some students are confused or ignorant, how do new laws come into effect? NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 answers this question in the section below. 

  • In establishing legislation, the parliament is important.
  • The parliament’s job is to assess the issues that people confront.
  • Domestic violence laws were put in place to safeguard women’s safety so that they are not abused or hurt by their spouses or any other male family members.
  • The subject of domestic violence was taken before the parliament, which was made into a law and enacted in 2005.
  • Citizens significantly assisted the maintenance of the laws passed by parliament.
  • Newspapers, editorials, television news, biographical articles, meetings, and other public forums allowed residents to express their opinions. This enabled the parliament to create new, open legislation that addressed every issue people faced and be sensitive towards them.

Unpopular and Controversial Laws

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 explains the topic of Unpopular and Controversial laws in the following section.

  • People in democratic India can voice their opinions and desire to abide by laws passed by the parliament.
  • Even if constitutional legislation is legitimate and valid, there are occasions when it is not well received by the public because they believe it was created for unjust or detrimental purposes.
  • Previously, people used to conduct public meetings, report on television news for newspapers, and other methods to oppose the legislation.
  • When a sizable portion of the populace believes that a law approved by the parliament is incorrect or unsatisfactory, they can put pressure on the legislature to amend the legislation.
  • Law applies equally to all communities and groups. It will lead to disagreement and conflict if it supports one community while disdaining the other.
  • If any law is not as per the constitution of India, this law can be declared null and void or modified by the court.
  • The function of citizens in India is to choose their legislators, use the media and newspapers correctly, keep an eye on the kind of  work  the elected ministers are doing and identify blame, if necessary, based on their action. .

Conclusion 

To conclude, NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 states:

  • A country’s parliament is necessary for the creation of its laws. Everyone in the country before the law is equal. 
  • It is our responsibility as citizens of the nation to participate in and understand the laws passed by the parliament. This enables them to perform their representative duties effectively.
  • Citizens can appeal laws that they believe are unfair to the court. If they don’t follow the Indian constitution, the court has the authority to alter them or declare them null and void.
  •  All people are equal in the eyes of the law and no one is above the law. Also, the laws cannot discriminate against individuals on any grounds. People may petition the parliament to have legislation changed or repealed in cases they find it unpopular or unsatisfactory.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 Exercise and Solutions

Subject matter experts have developed NCERT Solutions for each chapter. When studying for exams, these answers are quite useful and come handy during last-minute revision.  A vast repository of study resources are accessible to students once they register themselves on the Extramarks website.

Along with this, students can also refer to other solutions for primary and secondary classes:

Key features of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4

Extramarks leaves no stones unturned while providing the students the access to best study materials. Students get access to various resources, including past years’ exam papers,  exercises and solutions, revision notes, sample papers, and much more. For all subjects and competitive examinations, Extramarks is one-stop solution to all your problems. There are enough reasons  as to why should you choose Extramarks over anything else:

  • NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4 covers all the topics and concepts of the chapter -Understanding the Laws.
  • These solutions help students clear their doubts and practice the exam writing pattern appropriately.
  • The expert faculty at Extramarks follow all guidelines laid by CBSE to draft solutions beneficial to students.
NCERT Solutions Class 8 (Civics – Social and Political Life) Chapter-wise List
Chapter 1 – The Indian Constitution
Chapter 2 – Understanding Secularism
Chapter 3 – Why do we need a Parliament
Chapter 4 – Understanding Laws
Chapter 5 – Judiciary
Chapter 6 – Understanding Our Criminal Justice System
Chapter 7 – Understanding Marginalisation
Chapter 8 – Confronting Marginalisation
Chapter 9 – Public Facilities
Chapter 10 – Law and Social Justice

Q.1 Write in your own words what you understand by the term the ‘rule of law’. In your response include a fictitious or real example of a violation of the rule of law.

Ans. Law is a system of rules, generally imposed through a Government or Institution and is applied to govern people of a nation or region. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways.

The most common example of a violation of the rule of law can be seen on the roads. Traffic rules are broken by motorists and pedestrians. Motorists do not follow speed limits nor do they stop behind the line at traffic signals. Pedestrians hardly use the zebra crossing and cross the road at will which is a cause of danger for themselves and others.

Q.2 State two reasons why historians refute the claim that the British introduced the rule of law in India.

Ans. The two reasons why historians refute the claim that the British introduced the Rule of Law in India are –

  • Colonial law was arbitrary, e.g. Sedition Act of 1870. Any person criticizing British government used to be arrested without proper trial.
  • By the end of the 19th century, the Indian legal profession began emerging and demanded respect in colonial courts. They began to use law to defend the legal rights of Indians. Indian judges began to play a big role in making decisions. Therefore, there were various ways in which Indians played a role in the evolution of the rule of law during the colonial period.

Q.3 Re-read the storyboard on how a new law on domestic violence got passed. Describe in your own words the different ways in which women’s groups worked to make this happen.

Ans. Women’s groups worked hard and untiringly for a new law on domestic violence in the following way –

  • Public protests
  • Hearings
  • Meetings with other organizations
  • Press conferences
  • Petitions to the government to introduce a new reformed bill on domestic violence to include demands like monetary relief and protection against being evicted from the shared household.

Earlier, domestic violence only entailed “injury or harm or threat of injury or harm” by an adult male against a woman. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 extended to include physical, economic, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse.

Q.4 Write in your own words what you understand by the following sentence on page 44-45: They also began fighting for greater equality and wanted to change the idea of law from a set of rules that they were forced to obey, to law as including ideas of justice.

Ans. The British laws were arbitrary and suited their own needs. The best example of British arbitrary rules is the Sedition Act of 1870. Under this act, any Indian who dared to criticise the British government used to be jailed without a fair trial. Thus, Indians were denied justice in their own land.

Indian nationalists wanted laws to be based on the spirit of equality and justice. Many of them took to the legal profession and demanded respect in colonial courts. They fought legal battles to demand justice for Indians. Thus, Indians played a major role in the evolution of rule of law during colonial period.

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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. How is everyone treated relatively under the law?

The law prohibits discrimination based on a person’s caste, religion, or gender. According to the concept of the rule of law, every person within the nation is subject to the same set of rules, and no one is above the law. Nobody is exempt from the law—not even a member of the government,  a wealthy person, or even the nation’s president. Every criminal offense or civil violation has a specified penalty and a process for assessing the offender’s guilt.

2. According to NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Civics Chapter 4, what is the significance of the laws?

The objectives of laws ensure  the prosperity and well-being of the people. They are employed to encourage social change and the creation of a just society. Our constitution regulates our government’s framework, departments, tasks, and powers. The demand for laws to be implemented becomes even more important in a traditionally unequal society like India, where societal evils like dowry, gender-based violence, and alcoholism are prominent. The rule of law guarantees that the government and its people operate effectively.