CBSE Class 10 Social Science Political Science Revision Notes Chapter 3

Q.1 Discuss three factors that determine the outcomes of politics of social division.

Ans. The three factors which are important for deciding the outcomes of politics of social divisions:-

(i) How people perceive their identities:-
If people see their identities in singular & exclusive terms it becomes difficult to accommodate. It is much easier if the people see that their identities are multiple & are complementary with the national identity Eg. Majority of people in Belgium now think that they are as much Belgian as German or Dutch speaking.

(ii) How political leaders raise the demands of a community:-
It is easier to accommodate demands that are within the constitutional framework & are not at the cost of another community. e.g. Demand of only ‘Sinhali’ was at the cost of the interest of Tamil community in Sri Lanka.

(iii) How government reacts to demands of difference group:-
As in case of Belgium & Sri Lanka, if the rulers are willing to share power & accommodate the reasonable demands of minority social division become less threatening for country. But it the suppress their demands the results may be opposite.Such attempts to forced integration often sow the seeds of disintegration.

Q.2 Distinguish between direct & indirect democracy.

Ans. Democracy is a govt. of the people, by the people, for the people, It is divided into 2 categories.

Q.3 Mention three elements which show the basic unity in India.

Ans. Following are the three elements:-

i) Cultural unity – Since ancient times we have emphasized tolerance, freedom & love for the world peace which is evident in literature art & philosophy of the country.

ii) Unity in languages – for ages Sanskrit was the language for scholars then, come Hindi & English as the link language in India & the world. India’s constitution has recognized numerous languages with respect to each & every lingual diversity.

iii) Unity among religions – India has declared its religion to be a secular nation as all religions in India have one Indian spirit that is non-violence, peaceful co-existence & universal brotherhood.

Q.4 Discuss overlapping & cross-cutting differences.
Ans. Cross-cutting difference happen when one type of social difference is weakened by another set of social difference then it becomes difficult to group people into a single category as they have different opinion and views.
Overlapping difference happens when one type of social difference is joined and further reinforced by another set of social difference. It leads to further division in the society due to multiple social differences. The probability of social conflict is higher in the case of overlapping difference than in cross-cutting social difference.

Q.5 How are politics & social difference in a society related to each other?
Ans. In a democracy there is generally more than one party for election. There is competition among parties & people have option at time of voting. Thus, political parties try to influence & impress the voters by making promises. Since, some kind of social divisions exist in all societies; there is a probability that the political parties might use these divisions for their own benefit. They can favour a particular social group; they promise them growth in the future. This ensures their vote bank but in a long run it is very dangerous for the unity of a country as it creates distrust in the society.

Q.6 Are all social differences based on accident by birth?

Ans. No, all the social differences are not based on accident by birth, though we cannot choose to be in which culture or family to be born in or as male or female. However, some social differences are due to a person’s own choice. He can choose any religion to follow & what to study in his life. Those decisions are not based on accident by birth.

Q.7 Do all social differences lead to social divisions?

Ans. No, every social difference does not lead to social divisions. Social differences also unite people as some can weaken other social differences (cross-cutting differences) and they may behave as one community or a united group.
E.g.: In Mexico Olympic games of 1968 Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who were African–Americans, and Peter Norman of Australia, who was white, together stood against racial discrimination.

Q.8 Is it possible for a person to have multiple identities?

Ans. Yes, it is possible as identity means differentiating factor in respect of religion, language or culture. People belonging to the same religion may belong to different castes or sects. People belonging to same family may not keep close relation due to the differences in income.

Q.9 Do social differences happen only in big countries like India?
Ans. No, it is not a true statement as social division happens due to various social differences based on race, religion, language etc. it depends on the social diversity of the population. Eg. A small country like Belgium is very diverse as it has Dutch, French & German speakers.

Q.10 When does a social difference become a social division?

Ans. A social difference means that difference in the group of people due to their race, religion, language or culture. It becomes a social division when some social differences are joined by another set of social differences eg. The difference in the blacks & whites in America is due to their difference of race which is a social difference, it becomes a social division when income factors are also observed. The blacks tend to be poor, while the whites are usually rich which creates a social division.

Q.11 Define Civil rights.

Ans. Civil rights : Refers to a set of movement in US movements and reform movements which aimed at abolishing legal racial discrimination against African-American. This was led by Martin Luther King who practiced non-violent methods of civil disobedience against racially discriminately laws & practices. It was held under the following four categories
(a) Racial
b) voter
c) Denial of segregation, suppression of economic opportunity. d) Private acts of violence & mass racial violence which was often encouraged by the government.

Q.12 Define Black Movement.
Ans. Black Movement: A political movement in late 1960’s that aimed to express a new consciousness among blacks in the US. It’s objective was to make the blacks advance their own values & secure their own well being rather than letting others to shape their future.

Q.13 Who are ‘American Africans’?
Ans. American African: They are the people in the Americas esp. in USA whose ancestors or forefathers were born in Sub-Sahara Africa. A majority of them were brought to America as slaves between 17^th and early 19^th century.

Q.14 Define the ‘Homogeneous Society’.
Ans. Homogeneous Society: It is the one whose residents are similar in respect of religion, culture & language with no major social & ethnic differences.

Q.15 How do social divisions affect politics and vice versa? State this by taking the case of Northern Ireland and U.K.

Ans. i) Northern Ireland, a region of the United Kingdom has been, for many years, the site of a violent and bitter ethno-political conflict.
ii) Its population is divided into two major sects of Christianity: 53 per cent are Protestants, while 44 per cent are Roman Catholics.
iii) The Catholics were represented by Nationalist parties who demanded that Northern Ireland be unified with the Republic of Ireland, a predominantly Catholic country.
iv) The Protestants were represented by Unionists who wanted Northern Ireland to remain with the U.K., which is predominantly Protestant.
v) Hundreds of civilians, militants and security forces were killed in the fight between Unionists and Nationalists, and between the security forces of the U.K. and the Nationalists.
vi) It was only in 1998, that the U.K. government and the Nationalists reached a peace treaty, after which the latter suspended their armed struggle.

Q.16 Explain the factors that determine the outcomes of the politics of social divisions.

Ans. The factors which are important for deciding the outcomes of politics of social divisions are:

(i) How people perceive their identities:-
If people see their identities in singular and exclusive terms, it becomes difficult to accommodate. As long as people in Northern Ireland saw themselves as only Catholic or Protestant, their differences were difficult to reconcile. It is much easier if the people see that their identities are multiple & are complementary with the national identity. E.g., Most Belgians now feel that they are as much Belgian as they are Dutch or German-speaking.

This helps them to stay together.

(ii) How political leaders raise the demands of a community:-
It is easier to accommodate demands within the constitutional framework and is not at the cost of another community. e.g. Demand for only ‘Sinhali’ was at the cost of the Tamil community’s interest in Sri Lanka. In Yugoslavia, the leaders of different ethnic communities presented their demands so that these could not be accommodated within a single country.

(iii) How the government reacts to the demands of different groups:-

As in the case of Belgium and Sri Lanka, if the rulers are willing to share power & accommodate the reasonable demands of the minority, social divisions become less threatening for the country. But if they try to suppress their demands, the results may be the opposite. Such attempts at forced integration often sow the seeds of disintegration.

Q.17 During the medal ceremony of the 200 meters race in the 1968 Olympics. The two U.S. athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, stood with clenched fists upraised and heads bowed, while the American national anthem was played. They were AFRICAN-AMERICANS. They had won the gold and bronze medals respectively. They received their medals wearing black socks and no shoes to represent Black poverty. With this gesture, they tried to draw international attention to racial discrimination in the United States. The black-gloved and raised clenched fists were meant to symbolize BLACK POWER. The Australian athlete, Peter Norman, wore a human rights badge on his shirt during the ceremony to show his support to the two Americans.

1. Identify the medal won by Peter Norman:
a. Silver
b. Bronze
c. Gold
d. None of the above

2. ‘The Black Power movement’ was started in the year: –
a. 1954
b. 1955
c. 1966
d. 1968

3. Who won the gold medal in the 200 meters race in the 1968 Olympics, held in Mexico City?
a. Tommie Smith
b. John Carlos
c. Norman
d. Josh Harris

4. Tommie Smith and John Carlos received medals while wearing black socks, without shoes, to represent:
a. Black Power
b. Black Poverty
c. Black backwardness
d. None of the above

5. Name the place where the Olympic games were held in the year 1968.
a. Paris
b. Brussels
c. London
d. Mexico City

6. Who wore human rights badge to support the U.S.A. athletes?
a. Peter Norman
b. Josh Harris
c. Donald Duct
d. Alex Hartmann

Ans. 1.
a. Peter Norman won the silver medal in the Olympics of 1968.

2.
c. The Black Power movement emerged in 1966 and lasted till 1975. It was a militant, anti-racist movement, advocating violence to end racism in the U.S.

3.
a. Tommie Smith won the gold medal in the 200 meters race in the 1968 Olympics, held in Mexico City.

4.
a. Tommie Smith and John Carlos received medals while wearing black socks, without shoes, to represent black poverty.

5.
d. The Olympics of 1968 was held in Mexico City.

6.
a. The Australian athlete, Peter Norman, wore a human rights badge on his shirt during the ceremony to show his support to the two American athletes.

Q.18 Read the source given below and answer the following questions
In Northern Ireland, class and religion overlap with each other. Catholics are more likely to be poor and have suffered a history of discrimination. In the Netherlands, class, and religion tend to cut across each other. Catholics and Protestants are about equally likely to be poor or rich. The result is that Catholics and Protestants have had conflicts in Northern Ireland, while they do not do so in the Netherlands. Overlapping social differences create possibilities of deep social divisions and tensions. Cross-cutting social differences are easier to accommodate. Social divisions of one kind or another exist in most countries. Countries such as Germany and Sweden, which were once highly HOMOGENEOUS, are undergoing rapid change with the influx of people from other parts of the world. MIGRANTS bring with them their own culture and tend to form a different social community.

1. Which type of social difference is easier to accommodate in democracy?
a. Overlapping differences
b. Cross-cutting differences
c. Cultural differences
d. Economic differences

2. In Northern Ireland, name the two elements that overlap with each other.
a. Class and religion
b. Caste and religion
c. Class and religion
d. Language and culture

3. ………………………… social differences create deep division in society.
a. Regional differences
b. Overlapping differences
c. Cross-cutting differences
d. Cultural differences

4. Name the religion that is prominent in Northern Ireland and the Netherlands:
a. Zoroastrianism
b. Judaism
c. Christianity
d. Islam

5. A society that has similar kind of people is known as:
a. Immigrant
b. Homogenous
c. Heterogeneous
d. Migrant

6. Which country disintegrated into six republic countries due to political, religious, and ethnic competition?
a. Estonia
b. Yugoslavia
c. Northern Ireland
d. Sri Lanka

Ans. 1.
a. Cross-cutting social differences are easier to accommodate in a democracy.

2.
c. In Northern Ireland, class and religion overlap with each other. People are Christians, but belong to different groups: Catholics and Protestants. These groups are further divided, based on their wealth, because Protestants are richer than Catholics.

3.
b. Overlapping differences are those social differences in which one set of social differences is associated with another set of social differences through which social divisions emerge in society. It is not easy to handle these types of differences because these can lead to tension and distrust in society. So social divisions in society occur due to overlapping differences.

4.
c. Christianity is prominent in Northern Ireland and the Netherlands.

5.
b. A society that has similar kind of people is known as a homogenous society.

6.
b. Yugoslavia disintegrated into six republic countries due to political, religious, and ethnic competitions.