CBSE Class 10 Political Science (Civics) Chapter 4 Notes – Gender, Religion and Caste:
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CBSE Class 10 Social Science Political Science Revision Notes for the Year 2022-23
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Gender, Religion and Caste Class 10 Notes Political Science (Civics) Chapter 4
Gender Division:
Public / Private division:
- The distinction between the genders is frequently seen as unavoidable and natural.
- It is based on stereotypes and societal expectations rather than biological principles.
- Although women make up half of humanity, female participation in public life, particularly politics, is modest in most nations as a result of this labour division.
- Politics gradually began to address the gender issue. It advocated that women’s political and legal status be improved, as well as their access to education and employment.
Various forms of oppression and discrimination against women exist, some of which are given below:
- Compared to men, who have a literacy rate of 76 per cent, women have only a 54 per cent rate.
- An Indian woman often puts in an hour more each day than the average man, but a majority of her labour is unpaid. Equal pay for equal work is required by the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976.
- Sex-selective abortion decreased the child sex ratio in India (number of girl children per thousand boys)
- Women now feel particularly vulnerable in urban settings.
Women’s Political Representation:
Women’s issues do not receive enough attention. Due to this, many feminists and women’s movements have come to the opinion that women’s issues will not receive enough attention unless they influence the political system.
- 2014 marked the first year when the proportion of elected women in India’s Lok Sabha reached 12 percent of its total membership.
- Having a reasonable percentage of women in elected positions is one strategy to address the issue of women.
- One-third of the seats in local government organisations are set aside for women in Panchayats and Municipalities.
- In both rural and urban local bodies, there are currently more than 10 lakh elected women legislators.
- One societal division that needs to be expressed in politics is the one based on gender.
Religion, Communalism and Politics:
Religion:
Politics is a frequent medium for the expression of religiously-based divisions. There are many distinct religions in India. As members of a religious community, people should be able to express their needs, interests and demands in politics.
Communalism:
Communal politics is the term for the use of religion in politics.
- When one religion’s beliefs are glorified over those of other religions
- Whenever the demands of one religious group conflict with another’s
- When one religious group gains control over all others through the use of state authority.
Communalism can take place in many forms:
- The most notable examples of communalism in common beliefs are religious prejudices, stereotypes about religious groupings, and faith in one’s religion’s superiority over other religions.
- In order to unite members of one religion in the political sphere, religious political mobilisation uses sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeal and plain old fear.
Secular State:
The state of India is secular. Secular states in India include the following, among other things:
- The Indian state has no recognised religion.
- The freedom to profess, practise, and spread any religion—or none at all—is guaranteed to all people by the Constitution.
- Religion-based discrimination is forbidden by the Constitution.
- The Constitution gives the government the right to interfere in religious matters in order to uphold equality in religious communities. It prohibits untouchability, for instance.
Caste and Politics:
Caste is a system for grouping individuals according to their occupations. Due to this structure, groups at the top cannot communicate with groups below them and vice versa. Both politics and caste have advantageous and detrimental features.
Caste inequalities:
In the majority of nations, occupations are traditionally passed down from one generation to the next. As a result of economic development, widespread urbanisation, rising literacy and education levels, more employment mobility and the deteriorating standing of landowners in communities, the ancient notions of caste hierarchy are collapsing. The Indian Constitution forbade caste-based discrimination and laid the foundation for measures to address the unfairness of the system.
Caste in politics:
In politics, caste can take many different forms:
- Political parties typically make sure that representatives of various castes and tribes find a place in it when choosing their candidates or when governments are created.
- In order to win elections, political parties and politicians pander to caste resentment.
- Political parties emphasise caste-based concerns during elections to win support because the “one man, one vote” system or adult franchise has given the voter a significant amount of power.
- Political parties have raised voter rights and power awareness among members of lower castes.
Politics in caste:
Politics has an impact on the caste system and caste identities since they are involved in politics. Some of the instances are given below:
- By absorbing neighbouring castes or subcastes, each caste group hopes to increase in size.
- Different caste groupings are created, and after that, they interact with other castes or communities and negotiate.
- New caste groups, such as “backwards” and “forward” have appeared in the political sphere.
Important Question and Answer:
Q1. How is caste present in politics?
Answer: Caste in politics can take many different forms:
- As a basis for choosing a certain candidate to vote for
- Caste-based electoral politics and political parties that support particular castes.
- Political organisations are viewed as representatives of various castes.
- In order to win elections, political parties recruit caste-based support.
Q2. Describe how India is a secular state.
Answer: The following constitutional clauses declare India to be a secular state.
- No recognised state religion exists.
- Communities and individuals are free to practise, profess and propagate any religion they choose, or no religion at all.
- The state outlaws discrimination based on religion.
Q3. Describe communal politics and its consequences.
Answer: Communal politics refers to the use of state power by one religious group to exert dominance over another.
Some of the results of communal politics are as follows:
- A desire for political domination based on religious identity.
- Religious leaders use religious identities and symbols to enlist support for one party or cause.
- Members of various beliefs viciously fight among themselves. The partition of India and other violent activities have caused a significant loss of life and property.
Did You Know:
- Each caste strives to enlarge itself by absorbing neighbouring castes or subcastes.
- The terms “backward” and “forward” caste groups describe two new types of caste groups in politics.
- There isn’t a recognised religion in India.
- The Indian Constitution clearly forbids discrimination on the basis of religion.
- In order to ensure equality within religious communities, government involvement in religious matters is permissible.
- Communalism develops in its deadliest forms through riots, massacres and other acts of communal violence.