In dealing with social divisions which one of the following statements is NOT correct about democracy?
(a) Due to political competition in a democracy, social divisions get reflected in politics.
(b) In a democracy it is possible for communities to voice their grievances in a peaceful manner.
(c) Democracy is the best way to accommodate social diversity.
(d) Democracy always leads to disintegration of society on the basis of social divisions.
(d) Democracy always leads to disintegration of society on the basis of social divisions. This statement is totally false.
When does a social difference become a social division?
How do social divisions affect politics? Give two examples.
Among the following, which country suffered disintegration due to political fights on the basis of religious and ethnic identities?
(a) Belgium (b) India (c) Yugoslavia (d) Netherlands
Arrange the following statements in a logical sequence and select the right answers by using the code given below.
A. But all political expression of social divisions need not be always dangerous.
B. Social divisions of one kind or the other exist in most countries.
C. Parties try to win political support by appealing to social divisions.
D. Some social differences may result in social divisions.
(a) D, B, C, A (b) D, B, A, C (c) D, A, C, B (d) A, B, C, D
Discuss three factors that determine the outcomes of politics of social divisions.
Consider the following three statements.
A. Social divisions take place when social differences overlap.
B. It is possible that a person can have multiple identities.
C. Social divisions exist in only big countries like India.
Which of the statements is/are correct?
(a) A, B and C (b) A and B (c) B and C (d) Only C
________________ social differences create possibilities of deep social divisions and tensions. ___________________ social differences do not usually lead to conflicts.
In what ways do pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics?
State the various functions political parties perform in a democracy.
How does democracy produce an accountable, responsive and legitimate government?
Writing your own definition of a good democracy.
What are the different forms of power-sharing in modern democracies? Give an example of each of these.
Locate the following States on a blank outline political map of India:
Manipur, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh and Goa.
Mention different aspects of life in which women are discriminated or disadvantaged in India.
Describe the forms of relationship between pressure groups and political parties?
What are the various challenges faced by political parties?
What are the conditions under which democracies accommodate social diversities?
State two reasons to say that caste alone cannot determine election results in India.
State one prudential reason and one moral reason for power-sharing with an example from the Indian context. [CBSE Sept. 2010]
After reading this chapter, three students drew different conclusions. Which of these do you agree with and why ? Give your reasons in about 50 words.
Thomman – Power sharing is necessary only in societies which have religious, linguistic or ethnic divisions.
Mattai – Power sharing is suited only for big countries that have regional divisions.
Ousep – Every society needs some form of power sharing even if they are small or do not have social divisions.
Consider the following two statements.
A. In a federation the powers of the federal and provincial governments are clearly demarcated.
B. India is a federation because the powers of the Union and State Governments are specified in the Constitution and they have exclusive jurisdiction on their respective subjects.
C. Sri Lanka is a federation because the country is divided into provinces.
D. India is no longer a federation because some powers of the States have been devolved to the local government bodies.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) A, B and C (b) A, C and D (c) A and B only (d) B and C only
Features of a democracy.
Mention different aspects of life in which women are discriminated or disadvantaged in India.
Writing your own definition of a good democracy.
In the context of democracies, which of the following ideas is correct – democracies have successfully eliminated:
A. conflicts among people
B. economic inequalities among people
C. differences of opinion about how marginalised sections are to be treated
D. the idea of political inequality
Consider the following statements about power sharing arrangements in Belgium and Sri Lanka :
A. In Belgium the Dutch-speaking majority people tried to impose their domination on the minority French speaking community.
B. In Sri Lanka the policies of the government ensured the dominance of the Sinhala speaking majority.
C. The Tamils in Sri Lanka demanded a federal arrangement of power sharingto protect their culture, language and equality of opportunity in education and jobs.
D. The transformation of Belgium from unitary government to a federal one prevented a possible division of the country on linguistic lines.
Which of the statements given are correct ?
(a) A, B, C and D
(b) A, B, and D
(c) C and D
(d) B, C and D
Consider the following two statements on power-sharing and select the answer using codes given below:
A. Power sharing is good for democracy.
B. It helps to reduce the possibility of conflict between social groups.
Which of the statements are true and false?
(a) A is true but B is false
(b) Both A and B are true
(c) Both A and B are false
(d) A is false but B is true