AMEND EDUCATION ACADEMY Class 10 Chapter 3 - Democracy And Diversity NCERT Notes Important questions

AMEND EDUCATION ACADEMY  Class 10   Chapter 3 - Democracy And Diversity

Social division:- Division of the society on the basis of language, region, caste, colour or race and sex. It signifies linguistic and regional diversity. Social differences:- Social differences are the situations where the people are discriminated against on the basis of social, economic and racial inequality. It gives way to social diversity which is different from society to society. The black power: It was a movement started by black people in 1966 against racialism and the practice of apartheid. It was a militant movement advocating even violence if necessary to end racism in the US. Overlapping differences: Social differences which overlap other differences are known as overlapping differences e.g., difference between the blacks and whites became a social division in US because the Blacks tend to be poor homeless and discriminated against.

Cross-Cutting Differences: If social differences cross cut one another, it is known as cross cutting differences. In another way in this situation groups that share a common interest on one issue are likely to be in different sides on a different issue.

Homogenous Society:- Homogenous society signifies absence of significant ethnic differences. It is a society that has similar kinds of people or inhabitants. Migrants: Anybody who shifts from one region or country to another region within a country or to another country for the purpose of work or other economic opportunities. Minority: It refers to community who are less than half of the total population of the country. The idea of minority at national level is totally different from what it is at state level.

Diversity in Society:

The presence of different socio-economic group, different religious groups, different linguistic groups, different cultural groups and different caste groups can be termed as diversity in society.

India is a perfect example of diverse nation. In India, people of almost all major religion of this world can be found. There are thousands of languages, variety of food habits, all hues of costumes and myriad variety of cultures and subcultures in India.

Q.1.  ‘Most of the social differences are based on accident of birth.’ Explain.

Ans. The social differences are mostly based on accident of birth. Normally, we don’t choose to belong to our community. We belong to it simply because we were born to it. We all experience social differences based on accident of birth in our everyday lives. People around us are male or female, they are tall and short, have different kinds of complexions, or have different physical abilities or disabilities.

Q.2.  What is a homogenous society? Give two examples.

Ans. A society that has similar kinds of people, especially where there are no significant ethnic differences. For example, Germany and Sweden.

Q.3.  Mention one impact of migration.

Ans. The process of migration is converting the homogeneous countries into heterogeneous countries because migrants bring with them their own culture, and tend to form a different social community.

Q. 4 How are the social divisions reflected in politics? Explain.

Ans.1. Political parties talk about social divisions, make different promises to different communities, look after due representation of various communities, and make policies to redress the grievances of the disadvantaged communities.
2. Social divisions affect voting in most countries. People from one community tend to prefer a party more than others. In many countries, there are parties that focus only on one community.

Q. 5. Name the two athletes who raised the issue of Civil Rights in the Mexico Olympics. What methods were used by them?

Ans. Tommie Smith and John Carlos
1. They received their medals without shoes, but with socks to represent Black poverty.
2. Smith wore a black scarf around his neck to represent Black pride.
3. Carlos wore a string of beads to commemorate Black People, who had been killed.

Q. 6.  ‘Overlapping social differences create possibilities of deep social divisions and tensions.’ Explain.

Ans. 1. When one social difference overlaps another difference, it is known as overlapping social difference.
2. Overlapping social differences between Blacks and Whites became a social division in the United States. Overlapping social difference became the main factor for the Black Power Militant Movement.
3. Even in India, Dalits face discrimination and injustice. These kinds of situations produce social divisions which are harmful for democracy and weaken the basic foundation of democracy.

Q. 7. Explain the overlapping and cross-cutting differences.

Ans. Overlapping differences1. These social divisions take place when some social differences overlaps with many other differences.
2. The difference between the Blacks and Whites becomes a social division in the United States because historically most of the Blacks are poor, homeless and discriminated.
3. In India, the Dalits tend to be poor and landless. They often face discrimination and injustice.
4. These kinds of situation produce social divisions which are harmful for democracy, and weaken the basic foundation of democracy.
5. When one kind of social difference become more important than any other, and people start feeling that, they belong to different communities then this can lead to the disintegration of the country.

Cross-cutting differences

1. Under cross cutting differences, people share common interest on one issue but are likely to be on different side on another issue.
2. Cross-cutting social differences are easier to accommodate.
3. Netherland and Northern Ireland are Christian countries divided into Catholics and Protestants.
4. In Netherland class and religion tend to cut across each other. This means Catholics and the Protestants are about equally likely to be poor or rich.

Q. 8. What are the bases of social differences?

Ans. Social Differences are based on two main factors:
1. On the basis of accident of Birth
2. On the basis of our choices.

Differences on the basis of Birth

1. Normally we don’t choose to belong to our community. We belong to it simply because we are born into it.
2. People around us, have different physical abilities or disabilities.

Differences on the basis of choices

1. Some people are atheists. They don’t believe in god or any religion.
2. Some people choose to follow a religion other than the one in which they are born.
3. Most of us choose what to study, which occupation to take up and which games or cultural activities to take part in.

Q. 9 How do social divisions affect politics?

Ans. Negative Impact1. It would appear that the combination of politics and social divisions is very dangerous and explosive.
2. Democracy involves competition among various political units/parties. Their competition tends to divide the society.
3. If they start competing in terms of some existing social divisions it can make social division into political divisions and lead to conflict, violence or even disintegration of a country.

Positive Impact

1. At the same time every expression of social divisions in politics does not lead to such disasters because wherever social divisions exist, they are reflected in politics.
2. In democracy political parties would talk about these divisions, they make different promises to different communities, look after due representation of various communities.
3. Social divisions also affect voting in most countries. People from one community tend to prefer some party more than others.

Q. 10. What are the three determinants to accommodate social divisions in politics?

Ans .
1. Role of Identity:- Outcome depends on how people perceive their identities. If people see their identities in singular and exclusive terms, it becomes very difficult to accommodate.
2. Role of community and culture:- The outcome depends on how political leaders raise the demands of any community. It is easier to accommodate demands that are within the constitutional framework and are not at the cost of another community.
3. The role of political party and government:- In another way political outcome of social divisions depends on how the government reacts to demands of different groups. This is very much observed in Belgium and Sri Lanka. If the rulers are willing to share power and accommodate the reasonable demands of minority community, social divisions becomes less threatening for the country.

Discuss three factors that determine the outcomes of politics of social divisions.
Answer: Political manifestation of social diversity depends on three factors, which are as follows:

How people perceive their identities. If people see their identity in singular or exclusive term, it becomes difficult to accommodate social diversity.

How political leaders raise the demands of any community.

How the government reacts to the demands of a community. If the government accommodates the demand of a particular community in a justified way, it does wonders for the politics.

When does a social difference become a social division?
Answer: When social difference leads to exclusionist approach among people. It leads to social division. In case of India, the upper caste people had historically controlled almost all the resources and had tried to exclude the dalits and lower caste people from enjoying the benefits of economic development. This led to social division in the country.

How do social divisions affect politics? Give two examples.
Answer: Politics of a country cannot remain untouched by social divisions. Political parties will always try to represent some social community and would continue to raise their voices. This results in emergence of a leader or a political group which represents a particular social group. For example; the emergence of BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) happened because its founders took up the cause of the dalits.

Q. ARE SOCIAL DIVISIONS ARE DANGEROUS OR NORMAL & HEALTHY?
In a democracy political expression of the social divisions is very normal and can be healthy as….
--It allows various disadvantaged and marginal social groups to express their grievances and get govt. to attend to these.
--The expression of various kinds of social divisions in politics often result in cancelling one another out and thus reducing their intensity. This leads to strengthening of a democracy.
--People who feel marginalized, deprived and discriminated have to fight against the injustices and such fights often takes the democratic path, voicing their demands in a peaceful & constitutional manner and seeking a fair position through the elections.
--sometimes these social differences can take a form of the unacceptable level of social inequality and injustice. The struggle against such inequalities sometimes take the path of violence and defiance of state power.