Political Science (Term II)

Concept: European integration after 1945 was encouraged by the US as part of its Cold War strategy.
Step 1 – Marshall Plan (from 1947): the US gave huge economic aid to revive Western European economies. To manage this aid the OEEC was set up in 1948, which made European states plan and cooperate on trade and economic matters together.
Step 2 – NATO (1949): the US built a collective security system for Western Europe, so these countries no longer feared each other or the Soviet Union and could focus on economic cooperation.
Each step with a one-line explanation earns 1 mark.
Common mistake: naming only 'Marshall Plan' without saying what it did.

Meaning: Vision 2020 is ASEAN's long-term plan that defines an outward-looking role for the organisation in the international community (1 mark).
It builds on ASEAN's existing approach of encouraging talks and negotiation rather than confrontation in settling conflicts in the region (1 mark).
Examples to support: ASEAN helped mediate an end to the Cambodian conflict and the East Timor crisis, and holds annual meetings on East Asian cooperation.

Example 1: Soon after Pakistan adopted its first Constitution, General Ayub Khan took control of the government and later got himself elected; he stepped down only when public anger against his rule grew.
Example 2: His exit was followed by another army takeover under General Yahya Khan, who ruled under martial law (Bangladesh crisis 1971).
Other valid examples: General Zia-ul-Haq overthrew the elected Bhutto government in 1977; General Pervez Musharraf removed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999.
Any two examples, 1 mark each.

Reason 1: Since independence, Sri Lankan politics has been dominated by forces representing the interests of the majority Sinhala community.
Reason 2: These forces were hostile to the large Tamil population (including Tamils who had migrated from India); Sinhala nationalists felt Sri Lanka belonged only to the Sinhalas and no concessions should be given to Tamils.
Result: neglect of Tamil concerns led to militant Tamil groups (LTTE) demanding a separate Tamil Eelam.
Any two reasons, 1 mark each.

South Asia usually includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives; Afghanistan and Myanmar are sometimes also included (Afghanistan is a SAARC member).
Any four correct names, ½ mark each.

Cause 1 – Technology of communication: inventions such as the telegraph, telephone, microchip and internet let ideas, capital and information move across the world instantly.
Cause 2 – Faster transport: cheaper and quicker movement of goods and people links markets of different countries.
Also valid: rise of digital technology; awareness of world interconnectedness (events in one part of the world affect others).
Any two causes, 1 mark each.

Reason 1: Conflict between Indira Gandhi and the 'Syndicate', a group of powerful senior Congress leaders who wanted to control her.
Reason 2: In the 1969 Presidential election the Syndicate made N. Sanjeeva Reddy the official Congress candidate against Indira Gandhi's wishes. She supported the independent V.V. Giri and called for a 'conscience vote'; Giri won, the official candidate lost, and the party formally split into Congress (O) and Congress (R).
Also valid: differences over economic policies such as bank nationalisation.
Any two, 1 mark each.

Point 1: JP called for a total change of the individual, society and the State, not just a change of government.
Point 2: It aimed at moral, cultural, economic, political and ecological transformation together.
Point 3: It included ideas such as the right to recall elected representatives, strong village/mohalla committees, and asking the people to join a struggle for clean politics.
Any two points, 1 mark each.

Main reason: the government was formed by parties with different ideologies that came together mainly to keep the Congress out of power, so they lacked a common programme and agreement on policies.
Supporting point: regional parties in the coalition pursued their own interests and leaders competed for power.
For the National Front government (1989), implementing the Mandal Commission recommendations caused nationwide protests and violence, and differences among supporting parties brought it down.
(The 1977 Janata government also collapsed because of internal leadership rivalry and lack of a common direction.)
Any two points, 1 mark each.

Consequence 1 – Greater economic flows: globalisation has increased the movement of goods, capital and services between countries; developing countries were pushed (often through IMF/WTO) to open their economies.
Consequence 2 – Reduced restrictions: many countries lowered or removed barriers on imports, so trade expanded and consumers got more choice.
Consequence 3 – Investment flows: investors from rich countries can now invest in developing countries, which brings capital and technology.
Consequence 4 – Jobs: new job avenues have opened in some sectors, though critics say benefits are unequal and the poor may lose protection as welfare spending shrinks.
Any two, explained, 2 marks each.

Excess 1 – Preventive detention: thousands of opposition workers and leaders were arrested without trial; courts could not hear their petitions.
Excess 2 – Curbs on the press: censorship was imposed; newspapers had to get approval before publishing.
Excess 3 – Compulsory family planning: forced sterilisation drives were carried out, especially in North India.
Excess 4 – Demolition drives: slums and homes were cleared in cities like Delhi (e.g. Turkman Gate), displacing the poor.
Excess 5 – Torture and custodial deaths were reported (later examined by the Shah Commission).
Any four, 1 mark each.

(i) In 1952 Jammu and Kashmir was governed by the National Conference under Sheikh Abdullah, not by the Congress – letter C.
(ii) In 1957 the Communist Party of India won in Kerala and E.M.S. Namboodiripad formed the first elected communist government – letter D.
(iii) In the 1967 elections K. Kamaraj, the Congress President, lost his seat in Tamil Nadu (Madras State) as the DMK swept the State – letter B.
(iv) 'Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram' comes from Haryana, where MLA Gaya Lal changed parties three times in a fortnight in 1967 – letter A.
1 mark per correct row.

Step 1 – Ending isolation: in 1972 China opened relations with the United States, ending its political and economic isolation.
Step 2 – Four modernisations: in 1973 Premier Zhou Enlai proposed modernisation in four areas – agriculture, industry, science and technology, and the army.
Step 3 – Open door policy (1978): Deng Xiaoping announced reforms to attract foreign capital and technology; China followed its own path instead of 'shock therapy'.
Step 4 – Privatisation: agriculture was privatised in 1982 and industry in 1998, raising production and rural incomes.
Step 5 – SEZs: trade barriers were removed in Special Economic Zones where foreign firms could set up; FDI poured in and China became a major manufacturing and export hub; it joined the WTO in 2001.
Any four steps, 1½ marks each.

Factor 1 – Economic size: the EU's economy was the largest in the world in 2005, with a GDP slightly larger than that of the USA.
Factor 2 – Trade: its share of world trade is about three times that of the United States, giving it strong bargaining power (e.g. in WTO talks with the US and China).
Factor 3 – Political influence: EU members hold permanent seats in the UN Security Council (France, and the UK at the time of the textbook) and many non-permanent seats, so it influences US and world policies.
Factor 4 – Military strength: the combined armed forces of EU members are the second largest in the world, and two members (Britain, France) had nuclear weapons.
Factor 5 – Currency: the euro is strong enough to pose a challenge to the dominance of the US dollar.
Any four, 1½ marks each.

Area 1 – Economic policy: though many groups opposed them, most parties accepted the new economic policies of liberalisation and globalisation as the way to make India prosperous.
Area 2 – Backward castes: all major parties accepted the social and political claims of the backward castes and supported reservation in education and jobs for OBCs; they compete to share power with these groups.
Area 3 – Role of State parties: the difference between national and regional parties narrowed; State parties became partners in coalition governments at the Centre.
Area 4 – Pragmatism over ideology: alliances are formed on practical considerations; e.g. many parties that did not share the BJP's ideology joined the NDA.
Also valid: broad agreement on the main lines of foreign policy.
Any three, 2 marks each.

Change 1 (2 marks): After the 2014 Lok Sabha election, in which one party (BJP) won a majority on its own for the first time since 1984, the focus of politics moved away from identity (caste and religion) towards development and good governance.
Change 2 (2 marks): Economic and welfare schemes were designed to reach ordinary people directly, often through bank accounts and digital delivery, and the poor and women became a key constituency.
Welfare schemes benefiting women (1 mark each, any two): Beti Bachao Beti Padhao; Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (free LPG connections); Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (maternity benefit); Jan Dhan Yojana (bank accounts); Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (household toilets); PM Awas Yojana (houses in women's names); Rashtriya Mahila Kosh; STEP training scheme.