Important Questions: Security in the Contemporary World | Political Science Class 12 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Very  Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: Mention any two components of India’s security
Ans:

• India has built up its military strength and capabilities.
• India has strengthened international institutions, international norms, international laws.

Q2: Define security.
Ans: According to Palmer and Perkins, “Security clearly implies measures for dealing with a threat to peace.”

Q3: Define Cooperative Security.
Ans: Cooperation among states, NGOs, Non-state sectors, and international organizations on security issues is called Cooperative Security.

Q4: Why human security is more important in the contemporary world than territorial security?
Ans: Human security is more important in the present world than territorial security because the state exists for the protection and welfare of the people.

Q5: How is the balance of power a component of traditional security?
Ans: Balance of power as the maintenance of such just equilibrium between the members of the family of nations as should prevent any of them from becoming sufficiently strong to impose its will upon the rest.

Q6: Explain the importance of ‘Arms control’ or a measure of traditional security?
Ans: We can maintain international peace and security very reliable through arms control.

Q7: What is meant by ‘Human Security’?
Ans: Human security means in simple words freedom from threats. Only those things that threaten the core values is a threat to security.

Q8: State the main objectives of the ‘Human Rights Watch’.
Ans: The main objective of the Human rights watch is to draw the global media’s attention to human rights abuses.

Q9: Define security.
Ans: Security is an essence for existence of human life to protect from threats either external or internal.

Q10: What is meant by disarmament?
Ans: Disarmament bounds states to give up certain kinds of weapons to avoid mass- destruction through signing various treaties.

Q11: Mention any two human rights in political field. 
Ans:

• Freedom of speech and expression
• Freedom to assemble in a peaceful manner.

Q12: Define cooperative security.
Ans: Cooperative security is the involvement of international cooperation depending on the nature of the threat and the willingness and ability of countries to respond.

Q13: Which is the greatest danger to a security as per traditional notion of security?
Ans: It is from military threats which lies in another country to endanger the core values of sovereignty, independence and territorial integration of a country.

Q14: Why human security is more important in the contemporary world than territorial security?weapon. It is a war against democracy and a crime against humanity:
(i) Terrorism refers to political violence to target civilians deliberately and indiscriminately.
(ii) Civilians are targeted to be terrorised to use it as a weapon into this war.
(iii) Even, the US superpower could not escape itself from terrorism and it became a global phenomenon i.e. terrorist attack on World Trade Tower on 11th September 2001
Ans: Human security is about the protection of people more than protection of states because, during the last 100 years more people have been killed by their own governments than by foreign armies:
(i) Protecting citizens from foreign attack ‘
(ii) Security from violent threats
(iii) Security from threats to human dignity.

Q15: What is Global Security?
Ans: Global Security implies protection from threats which may have effect on people and states globally. It emerged in 1990 to respond global warming, terrorism, health epidemics etc.

Q16: What is Global Poverty?
Ans: Global Poverty signifies a condition available in the states to be suffered from low incomes and less economic growth i.e. developing or underdeveloped countries.

Q17: Is the same notion of security applicable to all the states?
Ans: All states do not experience the same threats at a time, hence security is grouped into two as per requirements:

• Traditional conception
• Non-traditional conception

Q18: Suggest any one effective step which would limit war or violence between countries.
Ans: An effective step may be in the form of cooperative security only that involves international cooperation which may be bilateral, regional, continental or global which depends on the nature of the threat and the willingness, and ability of countries to respond to limit war or violence cooperative security place at national and international levels.

Q19: Highlight any two threats of a country’s security at per traditional notion of security. 
Or
Explain traditional concept of security.
Ans: The “Traditional Notion of Security” covers both the external and internal threats of a country’s security. External threats consist of four components i.e. military threats, threat of war, balance of power, alliance building. Internal threats include maintenance of internal peace and order and recognise cooperative security to limit violence.

Q20: Write a note on Human Security.
Ans: Human Security refers to the protecting people more than protection of states which includes:

• To protect citizens from foreign attack.
• To secure people from violence.
• To protect from individual economic threats.
• To protect human dignity also.

Q21: What is military threat?
Ans: Military threat refers to military action from another country to endanger the core values of country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.Military action often targets the men and women i.e. ordinary citizens.

Q22: Mention some human rights.
Ans: Human rights are the basic conditions which an individual is supposed to be entitled as a human being for all round
 development. These rights have been categorised as follows:

• Political rights
• Freedom of speech and expression
• Freedom to assemble in a peaceful manner.
• Economic rights
• Social and civil rights
• Rights of indigenous minorities

Q23: Human security stresses on “freedom from want” and “freedom from fear”. Justify the statement.
Ans: 

• ‘Freedom from want’ refers to economic equality i.e. equal opportunity and economic privileges.
• ‘Freedom from fear’ refers to protection from hunger, disease, natural disaster, military threats, genocide and terrorism.

Q24:  Explain Non-traditional concept of security.
Ans: Non-traditional concept of security includes human and global security covering a wide range of threats affecting human existence:

• It does not cover the states only but also the individual and communities.
• It emphasises on security on nature of threat and right approach to deal with the threat.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q25: What is meant by alliance-building as a component of traditional Security Policy? What are its advantages?
Ans: Alliance building is a very important component of traditional Security Policy. The most commonly applied technique for the maintenance of the balance of power is the system of the alliance. This system is as old as the known history of States. According to Morgenthau, “Alliances are necessary for the function of the balance of power operating within a multiple state system”.

Q26: State the various components of India’s security strategy
Ans:

• India has built up its military strength and capabilities.
• India has strengthened international institutions, international norms, international laws, etc.
• India adopted a firm policy to deal with militant groups, separatism, etc., of Mizoram, Nagaland, etc.
• Construction on Socioeconomic development is another component of India’s security system.

Q27: Examine four important components of the traditional notion of security.
Ans:

• Balance of power is a component of traditional security. The best way of maintaining a balance of power is to build up one’s military powers.
• Alliance building is another traditional component of security. For example, the NATO established by the U.S.A. and the Warsaw Pact created by the U.S.S.R. This system is as old as the known history of States. According to Morgenthau, “Alliances are necessary for the function of the balance of power operating within a multiple state system.”
• Security Policy is concerned with preventing war which is called deterrence.
• If finally, the War has started, the national fights against the enemy and defend them.

Q28: How do per capita income and population growth affect the economic disparity in the world? Suggest two ways to reduce economic disparity between the poor and the rich at the global level.
Ans: Global poverty is another threat to human security. Poverty is increasing in poor and fast-developing population countries whereas richer countries with stable populations are becoming richer. Global poverty is affecting the security of poor countries. Many armed conflicts have occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, which is the poorest region of the world.
Suggestion to reduce economic disparity-

• Equal development of all states should be encouraged.
• Employment should be available to every man and woman in the world.

Q29: Explain the importance of cooperation in the field of ‘Traditional Security’.
Ans: Cooperation is very much required as well as essential in the field of ‘Traditional Security.’ It is now an almost accepted fact that war must be avoided. There should be no useless killings or hurting others except self-defense. Traditional Views of security lead to disarmament, arms control confidence-building. Arms control or disarmament means all states give-up certain kinds of weapons.
For example in 1972 BWC- Biological Weapon Convention and in 1992 CWC- Chemical Weapon Convention banned the possession as well as the production of these weapons. More than 155 states accepted the proposal of CWC and BWC. At the same time through Traditional Security, countries share ideas and information with their rivals and create confidence-building not to go to war to threaten another opponent. In traditional security, force is both for maintaining peace and achieving security.

Q30: Explain any four components of India’s security strategy.
Ans: 
To strengthen its military capabilities:

• India has been involved in conflicts with its neighbours as Pakistan in 1947-48,1965,1971, 1999 and China in 1962.
• In South Asian region, India is surrounded by nuclear armed countries.
  

To strengthen international norms and institutions:

• India’s first Prime Minister J.L. Nehru supported Asian solidarity, disarmament, decolonisation and the UN as a forum to settle down international conflict.
• It used non-alignment to help to carry out an area of peace outside the blocs.

To meet security challenges within country:

• Several militant groups from areas such as Nagaland, Mizoram, Punjab, Kashmir have sought to break away from India.
• India has made efforts to preserve national unity by adopting a democratic political system by providing freedom of speech and expression alongwith the right to vote.

To develop its economy:

• India develops the way to lift vast mass of citizens out of poverty, misery and huge economic inequalities.
• A democratically elected government is supposed to combine economic growth with human development without any demarcation between the rich and the poor.

Q31: Identify and explain any four new sources of threats to security.
Ans: Four new sources of threats to security can be identified as follows:

• Terrorism is a war against democracy and a crime against humanity. It refers to political violence that targets civilians deliberately and discriminately to use it as a weapon against national government. It has become a global phenomena because even superpower is not free from terrorist attacks.
• Human rights are those basic conditions which an individual is supposed to enjoy as a human being. These rights include political rights, freedom of speech and expression, economic rights, social and civil rights and rights of indigenous people to lead as honourable and dignified life.
• Global poverty refers to low economic growth, low national income and low standard of living of developing or least developed countries.
• Health epidemics is a very serious threat to a country’s security because severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), HIV-AIDS, bird flue etc. diseases spread across countries through migration business, tourism and military operations.

Q32: How is global poverty a source of insecurity? Explain.
Ans: Global poverty refers to low economic growth, low national income and low standard of living of developing or least developed countries. It is a source of insecurity because:

• Half the world’s population growth occurs in just six countries- India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Indonesia, considered developing countries and even in poorest countries population is expected to triple in next 50 years.
• Globally, this disparity contributes to the gap between the northern and southern countries of the world.
• Poverty in south has also led a large migration to seek a better economic opportunities in the north.
• All these created international political friction as international law and norms make a distinction between migrants and refugees as they do not get ready to accept migrants.

Q33: Which third weapon both the superpowers did not want to give up under the concept of disarmament?
Ans: Disarmament requires all states to give up certain kinds of weapons i.e. the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and 1992 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) banned the production and possession of these weapons. Despite the US and Soviet Union were not ready to give up the third type of weapons of mass-destruction namely nuclear weapons.

Q34: “The secure states do not imply the secure people in itself’. Examine the statement.
Ans: The secure states are supposed to protect their people from individual in security also rather the territorial security only. Hence they are required to provide security from foreign attack hunger, diseases and natural disasters etc. because it destructs the people rather more than a war.

Q35: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions:
The US and Soviet’Union signed a number of other arms control treaties including the Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty II (SALT II) and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). The Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968 was an arms control treaty in the sense that it regulated the acquisition of nuclear weapons, those countries that had tested and manufactured nuclear weapons before 1967 were allowed to keep their weapons and those that had not done so were to give up the right to acquire them. The NPT did not abolish nuclear weapons; rather, it limited the number of countries that could have them.
1. What is arms control treaty?
2. Was NPT an arms control treaty? Why?
3. What was the intention behind regulation of NPT?
Ans:
1. To regulate the acquisition or development of wTeapons among countries.
2. Yes, because it regulated the acquisition of nuclear weapons to protect world from large seat destruction.
3. It did not abolish nuclear weapons rather it limited the number of countries that could have them.

Q36: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions:
Global poverty is another source of insecurity. World population-now at 650 crore-will reach 700 to 800 crore within 25 years and many eventually level out at 900 to 1000 crore. Currently, half the world’s population growth occurs in just six countries — India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Among the world’s poorest countries, population is expected to triple in next 50 years whereas many rich countries will see population shrinkage in that period, high per capita income and low population growth make rich states or rich social groups get richer, whereas low incomes and high population growth reinforce each other to make poor states and poor groups get poorer. puui O ta tco CUJ.IL puux gi u upo get puuid.
1. Name the countries expected to occur half the world’s population growth.
2. Mention two reasons to make rich states more richer.
3. What makes poor countries more poorer?
Ans:
 1. India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Indonesia.
 2. (i) High per capita income (ii) Low population growth.
 3. Low income and high population growth.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q37: Describe various aspects of human security as well as global security.
Ans: At present there are different threats, poverty, starvation, illiteracy, global warming, incurable diseases, international terrorism etc., are considered a great threat to the security of world as well as human beings. Different nations are fighting against these threats. Thus security not just for the states but also for individuals and communities is called ‘Human Security’ or ‘Global Security’. No country alone can resolve global problems to grant human security. International co-operation, though difficult to achieve, is vital and required.
Note: For various aspects of human security as well as global security.
Security of a country is a vital issue for the well-being of the country and its people. Security in simple words means freedom from threats. But every type of threat is not a threat to security. Only those things that threaten the core values are threat to security.
New Sources of Threat. New sources of threat are Terrorism, Human Right, Global Poverty, Migrants, Health epidemics.

• Terrorism: Terrorism is a serious threat to human security. Terrorism is unlawful activities to achieve the desired objectives. Terrorism refers to violence which targets civilians deliberately and indiscriminately. Bomb blasts, Hijacking, Human bombs, killing, etc., are all acts of terrorism.
• Human Rights: Human Rights are those rights which are essential for all-round development of a human. Human rights are commonly understood as those rights that every human being is entitled to enjoy freely irrespective of his religion, race, caste, sex, nationality or any one of these. In the majority of the countries of the world, human rights are not available. Violation of Human Rights is also a threat to human security.
• Global Poverty: Global poverty is another threat to human security. Poverty is increasing in poor and fast-developing population countries whereas richer countries with stable population are becoming more rich. Global poverty is affecting the security of poor countries. Many armed conflicts have occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, which is the poorest region of the world.
• Migrants: Those who voluntarily leave their home-countries are called migrants. Migrants are also creating problems for human security.

Q38: What is Global Poverty? Suggest any two ways to reduce the disparity between the poor and the rich at the global level.
Ans: What is Global Poverty: For this see Global Poverty. Global poverty is another threat to human security. Poverty is increasing in poor and fast-developing population countries whereas richer countries with stable population are becoming richer. Global poverty is affecting the security of poor countries. Many armed conflicts have occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, which is the poorest region of the world.
Steps to reduce disparity between the poor and the rich at the global level:

• To reduce disparity between the rich and the poor at a global level equal development of all states should be encouraged poverty is increasing in poor and fast developing population countries whereas richer countries with stable populations are becoming more rich. Global poverty is affecting the security of poor countries. Many armed conflicts have occured in sub-Saharan Africa, which is the poorest region of the world.
• Employment should be available to every man and woman in the world.

Q39: Describe any three international challenging issues that can only be dealt with when all the countries work together.
Ans: Following are the three international challenging issues that can only be dealt with when all the countries work together:

• Terrorism: Terrorism is a serious threat to human security. Terrorism is unlawful activities to achieve the desired objectives. Terrorism refers to violence which targets civilians deliberately and indiscriminately. Bomb blasts, Hijacking, Human bombs, killing, etc., are all acts of terrorism.
• Human Rights: Human Rights are those rights that are essential for the round development of a man. Human rights are commonly understood as those rights that every human being is entitled to enjoy freely irrespective of his religion, race, caste, sex, nationality or any one of these. In the majority of the countries of the world, human rights are not available. Violation of Human Rights is also a threat to human security.
• Global Poverty: Global poverty is another threat to human security. Poverty is increasing in poor and fast-developing population countries whereas richer countries with stable population are becoming richer. Global poverty is affecting the security of the poor countries. Many armed coflicts have occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, which is the poorest region of the world.

Q40: Describe the security challenges | faced by the newly independent countries of Asia and Africa after the Second World War.I.
Ans:

• Newly independent countries of Asia and Africa faced the prospect of military attack from the neighbouring states.
• Secondly, these newly independent countries were worried about internal conflict. These countries faced threat from within also.
• They quarrelled over borders and territories.
• They were worried about the control of people and populations.
• They worried about threats from separatist movement.
• They were feared from superpowers like USA and USSR.

Q41: What is meant by Security? Mention any four components of Indian security strategy.
Ans: At its most basic, security implies freedom from threats. Human existence and the life of a country are full of threats. We generally say that only those things that threaten ‘core values’ should be regarded as being of interest in discussions of security. Thus, security relates only to extremely dangerous threats — threats that could so endanger core values that those values would be damaged beyond repair if we did not do something to deal with the situation.
India’s security strategy has four broad components which have been used in a varying combination from time to time: 

• The first component was strengthening its military capabilities because India has been involved in conflicts with its neighbours — Pakistan in 1947-48, 1965, 1971 and 1999 and China in 1962. Since it is surrounded by nuclear-armed countries in the South Asian region, India’s decision to conduct nuclear tests in 1998 was justified by the Indian government in terms of safeguarding national security.
• The second component of India’s security strategy has been to strengthen international norms and international institutions to protect its security interests.
• The third component of Indian security strategy is geared towards meeting security challenges within the country. Several militant groups from areas such as Nagaland, Mizoram, the Punjab and Kashmir among others have from time to time sought to break away from India. India has tried to preserve national unity by adopting a democratic political system.
•  There has been an attempt in India to develop its economy in a way that the vast mass of citizens are lifted out of poverty and misery and huge economic inequalities are not allowed to exist.

Q42: Give a comparative analysis of Indian expenditure on traditional and non- traditional security.
Ans: India spends more on traditional security than non-traditional because

• India has been involved in conflict with its neighbours as Pakistan in 1947-48, 1965, 1971 and 1999 and China in 1962.
• In South Asian Region, India is surrounded by nuclear armed countries. Hence, India’s decision to conduct nuclear test in 1990 was justified to safeguard national security.
• India’s first tested nuclear device in 1974.

Though India has made efforts to develop its economy and an individual’s security from poverty but still it is lagging behind even now and we are supposed to make more efforts.

Q43: Mention and explain the components and India’s security strategy. 
Ans: India has faced traditional military and non-traditional threats to its security that have emerged from within as well as outside its borders. Its security strategy has four broad components i.e.:
To Strengthen its Military Capabilities:

• India has been involved in conflict with its neighbours, as Pakistan in 1947-48,1965,1971 and 1999 and China in 1962.
• In South Asian Region, India is surrounded by nuclear armed countries. Hence, India’s decision to conduct nuclear test in 1990 was justified to safeguard national security.
• India first tested nuclear device in 1974.

To Strengthen International Norms and International Institutions:

• India’s first Prime Minister J.L. Nehru supported Asian solidarity, disarmament, decolonisation and the UN as a forum to settle down international conflict.
• India took initiatives to bring about a universal and non- discriminatory non-proliferation regime to enjoy same rights and obligations with respect to weapons of mass destruction.
• It used non-alignment to help to carve out an area of place outside the blocs.
• India signed Kyoto Protocol in 1997 to be a part of roadmap for reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases to check global warming.

To Meet Security Challenges within the Country:

• Several militant groups from areas such as Nagaland, Mizoram, Punjab, Kashmir have sought to break away from India.
• India makes efforts to preserve national unity by adopting a democratic political system by providing freedom of speech and expression alongwith the right to vote.

To Develop its Economy:

• India develops the way to lift vast mass of citizens out of poverty, misery and huge economic inequalities.
• A democratically elected government is supposed to combine economic growth with human development without any demarcation between the rich and the poor.

Q44: Explain the areas of operation of non- traditional notion of security.
Ans: Non-traditional concept of security includes human and global security covering a wide range of threats affecting human existence:

• It does not cover only the states but also the individuals and communities also.
• It emphasises on security on nature of threat and right approach to deal with the threat.

Its sources can be identified as follows:

• Terrorism refers to political violence to target civilians deliberately and discriminately to use it as a weapon against national government.
• Human Rights refer to basic conditions which an individual is supposed to enjoy as a human being as political rights, freedom of speech and expression, economic rights, social and civil rights to lead an honourable and dignified life.
• Global poverty refers to low economic growth, low national income and low standard of living of developing or least developed countries.
• Health epidemics is a very serious threat to country’s security because severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (ARS), HIV-AIDS, bird flue diseases spread across countries through migration, business, tourism and military operations.

Q45: Write a note on Arms control.
Ans: Arms control regulates the acquisition or development of weapons by adopting following measures:

• The Anti Ballistic Missiles Treaty in 1992 stopped the US and Soviet Union from using ballistic missiles to limit large scale production.
• Other arms control treaties were also signed i.e. Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty and Nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) to limit the weapons which many bring large scale destruction.
• NPT regulated the acquisition of nuclear weapons in 1968.
• NPT did not abolish nuclear weapons rather it limited number of countries that could have them.

Q46: Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. What does the cartoon represent?
2. What does the pigeon and man with goods symbolise?
3. What message does the cartoon convey?
Ans:
1. The movement of Peace Keeping Force i.e. pigeon (White) a symbol of peace and an army personnel is flying it.
2. Pigeon symbolises peace and a man with goods to maintain peace at a place where threat has occurred.
3. Peace Keeping Forces are also supposed to bear arms to initiate peace.

Q47: Study the picture given below and answer the questions as that follow:

1. What does the cartoon represent?
2. Is it any different from our country?
3. What message does this cartoon convey?
Ans:
1. The US’s massive expenditure of defence and lack of money for peace related issues.
2. Our country spends a lot on peaceful initiations first as well as make efforts to find out a peaceful solution first.
3. This cartoon conveys message that the countries are ready to spend on military rather than on peaceful initiation.