CBSE Class 12 Political Science Part 1 Exercise Solutions | KalviGavani

• (a) Treaty of Versailles
• (b) Helsinki Accords
• (c) INF Treaty (1987)
• (d) START I

The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) signed between the US and USSR in 1987 eliminated an entire category of nuclear weapons and marked the first step towards de-escalation of Cold War tensions.

• (a) Leonid Brezhnev
• (b) Boris Yeltsin
• (c) Mikhail Gorbachev
• (d) Nikita Khrushchev

Mikhail Gorbachev served as General Secretary from 1985 until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. His reforms — glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) — inadvertently accelerated the Soviet collapse.

• (a) France
• (b) Germany
• (c) Switzerland
• (d) Italy

Switzerland has consistently chosen not to join the EU, maintaining its neutrality and independent economic policies, though it participates in the Schengen Area and has bilateral agreements with the EU.

• (a) Singapore
• (b) Bangkok
• (c) Jakarta
• (d) Kuala Lumpur

The ASEAN Secretariat is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia. ASEAN was established in 1967 by the Bangkok Declaration and now has 10 member states.

• (a) 3
• (b) 5
• (c) 10
• (d) 15

The five permanent members (P5) are the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and China. They hold veto power over substantive resolutions. The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

• (a) Border dispute
• (b) Climate change
• (c) Naval blockade
• (d) Arms race

Non-traditional security threats include climate change, terrorism, pandemics, cyber attacks, poverty, and refugee crises. These differ from traditional threats which involve military aggression between states.

• (a) Military intervention by NATO
• (b) Rapid transition from socialism to capitalism
• (c) Sudden imposition of sanctions
• (d) Emergency medical aid to former Soviet states

Shock Therapy involved the sudden shift from state-controlled economies to free-market capitalism through mass privatisation, price liberalisation, and currency reforms. It caused severe economic hardship, inflation, and decline in living standards in many post-Soviet states.

• (a) 1980
• (b) 1985
• (c) 1990
• (d) 1975

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established on 8 December 1985 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It has 8 member states: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

• (a) Montreal Protocol
• (b) Paris Agreement (2015)
• (c) Geneva Convention
• (d) Kyoto Protocol only

The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 under the UNFCCC, aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Unlike the Kyoto Protocol which imposed binding targets only on developed nations, the Paris Agreement requires contributions from all parties.

• (a) IMF
• (b) World Bank
• (c) WTO
• (d) UNCTAD

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) replaced the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1995. While GATT dealt only with trade in goods, the WTO also covers services (GATS) and intellectual property (TRIPS).

The Cold War (1947–1991) was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and its Western allies (NATO) on one side and the Soviet Union and its Eastern bloc (Warsaw Pact) on the other. It was called "cold" because the two superpowers never fought each other directly in a full-scale war, though they engaged in proxy wars, arms races, espionage, and ideological competition. The world was divided into two blocs — capitalist and communist — each with its own military alliances, economic systems, and propaganda networks.

Shock therapy refers to the sudden, rapid transition from a centrally planned socialist economy to a free-market capitalist economy undertaken by several post-Soviet states in the 1990s. The process included mass privatisation of state-owned enterprises, removal of price controls, currency devaluation, and opening markets to foreign investment. While intended to quickly stabilise and grow the economy, it caused severe hardship: GDP fell sharply, inflation soared, unemployment rose, and poverty increased. Russia's GDP declined by nearly 50% in the 1990s. Only a few states, like Poland, managed the transition relatively well.

(i) Economic stagnation: The Soviet command economy could not match the productivity and innovation of Western market economies. Chronic shortages of consumer goods, outdated technology, and heavy military spending (around 25% of GDP) drained resources. (ii) Nationalist movements: Gorbachev's glasnost allowed suppressed ethnic and nationalist sentiments to surface. Republics like Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine demanded independence, weakening the union and eventually leading to its dissolution.

The United Nations has six principal organs: (1) General Assembly — the main deliberative body where all 193 members have equal representation; (2) Security Council — responsible for maintaining international peace and security, with 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members; (3) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) — coordinates economic and social work of the UN; (4) Trusteeship Council — suspended operations in 1994 after all trust territories gained independence; (5) International Court of Justice (ICJ) — the principal judicial organ at The Hague; (6) Secretariat — the administrative body headed by the Secretary-General.

The EU is a significant centre of power because: (i) It has the world's second-largest economy with a GDP exceeding $16 trillion; (ii) It has a common currency (the euro) used by 20 member states; (iii) It has a single market enabling free movement of goods, services, capital, and people; (iv) It exercises significant influence in global trade negotiations, climate policy, and diplomacy; (v) Its combined military spending is the second highest globally after the US.

Traditional security refers to threats to a state's survival from external military aggression — war, border disputes, arms races, and territorial conflicts. The state is the primary referent object, and military force is the main response. Non-traditional security includes threats that are not military in nature — terrorism, climate change, pandemics, cyber attacks, poverty, refugee crises, and environmental degradation. These threats transcend borders, affect individuals as much as states, and require cooperative rather than unilateral solutions.

SAARC was established on 8 December 1985 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Its eight member states are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan joined as the eighth member in 2007. SAARC aims to promote economic and regional integration, but its progress has been hindered by India-Pakistan tensions.

The Antarctic Treaty (1959) is significant because: (i) It demilitarised Antarctica, banning all military activity and nuclear testing; (ii) It preserved the continent for peaceful scientific research and international cooperation; (iii) It suspended all territorial claims, preventing sovereignty disputes; (iv) It established a precedent for managing global commons through international agreements rather than national conquest; (v) It now has 54 parties and is considered one of the most successful international treaties.

Causes: (i) Economic stagnation: The Soviet command economy suffered from inefficiency, lack of innovation, and chronic shortages. Heavy military spending (estimated at 25% of GDP during the Cold War) diverted resources from consumer goods and infrastructure. The economy could not keep pace with Western technological advances, particularly in computing and information technology. (ii) Political reforms under Gorbachev: Mikhail Gorbachev introduced two key reforms — glasnost (openness, allowing free speech and political dissent) and perestroika (restructuring, attempting to introduce market mechanisms). Instead of saving the system, these reforms exposed its failures and unleashed forces that the Communist Party could no longer control. (iii) Rise of nationalism: Once glasnost allowed open expression, long-suppressed nationalist movements erupted across the Soviet republics. The Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) were the first to demand independence, followed by Ukraine and others. (iv) The 1991 coup: Hardline communists attempted a coup against Gorbachev in August 1991. The coup failed but fatally weakened Gorbachev and empowered Boris Yeltsin, who championed Russian sovereignty over Soviet authority. (v) External pressures: The Soviet Union's costly involvement in Afghanistan (1979–1989), the arms race with the US, and the success of Western capitalist economies all contributed to internal disillusionment. Consequences: - The USSR fragmented into 15 independent republics — Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, the three Baltic states, the three Caucasus republics (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan), and the five Central Asian republics. - The Cold War ended, ending bipolarity and ushering in a unipolar world dominated by the US. - Most former Soviet states adopted shock therapy — rapid economic transitions that caused severe inflation, unemployment, and GDP collapse. Russia's GDP fell by nearly 50% in the 1990s. - The Warsaw Pact was dissolved (1991), and many former Soviet allies joined NATO, shifting the European security architecture. - A new geopolitical landscape emerged with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the rise of China, and the eventual emergence of multipolarity.

Role of the UN in maintaining peace: (i) Peacekeeping operations: The UN has deployed over 70 peacekeeping missions since 1948, with notable successes in Cambodia, Mozambique, East Timor, and Sierra Leone. Currently, it maintains over a dozen active missions involving more than 70,000 personnel. (ii) Conflict resolution and mediation: The UN has facilitated negotiations ending conflicts in countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Namibia. Its good offices have been instrumental in bringing warring parties to the negotiating table. (iii) Sanctions and enforcement: Under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Security Council can impose economic sanctions, arms embargoes, and authorise military action against aggressors, as seen in the Korean War (1950) and the Gulf War (1991). (iv) Humanitarian assistance: UN agencies like UNHCR, UNICEF, and WFP provide critical aid to refugees, children, and disaster-affected populations, indirectly contributing to stability. Limitations: (i) Veto power paralysis: The five permanent members can veto any substantive resolution, leading to inaction on critical issues. Russia and China have repeatedly vetoed action on Syria; the US has vetoed resolutions on Israel-Palestine. The veto effectively paralyses the UNSC on matters where P5 interests clash. (ii) Lack of standing army: The UN has no military force of its own. It depends on member states to contribute troops, making rapid response difficult and politically contingent. (iii) Financial dependence: The UN relies on member state contributions, with the US as the largest funder. Delayed payments or withholding of dues undermines operational capacity. (iv) Sovereignty constraint: The UN cannot intervene in the domestic affairs of sovereign states without Security Council authorisation, allowing genocide (Rwanda 1994, Srebrenica 1995) to proceed unchecked. (v) Structural inequality: The Security Council reflects 1945 power realities, not today's world. There are no permanent seats for Africa, Latin America, or South Asia, despite these regions having over half the world's population. Reform proposals include expanding the Security Council, limiting the veto, and enhancing the General Assembly's authority, but P5 resistance and regional rivalries have stalled meaningful change.

Positive impacts on the world economy: (i) Trade expansion: Global trade as a share of world GDP rose from about 25% in 1960 to over 50% by 2020. The WTO framework reduced tariffs and non-tariff barriers, enabling more countries to participate in global supply chains. (ii) Technology transfer: Developing countries gained access to advanced technologies, from telecommunications to pharmaceuticals. India's IT sector, for instance, grew from near-zero to a $200 billion industry through global outsourcing. (iii) Poverty reduction: The World Bank estimates that extreme poverty (living on less than $2.15/day) fell from 36% of the global population in 1990 to under 10% by 2022, largely driven by growth in China and India integrated into the global economy. (iv) Consumer choice: Globalisation has dramatically increased product variety and reduced prices through competition and economies of scale. Negative impacts on the world economy: (i) Rising inequality: The top 1% globally own more wealth than the bottom 50%. Within countries, the gap between skilled and unskilled workers has widened in both developed and developing nations. (ii) Financial instability: The 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2008 global financial crisis, and the 2020 COVID crash demonstrated how interconnected financial systems can rapidly transmit shocks across borders. (iii) Exploitation of labour and environment: Multinational corporations (MNCs) often shift production to countries with weaker labour and environmental regulations, creating "race to the bottom" conditions. Impact on sovereign states: - Reduced policy autonomy: WTO rules, trade agreements, and IMF conditions constrain governments' ability to set independent economic policies. For instance, countries cannot impose certain tariffs or subsidise domestic industries without facing disputes. - Erosion of cultural identity: Global media, brands, and entertainment promote Western cultural models, raising concerns about cultural homogenisation and the marginalisation of local traditions. - Democratic deficit: Important economic decisions are increasingly made by unaccountable international institutions (WTO, IMF, World Bank) or MNCs rather than elected governments. - Resistance movements: Anti-globalisation protests (Seattle 1999, Occupy Wall Street 2011) and the rise of economic nationalism (Brexit, Trump tariffs) reflect popular backlash against unfettered globalisation.

Major security challenges: Traditional threats: - Nuclear proliferation: Despite arms reduction treaties, nine nations possess nuclear weapons. North Korea's programme and tensions between India-Pakistan, and US-Russia remain acute. - Territorial disputes: China's claims in the South China Sea, the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir, and the Israel-Palestine conflict continue to threaten regional stability. - Armed conflicts: Ongoing wars in Ukraine, Yemen, Syria, and parts of Africa cause massive loss of life and displacement. Non-traditional threats: - Terrorism: From 9/11 to the rise of ISIS, terrorism remains a global threat that cannot be deterred by traditional military means alone. - Cyber warfare: State-sponsored cyber attacks on infrastructure, elections, and financial systems are a growing concern. The Stuxnet attack on Iranian nuclear facilities demonstrated the destructive potential of cyber weapons. - Climate change: Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and resource scarcity threaten food security, displace populations, and can trigger conflicts over water and arable land. - Pandemics: COVID-19 killed over 7 million people and disrupted the global economy, revealing the inadequacy of national-level responses to transnational health threats. - Refugee crises: Over 100 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, straining host countries and creating humanitarian emergencies. Cooperative security as a response: (i) Multilateral institutions: The UN, WHO, IAEA, and other international bodies provide platforms for collective action. The WHO's COVAX initiative and the Paris Agreement exemplify cooperative responses to global threats. (ii) Alliance systems: NATO, Quad (US-India-Japan-Australia), and AUKUS represent cooperative security arrangements that deter aggression through collective defence commitments. (iii) Intelligence sharing: Interpol, Five Eyes, and bilateral intelligence cooperation help track terrorist networks, cyber threats, and illicit finance. (iv) Arms control agreements: Treaties like NPT, CTBT, and New START limit the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction through mutual commitments and verification mechanisms. (v) Limitations: Cooperative security depends on trust among states, which is often lacking. Great power rivalry, sovereignty concerns, and unequal power dynamics within institutions can undermine cooperation.

Political challenges in South Asia: (i) Democratic deficits: Several South Asian countries have experienced military rule (Pakistan, Bangladesh), constitutional crises (Sri Lanka's 2022 economic-political collapse), and authoritarian tendencies. Even India, the region's most robust democracy, faces challenges of communalism and institutional erosion. (ii) India-Pakistan rivalry: The core dispute over Kashmir, fought over in three wars (1947, 1965, 1971) and the Kargil conflict (1999), remains unresolved. Cross-border terrorism, the nuclear arms race, and deep mutual distrust make normalisation extremely difficult. Both nations have fought four wars and numerous skirmishes, with the 2008 Mumbai attacks derailing a promising peace process. (iii) Ethnic and sectarian conflicts: Sri Lanka's civil war (1983–2009) between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil minority, sectarian violence in Pakistan, and insurgencies in India's northeast and Kashmir all reflect deep internal divisions. (iv) Border disputes: India-China border tensions (including the 2020 Galwan clash), India-Bangladesh enclaves (resolved in 2015), and Afghanistan-Pakistan border issues continue to strain relations. Economic challenges: (i) Poverty: South Asia has the largest concentration of poor people globally. Over 40% of the region's population lives below the poverty line when measured against higher thresholds. (ii) Low intra-regional trade: South Asian countries trade more with the rest of the world than with each other. Intra-SAARC trade is only about 5% of total trade, compared to over 60% in the EU and 25% in ASEAN. This is caused by tariff barriers, poor connectivity, political tensions, and lack of trust. (iii) Infrastructure gaps: Energy shortages, poor transport networks, and inadequate digital infrastructure limit economic growth and regional integration. (iv) Debt and external dependence: Several countries (Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal) face severe debt crises, with heavy dependence on China's Belt and Road Initiative raising concerns about debt traps and sovereignty. SAARC's limited effectiveness: SAARC has failed to achieve its potential because India-Pakistan tensions routinely block summits and agreements. The South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) has been undermined by non-tariff barriers and exclusion lists. Unlike ASEAN or the EU, SAARC lacks a dispute-resolution mechanism and enforcement authority.