NCERT Solutions for Class 12: Ch 2 The End of Bipolarity Political Science
Exercises
(a) Socialism was the dominant ideology.
(b) State ownership/control existed over the factors of production.
(c) People enjoyed economic freedom.
(d) Every aspect of the economy was planned and contained by the state.
Answer
(c) People enjoyed economic freedom.
2. Arrange the following in chronological order:
(a) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
(b) Fall of the Berlin Wall
(c) Disintegration of Soviet Union
(d) Russian Revolution
Answer
(d) Russian Revolution (1917)
(a) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)
(b) Fall of the Berlin Wall (Nov 1989)
(c) Disintegration of Soviet Union
3. Which among the following is NOT an outcome of the disintegration of the USSR?
(a) End of the ideological war between the US and USSR
(b) Birth of CIS
(c) Change in the balance of power in the world order
(d) Crises in the Middle East
Answer
(d) Crises in the Middle East
4. Match the following:
2. Arrange the following in chronological order:
(a) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
(b) Fall of the Berlin Wall
(c) Disintegration of Soviet Union
(d) Russian Revolution
Answer
(d) Russian Revolution (1917)
(a) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)
(b) Fall of the Berlin Wall (Nov 1989)
(c) Disintegration of Soviet Union
3. Which among the following is NOT an outcome of the disintegration of the USSR?
(a) End of the ideological war between the US and USSR
(b) Birth of CIS
(c) Change in the balance of power in the world order
(d) Crises in the Middle East
Answer
(d) Crises in the Middle East
4. Match the following:
| i. Mikhail Gorbachev | a. Successor of USSR |
| ii. Shock Therapy | b. Military pact |
| iii. Russia | c. Introduced reforms |
| iv. Boris Yeltsin | d. Economic model |
| v. Warsaw | e. President of Russia |
Answer
| i. Mikhail Gorbachev | c. Introduced reforms |
| ii. Shock Therapy | d. Economic model |
| iii. Russia | a. Successor of USSR |
| iv. Boris Yeltsin | e. President of Russia |
| v. Warsaw | b. Military pact |
(a) The Soviet Political System was based on __________ ideology.
► socialist
(b) _________ was the military alliance started by the USSR.
► Warsaw Pact
(c) _________party dominated the Soviet Union’s political system.
► Communist
(d) _________initiated the reforms in the USSR in 1985.
► Gorbachev
(e) The fall of the _________ symbolised the end of the Cold War.
► Berlin wall
6. Mention any three features that distinguish the Soviet economy from that of a capitalist country like the US.
Answer
The three features that distinguish the Soviet economy from that of a capitalist country like the US were:
• Soviet economy experienced a complex communication network, vast energy resources and an efficient transport sector to connect its remotest areas.
• Soviet Union industries produced every domestic product from pin to cars, whose quality might not match with that of the west technology.
• Soviet Union ensured a minimum standard of living for all its citizens. Consequently Government subsidised basic necessities including health, education, children and other welfare schemes.
7. What were the factors that forced Gorbachev to initiate the reforms in the USSR?
Answer
Mikhail Gorbachev was the General Secretary of Communist Party of Soviet Union in 1985. He was forced to initiate the reforms in the USSR due to following reasons:
• To keep the USSR abreast of information and technological revolutions at par the West.
• To normalise the relations with that of the West.
• To democratise the Soviet System.
• To loosen the administrative system which exempted ordinary people from the privileges.
8. What were the major consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union for countries like India?
Answer
The major consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union for countries like India were:
• Disintegration of Soviet Union gave an end to Cold War confrontations and to ideological disputes between two superpowers.
• Military alliances had been abolished and demand arose for world peace and security.
• Multipolar system was surpassed to exist where no single power could dominate and a group of countries could play a crucial role in world politics like NAM Countries.
• The US became the sole superpower and capitalist economy became dominant at international level. World Bank and IMF became powerful advisors due to their economic support to these countries during transitional period.
• The motion of liberal democracy emerged as a way to organise political life.
• Due to disintegration of Soviet Union many new countries emerged with the independent aspirations and choices.
• The Baltic and East European states wanted to join European Union and became the part of NATO. The Central Asian countries took the advantage of their geographical location and continued close ties with Russia, West, China and others.
9. What was Shock Therapy? Was this the best way to make a transition from communism to capitalism?
Answer
Shock Therapy was a painful process of transition from an authoritarian socialist system to a democratic capitalist system. This transformation system was influenced by the world bank and the IMF in Russia, Central Asia and East Europe. Though it varies in intensity and speed amongst the former second world countries but its direction and features were quite similar.
6. Mention any three features that distinguish the Soviet economy from that of a capitalist country like the US.
Answer
The three features that distinguish the Soviet economy from that of a capitalist country like the US were:
• Soviet economy experienced a complex communication network, vast energy resources and an efficient transport sector to connect its remotest areas.
• Soviet Union industries produced every domestic product from pin to cars, whose quality might not match with that of the west technology.
• Soviet Union ensured a minimum standard of living for all its citizens. Consequently Government subsidised basic necessities including health, education, children and other welfare schemes.
7. What were the factors that forced Gorbachev to initiate the reforms in the USSR?
Answer
Mikhail Gorbachev was the General Secretary of Communist Party of Soviet Union in 1985. He was forced to initiate the reforms in the USSR due to following reasons:
• To keep the USSR abreast of information and technological revolutions at par the West.
• To normalise the relations with that of the West.
• To democratise the Soviet System.
• To loosen the administrative system which exempted ordinary people from the privileges.
8. What were the major consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union for countries like India?
Answer
The major consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union for countries like India were:
• Disintegration of Soviet Union gave an end to Cold War confrontations and to ideological disputes between two superpowers.
• Military alliances had been abolished and demand arose for world peace and security.
• Multipolar system was surpassed to exist where no single power could dominate and a group of countries could play a crucial role in world politics like NAM Countries.
• The US became the sole superpower and capitalist economy became dominant at international level. World Bank and IMF became powerful advisors due to their economic support to these countries during transitional period.
• The motion of liberal democracy emerged as a way to organise political life.
• Due to disintegration of Soviet Union many new countries emerged with the independent aspirations and choices.
• The Baltic and East European states wanted to join European Union and became the part of NATO. The Central Asian countries took the advantage of their geographical location and continued close ties with Russia, West, China and others.
9. What was Shock Therapy? Was this the best way to make a transition from communism to capitalism?
Answer
Shock Therapy was a painful process of transition from an authoritarian socialist system to a democratic capitalist system. This transformation system was influenced by the world bank and the IMF in Russia, Central Asia and East Europe. Though it varies in intensity and speed amongst the former second world countries but its direction and features were quite similar.
This was not the best way to make a transition from communism to capitalism due to following limitations:
• Russia, the large state controlled industrial complex lost about 90 per cent of its industries through sales to private individuals and companies.
• It created “the largest garage sale in history” which led virtual disappearance of entire industries for the restructuring was carried out by market forces in place of government owned policies. Hence, industries were undervalued and sold at throwaway prices.
• It systematically destroyed old system of social welfare.
• The value of ‘ruble’, the Russian currency, declined dramatically due to high rate of inflation and real GDP of Russia also declined between 1989 to 1999.
• The withdrawal of government subsidies pushed large sections of society into poverty and it emerged mafia to start controlling many economic activities.
• Privatisation led to new disparities which divided Russia between rich and poor people creating economic inequality.
• Hence, Shock Therapy brought ruin to economies and disaster upon the people of entire region.
10. Write an essay for or against the following proposition. “With the disintegration of the second world, India should change its foreign policy and focus more on friendship with the US rather than with traditional friends like Russia”.
Answer
• Russia, the large state controlled industrial complex lost about 90 per cent of its industries through sales to private individuals and companies.
• It created “the largest garage sale in history” which led virtual disappearance of entire industries for the restructuring was carried out by market forces in place of government owned policies. Hence, industries were undervalued and sold at throwaway prices.
• It systematically destroyed old system of social welfare.
• The value of ‘ruble’, the Russian currency, declined dramatically due to high rate of inflation and real GDP of Russia also declined between 1989 to 1999.
• The withdrawal of government subsidies pushed large sections of society into poverty and it emerged mafia to start controlling many economic activities.
• Privatisation led to new disparities which divided Russia between rich and poor people creating economic inequality.
• Hence, Shock Therapy brought ruin to economies and disaster upon the people of entire region.
10. Write an essay for or against the following proposition. “With the disintegration of the second world, India should change its foreign policy and focus more on friendship with the US rather than with traditional friends like Russia”.
Answer
India should not change its foreign policy and focus more on friendship with US, but India is required to maintain healthy relations with Russia because India has experienced a long band of mutual trust, interests and popular perceptions with Russia. They both share a vision of multipolar world order i.e. co-existence of several world powers internationally, collective security, greater regionalism, democratisation with the decision-making through bodies like the UN. More than 80 bilateral agreements have been experienced between India and Russia as a part of the Indo- Russia Strategic Agreement of 2001.
India has been benefitted from its relationship on the issues like Kashmir, energy supplies, sharing information on international terrorism, access to Central Asia and balancing its relation with China. Russia is also important for India’s nuclear energy plane and assisting India’s space industry by giving cryogenic rocket to India whenever needed. Co-operation with Russia and its republics like Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan in the form of partnership and investment in oil fields has also benefitted India.
India has been benefitted from its relationship on the issues like Kashmir, energy supplies, sharing information on international terrorism, access to Central Asia and balancing its relation with China. Russia is also important for India’s nuclear energy plane and assisting India’s space industry by giving cryogenic rocket to India whenever needed. Co-operation with Russia and its republics like Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan in the form of partnership and investment in oil fields has also benefitted India.
Russia is also benefitted from India on ground of the second largest arms market for Russia. Indian military gets most of its hardware from Russia. Russia and India have collaborated on various scientific projects also.