Chapter 1 Post World War Political Developments

✅ 1. (A) Choose the Correct Option and Complete the Statements.

(1) A system of independent and sovereign States –

(a) Political system(b) International system ✓(c) Social system(d) None of these

✔Ans: Option (b) – A system of independent and sovereign States is called the International system.

(2) The main responsibility of the United Nations –

(a) to avoid war ✓(b) independence of colonies(c) improving the economics of different nations(d) disarmament

✔Ans: Option (a) – The main responsibility of the United Nations is to avoid war and to maintain international peace and security.

(3) The Cold War ended with this event –

(a) Establishment of the United Nations(b) Disintegration of Soviet Russia ✓(c) Creation of Military Organisations(d) Cuban Missile Crisis

✔Ans: Option (b) – The Cold War ended with the Disintegration of the Soviet Union.

⚖️ 2. State Whether the Following Statements are True or False. Give Reasons.

(1) The League of Nations was established after the First World War.Ans:✔ TRUE

  • The First World War caused tremendous loss of life and property.
  • All nations felt that such a war should never happen again, and that measures needed to be taken to prevent it.
  • Out of this thinking, an international organisation called the League of Nations was established after the First World War. Hence, the statement is true.

(2) The world became unipolar due to the Cold War.Ans:✘ FALSE

  • At the end of the Second World War, America and the Soviet Union became competitors and rivals.
  • America and the Soviet Union, who had been allies during the war, formed rival military organisations.
  • Most countries of the world joined the power blocs headed by these two superpowers.
  • Thus, the world became bipolar — not unipolar — due to the Cold War. Hence, the statement is false.

(3) The policies of Mikhail Gorbachev gave an impetus to democratisation.Ans:✔ TRUE

  • The Soviet Union adopted the policy of opening up the economy and loosening state control.
  • President Mikhail Gorbachev implemented the policies of Perestroika (Restructuring) and Glasnost (Openness).
  • Due to these policies, control over the media was reduced, and important changes took place in the political and economic spheres.
  • Thus, the policies of Mikhail Gorbachev gave a strong impetus to democratisation. Hence, the statement is true.

💡 3. Explain the Following Concepts.

❄️ Cold War

Ans:

The concept of the Cold War describes a condition where there is no actual armed war, but the tension between two rival powers is so intense that war seems likely to erupt at any time. There is no open conflict between the two countries, but their relations are so strained that a war could break out at any moment.

🕊️ Non-Alignment

Ans:

During the Cold War, while the world was becoming bipolar, some nations — such as India — did not want to join the superpower rivalry. Such nations decided to stay out of the Cold War rivalry entirely. Their policy of remaining neutral and independent is known as Non-Alignment.

🤝 Interdependence

Ans:

Interdependence means that all countries in the world are dependent on each other. Even a developed nation like America is not self-sufficient in all its needs. However big, small, or prosperous a nation may be, it is dependent on other nations. This is an important feature of the contemporary international system.

🔄 Bipolarisation

Ans:

During the Cold War, America and the Soviet Union emerged as superpowers and formed their own military alliances. Most countries of the world joined either of the two superpower blocs. This division of the nations of the world into two rival groups is described as Bipolarisation.

🌐 Globalisation

Ans:

In the 1990s, after the end of the Cold War, trade and economic relations between countries became more open. There was a free flow of capital, technology, labour, markets, and information across the world. The boundaries between nations did not remain as rigid as before, and there was a free exchange of ideas among people all over the world. All these processes together are called Globalisation.

📖 4. Write Brief Answers.

(1) Compare the First World War and the Second World War with the help of the following points.Ans:

Points of Comparison⚔️ First World War💣 Second World War
Period1914 – 19181939 – 1945
Main CauseRivalry between European powers, assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and formation of power blocsRise of Fascism and Nazism, Germany’s aggressive expansion under Hitler, and failure of the League of Nations
Countries InvolvedAllied Powers (Britain, France, Russia) vs. Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire)Allied Powers (Britain, France, USA, Soviet Union) vs. Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan)
ResultAllied Powers won; Treaty of Versailles signed; League of Nations establishedAllied Powers won; United Nations established; world became bipolar (USA vs. USSR)
ImpactTremendous loss of life and property; map of Europe redrawnFar greater destruction; use of atomic bombs; beginning of the Cold War

(2) What were the factors responsible for the end of the Cold War?Ans:

The factors responsible for the end of the Cold War are as follows:

  • The Soviet Union adopted the policy of opening up the economy and loosening state control over it.
  • President Mikhail Gorbachev implemented the policies of Perestroika (Restructuring) and Glasnost (Openness), which restructured the Soviet economy and political system.
  • He reduced control over the press, which gave a strong impetus to democracy in Russia.
  • The East European countries challenged their ‘socialist’ governments, broke free from the influence of the Soviet Union, and adopted a democratic and capitalist path.
  • Finally, the disintegration of the Soviet Union brought the Cold War to an end.

(3) What major changes occurred in global politics after the end of the Cold War?Ans:

The following major changes occurred in global politics after the end of the Cold War:

  • Global politics became unipolar, with America remaining the only superpower in the world.
  • An atmosphere favourable to the growth of trade and economic relations between nations emerged.
  • Capital, labour, markets, technology, ideas, and information began to circulate freely throughout the world.
  • The idea of giving ‘aid’ to other nations was replaced by a priority on trade relations among all countries.
  • The description of a country that was opposed to another changed from ‘enemy nation’ to ‘rival nation’.
  • The responsibility of the United Nations increased. It is now required to take concrete steps to maintain global peace and security.
  • The issues of environmental protection, fostering human rights, gender equality, and management of natural calamities have now acquired a global dimension.

🌍 Maharashtra State Board  ·  Standard IX  ·  History  ·  Chapter 1 — Post World War Political Developments 🌍

Notes prepared for classroom use

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