Chapter 3 Equality

Textbook Questions Solved

Question 1.
Some people argue that inequality is natural while others maintain that it is equality which is natural and the inequalities which we notice around us are created by the society. Which view do you support? Give reasons.
Answer:
Natural inequalities:

Social inequalities:

Conclusion:

Question 2.
There is a view that absolute economic equality is neither possible nor desirable. It is argued that the most a society can do is to try and reduce the gaps between the richest and the poorest members of society. Do you agree?
Answer:
Economic equality: It refers to availability of equal opportunities to one and all present in the society, without any discrimination:

Economic inequalities:

Measurement of economic inequalities:

Importance of economic equality:

Question 3.
Match the following concepts with appropriate instances:

(a) Affirmative action

(i) Every adult citizen has a right to vote.

(b) Equality of opportunity

(ii) Banks offer higher rate of interest to senior citizen

(c) Equal Rights.

(iii) Every child should get free education.

Answer:
(a) Affirmative action: Banks offer higher rate of interest to senior citizen.
Appropriate instances:

(b) Equality of opportunity: Every child should get free education
Appropriate instances:

(c) Equal Rights: Every adult citizen has a right to vote.
Appropriate instances:

Question 4.
A government report on farmers’ problems says that small and marginal farmers cannot get good prices from the market. It recommends that the government should intervene to ensure a better price but only for small and marginal farmers. Is this recommendation consistent with the principle of equality?
Answer:
Yes, this recommendation is consistent on the basis of the principle of equality:

Question 5.
Which of the following violates the principles of equality? And why?
(a) Every child in the class will read the text of the play by turn.
(b) The Government of Canada encouraged white Europeans to migrate to Canada from the end of the Second World War till 1960.
(c) There is a separate railway reservation counter for the senior citizens.
(d) Access to some forest areas is reserved for certain tribal communities.
Answer:

Question 6.
Here are some arguments in favour of the right to vote for women. Which of these are consistent with the idea of equality? Give reasons.
(a) Women are our mothers. We shall not disrespect our mothers by denying them the right to vote.
(b) Decisions of the government affect women as well as men, therefore, they also should have a say in choosing the rulers.
(c) Not granting women the right to vote will cause disharmony in the family.
(d) Women constitute half of humanity. You cannot subjugate them for long time by denying them the right to vote.
Answer:
The statement
(a) and
(d) both are consistent with the idea of equality because:

Extra Questions Solved

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What is equality?
Answer:
Equality refers to avail equal opportunities to one and all without any discrimination on any ground and everybody is equal before law.

Question 2.
Mention the attitude of colonial masters about black people during twentieth century.
Answer:
The colonial masters followed the policy of apartheid, i.e. discrimination on the ground of colour of people. Black coloured people were considered to be of less intelligence, childlike or to be good at manual work only.

Question 3.
Mention the attitude towards woman in orthodox India before independence.
Answer:
Women were considered the weaker sex than men, hence it has justified to deny her equality of rights.

Question 4.
What is ‘Feminism’?
Answer:
A political doctrine of equal rights for men and women.

Question 5.
What is a political ideal of equality?
Answer:
All human beings exercise equal worth, regardless of their nationality, colour, race or gender

Question 6.
What is political equality?
Answer:

Question 7.
What is slave trade?
Answer:
Slave trade began when Africans were enslaved by the individual traders and transported to work in American plantations of sugar, rice, coffee, cotton and tobacco-during 15-16th centuries. Gradually, slaves began to be sold and purchased and treated in an inhuman manner.

Question 8.
“Natural needs no longer can be seen as unalterable”. Justify the statement.
Answer:
Yes, natural needs no longer can be seen as unalterable because:

Question 9.
How can the concept of equality be argued?
Answer:

Question 10.
What is equality before law?
Answer:

Question 11.
What is the difference between equality and uniformity?
Answer:
Equality refers to a common identity of rewards and treatment as well. But uniformity refers to put each and every individual at one stage which is against the law of nature because men are unequal naturally, i.e. a mathematician cannot be placed to manual work as a mason.

Question 12.
Mention different kinds of equality.
Answer:

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What are the main features of equality?
Answer:

Question 2.
Mention political dimensions of equality.
Answer:
Political equality provides equal political rights to every individual. Its dimensions are as follows:

Question 3.
“Social inequalities can be minimized by an affirmative action”. Analyse the statement.
Answer:

Question 4.
What are positive and negative aspects of equality?
Answer:
Positive aspect:

Negative aspect:

Passage-Based Questions

Passage 1.
Read the passage (NCERT Textbook, page 49) given below carefully and answer the questions that follow:

While reflecting on the issue of equality, a distinction must also be made between treating everyone in an identical manner and treating everyone as equals. The latter may on occasions need differential treatment but in all such cases the primary consideration is to promote equality. Differential or special treatment may be considered to realise the goal of equality but it requires justification and careful reflection. Since differential treatment for different communities was part and parcel of the caste system and practices like apartheid, liberals are usually very wary of deviations from the norm of identical treatment.

Questions:
1. What distinction should be made while reflecting on the issues of equality?
2. What would be the prime consideration to treat everyone equal?
3. What does special treatment require?
Answers:
1. It must be made between treating everyone in an identical manner or everyone as equal.

2. To promote equality while treating differently.

3. It requires justification and careful reflection.

Passage 2.
Read the passage (NCERT Textbook, page 50) given below carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Many of these issues relating to the pursuit of equality have been raised by the women’s movement. In the nineteenth century women struggled for equal rights. They demanded, for instance, the right to vote, the right to receive degrees in colleges and universities and the right to work — that is, the same rights as the men in their society. However, as they entered the job market they realized that women required special facilities in order to exercise these rights. For instance, they required some provision for maternity leave and creches in the workplace. Without special considerations of this kind they could not seriously compete for jobs or enjoy a successful professional and personal life. They needed, in other words, sometimes to be treated differently if they are to enjoy the same rights as men.

Questions:
1. Why have women’s movements been raised?
2. What were the main demands of women’s movement?
3. What can be done for women to compete for jobs?
Answers:
1. To demand equality.

2. The right to vote, the right to work, the right to receive degrees in colleges and universities.

3. They should be given special consideration, i.e. provision for maternity leave and creches in workplace, etc.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
“Political liberty cannot be imagined without economic liberty.” Analyse.
Answer:
Liberty and equality are contemporary to each other. Political liberty gives a freedom to an individual to participate in the activities of state, i.e.:

Economic equality provides equal opportunities to earn the livelihood by an individual i.e.:

economic equality:

Question 2.
What is the relationship between liberty and equality?
Answer:
Liberty and equality run parallel to each other but sometimes it is presumed that both are opposed to each other.
1. Liberty and equality are complementary:

2. Liberty and equality are opposed to each other:

It can be concluded that to enjoy them, one requires the presence of others, i.e. political liberty requires equal political status and civil liberty requires equality in the eyes of law to be treated equally. Hence economic equality is of least importance.

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