Chapter 5 Rights

Textbook Questions Solved

Question 1.
What are rights and why are they important? What are the bases on which claims to rights can be made?
Answer:
Rights are:

Rights are important because:

The claims to rights can be made if:

Question 2.
On what grounds are some rights considered to be universal in nature? Identify three rights which you consider universal. Give reasons.
Answer:
Some rights are considered to be universal in nature on the ground to be equally important for all human beings who live in a society. The following three rights can be identified as universal:

Question 3.
Discuss briefly some of the new rights claims which are being put forward in our country today for example the rights of tribal people to protect their habitat and way of life, or the rights of children against bonded labour.
Answer:
1. Rights of tribal people:

2. Right of children against bonded labour:

3. Right to sustainable development:

Question 4.
Differentiate between political, economic and cultural rights. Give examples of each kind of right.
Answer:
(a)Political rights: Political rights are supplemented by several types of civil liberties, i.e. right to express one’s views freely, right to protest, free and fair trial, etc. These rights make the government accountable and ensure an opportunity to each and every individual to influence the decisions of government:

(b) Economic rights:

(c) Cultural rights:

Question 5.
Rights place some limits on the authority of the state. Explain with examples.
Answer:

Extra Questions Solved

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What are three natural rights?
Answer:

Question 2.
Which can represent the common good of human beings?
Answer:

Question 3.
Mention some rights which have not been granted to people by democratic states.
Answer:

Question 4.
Mention two activities that cannot be claimed as a right by people.
Answer:

Because medical research has prohibited drugs injurious to health, hence affect the relations with others.

Question 5.
What is right to life?
Answer:
It is a right to live life without fear, injury and any external danger as well as the right not to possess the right to take away one’s own life (suicide has been declared a crime)

Question 6.
What is right to education?
Answer:
It is a right to widen our horizons and to know the world around us. Educational facilities should be provided to everyone by the state.

Question 7.
What is right to freedom?
Answer:
It refers the freedom of speech, expression, assembly or association of arms but to be exercised within the framework of public order, morality, decency and unity of country.

Question 8.
Mention any two fundamental duties of the citizens of India.
Answer:

Question 9.
What is the historical background of rights?
Answer:

It is important because mostly rights are the result of long-established customs.

Question 10.
How can we say that rights imply one’s own duty?
Answer:
Rights correspond duties if a person has the right to work, it is also his duty to perform the work in a proper manner.
Question 11.
What is the right to property?
Answer:

Question 12.
What is the right to work?
Answer:
It is the duty of state to provide every citizen with work, reasonable hours of work and adequate means of livelihood.

Question 13.
What does the right to govern oneself imply?
Answer:
It implies enjoying the political rights by citizens, i.e. right to vote, contest elections, hold public offices, etc.

Question 14.
Why the right to freedom of religion is important?
Answer:
Citizens are given the freedom to adopt any religion, to manage the religious affairs in one’s own way to be related to their conscience.

Question 15.
Explain the right to equality.
Answer:
Article 14 to 18 of the Constitution of India guarantees right to equality:

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What are the limitations on the “Right to freedom of speech and expression”?
Answer:
Article 19 of the Constitution of India guarantees six freedoms to the citizens of India. Freedom of speech and expression is one of them. This freedom can be enjoyed by speaking and writing alongwith the following limitations:

Question 2.
What are the differences between rights and claims?
Answer:

Question 3.
What is the difference between constitutional rights and natural rights?
Answer:

Question 4.
Mention any two important social-economic rights.
Answer:

Question 5.
Why the rights are necessary for the development of individuals?
Answer:

Question 6.
What safeguards are available for rights?
Answer:

Question 7.
How can we say that rights imply duties?
Answer:
Rights and duties are the two sides of the same coin. Without one, the existence of other is not possible. Duties come first and rights later:

Question 8.
Can it be stated that rights are absolute? Give reasons.
Answer:
Though rights are enjoyed by all individuals equally and state also cannot interfere in the matter but even though these are not absolute because:

Passage-Based Questions

Passage 1.
Read the passage (NCERT Textbook, page 69) given below carefully and answer the questions that follow:

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, political theorists argued that rights are given to us by nature or God. The rights of men were derived from natural law. This meant that rights were not conferred by a ruler or a society, rather we are born with them. As such these rights are inalienable and no one can take these away from us. They identified three natural rights of man: the right to life, liberty and property. All other rights were said to be derived from these basic rights. The idea that we are born with certain rights, is a very powerful notion because it implies that no state or organisation should take away what has been given by the law of nature. This conception of natural rights has been used widely to oppose the exercise of arbitrary power by states and governments and to safeguard individual freedom.

Questions:
1. What do you mean by natural rights?
2. Mention some natural rights.
3. How has the conception of natural rights been used?
Answers:
1. Natural rights refer to be born with certain rights where no state or organization can take away these rights.

2. Right to life, liberty and property.

3. The conception of natural rights has been used widely to oppose the exercise of arbitrary power by states and governments and to safeguard individual freedom.

Passage 2.
Read the passage (NCERT Textbook, page 68) given below carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Rights are primarily those claims that I along with others regard to be necessary for leading a life of respect and dignity. In fact, one of the grounds on which rights have been claimed is that they represent conditions that we collectively see as a source of self respect and dignity. For example, the right to livelihood may be considered necessary for leading a life of dignity. Being gainfully employed gives a person economic independence and thus is central for his/her dignity. Having our basic needs met gives us freedom to pursue our talents and interests. Or, take the right to express ourselves freely. This right gives us the opportunity to be creative and original, whether it be in writing, or dance, or music, or any other creative activity. But freedom of expression is also important for democratic government since it allows for the free expression of beliefs and opinions. Rights such as the right to a livelihood, or freedom of expression, would be important for all human beings who live in society and they are described as universal in nature.

Questions:
1. What are rights?
2. Why is the freedom of expression important?
3. How can we express ourselves?
Answers:
1. Rights are those claims which can be regarded to be necessary for leading a life of respect and dignity.

2. Because it allows for the free expression of beliefs and opinion.

3. We can express ourselves by writing, speaking, dance, music or any other activity.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
How can we classify rights?
Answer:
Rights can be classified into the following two types:
(a) Moral rights are our moral senses which cannot be demanded or cannot be forced. Even if moral rights are violated, no legal action can be taken, i.e. to make children educated to look after parents, etc.
(b) Legal rights are recognized by the state which are enforceable and can be classified as:

Question 2.
Explain some political rights of the citizens.
Answer:
Political rights are given to the citizens to participate in the affairs of the state:

Question 3.
Explain some civil rights of its citizens.
Answer:
Civil rights are as follows:

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