Chapter 7 Nationalism

Textbook Questions Solved

Question 1.
How is a nation different from other forms of collective belonging?
Answer:
A nation is not only a collection of people and it differs from other groups found in society:

Still the nation exists, are lived in and valued by its members.

Question 2.
What do you understand by the right to national self-determination? How has this idea resulted in both formation of and challenges to nation-states?
Answer:
Right of self-determination implies that every nation in the world should enjoy a right to determine its destiny in all walks of life without any undue interference from any other state.
Every national should be given a right to determine his own affairs in the way he likes. The right of self-determination implies that each state exercise the following rights:

To enjoy these rights, we may conclude the following reasons:

But, the right of self-determination results in the following challenges:

The right of self-determination resulted:

Hence, it can be concluded that the right of self-determination can also be used for both purpose of national integration and disintegration.

Question 3.
“We have seen that nationalism can unite people as well as divide them, liberate them as well generate bitterness and conflict”. Illustrate your answer with examples.
Ans. Nationalism requires to be studied due to its important role in the world affairs:

Question 4.
Neither descent, nor language, nor religion or ethnicity can claim to be a common factor in nationalisms all over the world. Comment.
Answer:

Hence, a nation is to a great extent an imagined community held together by the collective beliefs, aspirations and imaginations of its members.

Question 5.
Illustrate with suitable examples the factors that lead to the emergence of nationalist feelings.
Answer:

Question 6.
How is a democracy more effective than authoritarian government in dealing with conflicting nationalist aspirations?
Answer:

But it can pose a threat to the values to be cherished in a democracy:

Hence, it can be concluded:

Question 7.
What do you think are the limitations of nationalism?
Answer:

Extra Questions Solved

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Define ‘Nation’.
Answer:
A nation is an imagined community held together by the collective beliefs, aspirations and imaginations of its members.

Question 2.
What makes a citizen to be nationalist?
Answer:

Question 3.
What assumptions, do the people make about a nation?
Answer:

Question 4.
What is Basque?
Answer:
Basque is a hilly and prosperous region in Spain to be recognized as an autonomous region within Spanish federation and nationalist leaders want to make it a separate country.

Question 5.
Mention the idea of Rabindranath Tagore about colonial rule and freedom of the country?
Answer:
Rabindranath Tagore was against colonial rule and supported India’s right to independence as he realised that there was no place for upholding of dignity of human relationship to be cherished in the British civilization.

Question 6.
Why did Rabindranath Tagore prefer humanity than patriotism?
Answer:
He said that patriotism could not be out final spiritual shelter. He declared that he would not buy glass in the price of diamonds and he would never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as he lived.

Question 7.
What is a state?
Answer:
State is a group of people having sovereignty, living in a fixed territory under the control of an organised government.

Question 8.
What do you mean by sub-nationalism?
Answer:
There are states like India and Switzerland where the people of many nationalities live together for last so many centuries, i.e. before independence there was Muslim, sub nationalism in India. The sense of sub nationalism does not create any hindrance to the national integration.

Question 9.
Is United Nations a state?
Answer:
United Nations is not a state because it does not possess all the four elements like population, fixed territory, government and sovereignty. It is an international organisation of the several sovereign states at international front.

Question 10.
May we call Pakistan a state?
Answer:
Yes, because Pakistan enjoys all the four elements essential to be a state, i.e. population, fixed territory, government and sovereignty. Pakistan enjoys the right to enter into agreements with other states of the world.

Question 11.
May we Uttar Pradesh a country?
Answer:
No, because Uttar Pradesh is one of the units of states of India and its people are the citizens of India and its government is bound by the decisions of control government of India.

Question 12.
Prove from the contemporary world situation that the process of redrawing state boundaries is continued even since after the beginning of seventh decade of 20th century.
Answer:

Question 13.
What is the importance of nation building in India?
Answer:

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What do you mean by states? Why is it necessary?
Answer:
State is a community of persons who permanently occupy a definite portion of organised government to which the great body of inhabitants render habitual obedience.
A state is necessary because:

Question 2.
What are the main elements of nationalism?
Answer:
Nationalism is a desire for having a region for free and independent development of one’s
culture along with the following elements:

Question 3.
What are the main elements of the state?
Answer:
A state has four essential elements and it cannot exist, if any one of them is lacking:

Question 4.
What are the main differences between the state and nation?
Answer:

Passage-Based Questions

Passage 1.
Read the passage (NCERT Textbook, page 101-102) given below carefully and answer the questions that follow:

People who see themselves as a nation also embody a sense of continuing historical identity. That is, nations perceive themselves as stretching back into the past as well as reaching into the future. They articulate for themselves a sense of their own history by drawing on collective memories, legends, historical records, to outline the continuing identity of the nation. Thus nationalists in India invoked its ancient civilization and cultural heritage and other achievements to claim that India has had a long and continuing history as a civilization and that this civilisational continuity and unity is the basis of the Indian nation. Jawaharlal Nehru, tor instance, wrote in his book The Discovery of India, “Though outwardly there was diversity and infinite variety among the people, everywhere there was that tremendous impress of oneness, which held all of us together in ages past, whatever political fate or misfortune had befallen us”.

Questions:
1. How do people articulate a sense of their own history?
2. What is known as the basis of unity of India?
3. Who wrote ‘Discovery of India’?
Answers:
1. By drawing on collective memories, legends, historical records and to outline the continuing identity of the nation.

2. The nationalists in India involved its ancient civilization and cultural heritage, to have a long and continuing history as a civilisation alongwith continuity and unity.

3. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru

Passage 2.
Read the passage (NCERT Textbook, page 107) given below carefully and answer the questions that follow

The kinds of group rights which have been granted in different countries include constitutional protection for the language, cultures and religion, of minority groups and their members. In some cases identified communities also have the right to representation as a group in legislative bodies and other state institutions. Such rights may be justified on the grounds that they provide equal treatment and protection of the law for members of these groups as well as protection for the cultural identity of the group. Different groups need to be granted recognition as a part of the national community. This means that the national identity has to be defined in an inclusive manner which can recognise the importance and unique contribution of all the cultural communities within the state.

Questions:
1. What different rights have been given to different groups?
2. Can the rights of identified communities be justified?
3. What do you mean to grant recognition as a part of national community?
Answers:
1. Constitutional protection for the language, cultures, religions along with minority groups and their rights.

2. Yes, on the grounds of equal treatment and protection of the law for members of the groups and protection for cultural identity.

3. That the national identity has to be defined in an inclusive manner to recognize the importance and unique contribution of cultural communities within the states.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What is nationalism? Mention its merits and demerits also.
Answer:
Nationalism is a desire for having separate region for free and independent development of one’s culture, race, language, etc.
Merits of Nationalism:

Demerits of nationalism:

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