Security in the Contemporary World - Class 12 Political Science - Chapter 5 - Notes, NCERT Solutions & Extra Questions
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Extra Questions - Security in the Contemporary World | Contemporary World Politics | Political Science | Class 12
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Match the terms with their meaning:
i. Confidence Building Measures (CBMs)
ii. Arms Control
iii. Alliance
iv. Disarmament
a. Giving up certain types of weapons
b. A process of exchanging information on defence matters between nations on a regular basis
c. A coalition of nations meant to deter or defend against military attacks
d. Regulates the acquisition or development of weapons
i. Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) - b. A process of exchanging information on defence matters between nations on a regular basis
ii. Arms Control - d. Regulates the acquisition or development of weapons
iii. Alliance - c. A coalition of nations meant to deter or defend against military attacks
iv. Disarmament - a. Giving up certain types of weapons
Which among the following would you consider as a traditional security concern / non-traditional security concern / not a threat?
a. The spread of chikungunya / dengue fever
b. Inflow of workers from a neighbouring nation
c. Emergence of a group demanding nationhood for their region
d. Emergence of a group demanding autonomy for their region
e. A newspaper that is critical of the armed forces in the country
a. Non-traditional security concern - Diseases like chikungunya and dengue fever fall under the broad concept of human security, which includes health threats.
b. Not a threat - Inflow of workers from a neighbouring nation is typically an economic or social issue, not a traditional or non-trim security problem, unless it leads to significant social or economic destabilization or tension.
c. Traditional security concern - An emergence of a group demanding nationhood can potentially lead to internal conflict or secession, which threatens national unity and sovereignty.
d. Non-trim security concern - Demands for regional autonomy are political issues and could threaten the internal stability of a country, but they may not directly constitute a military threat unless they escalate into armed conflicts.
e. Not a threat - A newspaper critical of the armed forces represents freedom of the press, a fundamental democratic right, and not a security threat unless it incites violence or leaks sensitive information that compromises national security.
What is the difference between traditional and non-traditional security? Which category would the creation and sustenance of alliances belong to?
Traditional security primarily focuses on the protection of state and its territory from external military threats. This concept primarily revolves around military strength, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and dealing with threats predominantly from other nation-states. Tools commonly associated with traditional security include military buildup, deterous, defense strategies, and balance of power tactics.
Non-tranitional security, on the other hand, expands the definition of security to include a broader variety of threats that affect the safety and quality of life of individuals and communities. This includes challenges like environmental issues, pandemics, terrorism, and economic stability. This approach emphasizes human security and often requires significant international cooperation and addressing the fundamental causes of insecurity, such as poverty and human rights violations.
Creation and sustenance of alliances predominantly belong to the traditional category of security. Alliances such as NATO are often formed to increase military strength and deter common threats, using a strategic balance of power to enhance the security of the member states against potential aggressors. This approach aligns with traditional views, where the emphasis is on militaristic strategies and state-centric methods to ensure security.
What are the differences in the threats that people in the Third World face and those living in the First World face?
Differences in the threats faced by people in the Third World compared to those in the First World primarily revolve around the intensity and nature of these threats.
Third World countries often grapple with high rates of poverty, which exacerbates other security concerns. For instance, these regions commonly experience armed conflicts, which are largely a result of political instability, economic disparities, and ethnic tensions. The legacy of colonialism often influences these conflicts, and the competition for scarce resources can lead to prolonged unrest. Additionally, these countries are more likely to face problems from infectious diseases, which spread more rapidly due to lack of healthcare infrastructure and public health facilities.
In contrast, the First World countries face threats that are typically more sophisticated and involve technological vulnerabilities, such as cyber-attacks against critical infrastructure and information warfare. While these nations also contend with terrorism, the scale and nature often differ, focusing more on isolationist or extremist threats from within or via external entities affecting global politics. Furthermore, despite better healthcare systems, these countries face challenges from non-communicable diseases and health issues related to lifestyle and ageing populations.
Is terrorism a traditional or non-traditional threat to security?
Terrorism is considered a non-traditional threat to security. While traditional threats largely involve state actors and are characterized by military confrontations that threaten a state's sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-traditional threats encompass a broader range of issues that go beyond just military concerns and include socio-political and environmental challenges that can affect both national and global security.
Terrorism is distinctive as it often involves non-state actors and targets civilians in a way that instills fear and disrupts normal societal functioning. It operates on a psychological level as much as a physical one, intending to influence and coerce political change through violence and intimidation, rather than traditional combat engagements between nations. Moreover, terrorism's transnational nature, with perpetrators and networks that operate across national borders, requires international cooperation for effective responses, demonstrating its alignment with non-traditional security threats. This complexity and the diverse means by which terrorism impacts security makes it a quintessential example of a non-traditional threat.
What are the choices available to a state when its security is threatened, according to the traditional security perspective?
According to the traditional security perspective, when a state's security is threatened, it primarily has three basic choices to respond to potential or actual threats:
Surrender: This is considered the least favorable option and generally, states avoid advertising this as their policy. It implies giving up in the face of aggression.
Prevent the Attack through Deterrence: This strategy involves deterring the adversary from attacking by threatening serious retaliation. The state strengthens its military capabilities to raise the costs of potential aggression by the adversary to a level that is unacceptable, thereby preventing the conflict from occurring in the first place.
Defend during the Attack: If deterrence fails and conflict breaks out, the state defends itself to deny the adversary their objectives and possibly turn back or defeat the attacking forces altogether. This involves various defensive measures, both passive and active, to minimize damage and reduce the effectiveness of the adversary's military strategy.
These responses are selected based on their suitability to the specific threat and the contextual strategic environment surrounding the potential conflict.
What is ‘Balance of Power’? How could a state achieve this?
Balance of power
refers to a situation in international relations where no single nation or alliance has overwhelming power or dominance. It aims to prevent any one state from becoming powerful enough to dominate others, thereby maintaining stability and preventing conflicts.
States achieve a balance of power through various strategies:
Military Buildup: Nations may increase their military capabilities to match or counterbalance the military strength of potentially threatening nations.
Alliances: Forming or joining alliances is a crucial method. By aligning with other countries, states can pool their resources and capabilities to counterbalance more powerful nations. Alliances such as NATO are examples where several states cooperate to maintain a power equilibrium.
Diplomacy: Engaging in diplomatic efforts to manage tensions and create favorable political conditions can also maintain balance. Diplomatic negotiations can limit arms or resolve disputes.
Economic Measures: Economic strength underpins military power, so states might also pursue economic development or form economic alliances to support their position on the global stage, ensuring they remain competitive and can sustain their defense capabilities.
Thus, achieving a balance of power involves a combination of strategic, military, economic, and diplomatic efforts to ensure no single state can dominate the international system.
What are the objectives of military alliances? Give an example of a functioning military alliance with its specific objectives.
Military alliances are formed when two or more nations agree to mutual protection and support in case of a military crisis. Objectives of military alliances typically include:
Deterrence: Alliances can deter potential aggressors from attacking any member state due to the fear of collective retaliation.
Defense: They provide a framework for a collective defense response in the case of an attack, thus enhancing the military security of each member.
Political Solidarity: Alliances often serve to reinforce political solidarity among member states, aligning their defense policies and promoting cooperative military strategies.
Strategic Influence: By banding together, countries can increase their strategic influence on the global stage, often deterring conflicts through a show of unity.
An example of a functioning military alliance is NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). Established in 1949 with the signing of the Washington Treaty, NATO was primarily created to counter Soviet power during the Cold War. Its main objectives include the collective defense of member states, as outlined in Article 5 of the treaty where an attack against one ally is considered an attack against all allies. NATO also aims to maintain a democratic peace in the North Atlantic area through political and military means. This includes crisis management and cooperative security, enhancing the stability, prosperity, and democratic values of its member nations. Over the years, NATO’s objectives have expanded to include anti-terrorism efforts and cyber defense.
Rapid environmental degradation is causing a serious threat to security. Do you agree with the statement? Substantiate your arguments.
I agree that rapid environmental degradation represents a serious security threat. Environmental degradation includes deforestation, pollution, loss of biodiversity, and most significantly, climate change. These issues do not just damage the environment; they exacerbate socio-economic problems and national security concerns.
Firstly, environmental degradation can lead to resource scarcity, such as freshwater and arable land. This scarcity could increase competition and potentially lead to conflicts, as nations and communities strive to secure limited resources. The conflict over water between nations sharing rivers and lake basins is a glaring example of such potential conflicts.
Secondly, climate change, a major result of environmental degradation, is causing severe weather patterns including droughts, floods, and hurricanes. These extreme weather events not only lead to loss of life and property but can also trigger mass migrations. Such migrations can strain regional stability, increase tensions between states, and overwhelm social infrastructure, leading to increased vulnerability and decreased resilience.
Thirdly, environmental degradation undermines economic stability. Economies that rely heavily on natural resources or agriculture can find themselves significantly compromised. Economic instability can, in turn, feed social unrest and conflict.
Internationally, global warming contributes disproportionately in different regions, posing unique challenges. For instance, rising sea levels threaten to submerge low-lying island nations and coastal areas, potentially leading to geopolitical instability over territory and resources.
Nuclear weapons as deterrence or defence have limited usage against contemporary security threats to states. Explain the statement.
Nuclear weapons, historically viewed within the framework of traditional security, serve as tools for deterrence and defence against state-to-state military aggression. The main rationale behind possessing nuclear arms is founded on the deterrence theory, which posits that the mere existence of these weapons discourages military conflicts by raising the prospective costs of war to unacceptable levels. This is essentially a strategy designed to prevent wars from starting or to negotiate favourable peace terms under the shadow of potentially catastrophic consequences.
However, the relevance and effectiveness of nuclear weapons as a security tool are increasingly being questioned within the context of contemporary security threats. Many of these threats are characterized as non-tratiional and include terrorism, cyber-attacks, environmental challenges, pandemics, and transnational crimes. These issues are distinct in that they do not solely emanate from state actors and are not predominantly military in nature. For instance:
Terrorist groups cannot be effectively deterred by nuclear retaliation as they often operate without a state base and can even use the threat of nuclear response as a propaganda tool.
Cybersecurity threats involve attacks on national infrastructure through digital means, where nuclear responses are not just inappropriate but irrelevant.
Pandemics require medical and scientific responses, where nuclear capabilities provide no utility.
Environmental threats such as climate change demand cooperative international action geared towards sustainability and conservation, a goal nuclear weapons do not advance.
Therefore, while nuclear weapons may provide a deterrent value against traditional state-based military threats, they have limited utility against the most pressing contemporary security challenges that are multi-dimensional and require a more comprehensive approach to security, one that moves beyond military capabilities to include diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian strategies. This shift reflects a broader understanding of security in the modern world, highlighting the need for states to adapt and diversify their security measures in response to evolving global threats.
Looking at the Indian scenario, what type of security has been given priority in India, traditional or non-traditional? What examples could you cite to substantiate the argument?
India has historically given priority to traditional security. This focuses primarily on military threats and state sovereignty. Key examples include:
Military Conflicts: India has been involved in several wars with neighboring countries, such as Pakistan (1947-48, 1965, 1971, and 1999) and China (1962). These conflicts underline the traditional security perspective prioritizing military strength and border integrity.
Nuclear Capability: India conducted nuclear tests in 1998, justifying it as a measure to enhance national security. This decision was driven by the presence of nuclear-armed neighbors, showcasing a traditional security approach focused on deterrence.
Though non-tratural security considerations are on the rise globally, reflecting in India’s participation in international treaties like the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and its engagement with UN peacekeeping missions, the core of its security approach remains traditionally centered around military strength and territorial sovereignty.
Read the cartoon below and write a short note in favour or against the connection between war and terrorism depicted in this cartoon.
Analysis of the Cartoon on War and Terrorism Connections
The cartoon starkly illustrates the often-debated connection between warfare and terrorism. It depicts "war" as a massive, elephantine figure under which are hidden numerous smaller "terrorism" sacks. This imagery suggests that war, a large-scale and often state-sanctioned conflict, serves as a breeding ground for terrorism, which can be considered a series of smaller, yet devastating, acts of violence primarily targeting civilians.
In Favor of the Connection Depicted:
Proponents of the view that war cultivates terrorism argue that violent conflicts create environments ripe with chaos, resentment, and lawlessness, conditions under which terrorist groups can easily recruit, radicalize, and operate. Wars, particularly those involving foreign intervention, often lead to casualties and destruction, leaving populations disenfranchised and bitter, thus providing fertile ground for terrorist narratives that thrive on anti-imperialist or sectarian sentiments. For instance, the instability in Iraq post-2003 invasion significantly bolstered groups like ISIS, which utilized the power vacuum and societal fractures to establish a strong foothold.
Arguments Against the Over-Simplification:
Critics might argue that the cartoon oversimplifies a complex relationship. While it's true that war can exacerbate conditions conducive to terrorism, terrorism often has roots that predate specific conflicts and can arise from ideological, religious, or ethnic motivations independent of war. Moreover, equating war directly with the birth of terrorism neglects the multifaceted nature of both phenomena and does not account for instances where effective post-war rebuilding efforts have successfully mitigated the rise of terrorism.
Conclusion
The cartoon provides a provocative visual commentary on the connection between war and terrorism, suggesting that the former often begets the latter. While this perspective holds significant merit, especially in highlighting the potential consequences of warfare, it also invites viewers to delve deeper into the complex socio-political dynamics that foster terrorism beyond just the occurrence of war.
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Understanding Security in the Contemporary World: A Comprehensive Guide for Class 12 Students
Introduction
In reading about world politics, we frequently encounter the terms 'security' or 'national security'. However, these terms often carry complex meanings that require thorough understanding. This article explores the different dimensions of security, from traditional military threats to non-traditional concerns like human security. Let’s delve into the diverse facets of security pertinent to the contemporary world, with a special focus on India.
What is Security?
Basic Definition of Security
At its most basic, security implies freedom from threats. These threats could range from military attacks to everyday dangers like theft. However, when we discuss security in terms of national or international politics, the focus is generally on more significant threats that could endanger the core values of a nation or its people.
Scope of Security Concerns
Security concerns vary depending on the context. For instance, what constitutes a security threat for one nation may not be viewed similarly by another. Therefore, understanding security requires a nuanced approach that considers various perspectives and contexts.
Core Values and Threats
Security discussion often revolves around the core values of a society or a nation. These values include sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its citizens. Policies and measures are developed to protect these core values from severe threats.
Traditional Notions of Security
External Security
In traditional security discourse, the most significant dangers to a country are often from external military threats:
- Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity: Military threats can endanger a nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Deterrence and Defence: Governments adopt deterrence to prevent attacks and defence strategies to protect against actual attacks.
Balance of Power
The concept of balance of power aims to maintain stability by ensuring no single nation or alliance becomes overwhelmingly powerful:
- Military, Economic, and Technological Power: Countries work to build these to maintain a favourable balance of power.
Alliance Building
Alliances are coalitions of states formed to deter or defend against threats. An example is the alliance between the US and Islamic militants in Afghanistan during the 1980s.
Internal Security
While traditional views emphasise external threats, internal stability is equally crucial:
- Post-World War II Context: After WWII, powerful nations like the US and the Soviet Union enjoyed internal stability, reducing concerns over internal threats.
- Cold War and Internal Stability: Security strategies during the Cold War were focused on external threats, as many European countries had stable internal conditions.
Internal Conflicts and Separatist Movements
Newly independent countries, however, faced both external and internal threats:
- Internal Military Conflicts: Many regions dealt with separatist movements seeking independence.
Traditional Security and Cooperation
Disarmament and Arms Control
Efforts like the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) aim to limit or eliminate certain types of weapons:
- Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty: This treaty regulated the use of ballistic missiles by the US and Soviet Union.
Confidence-Building Measures
Confidence-building involves sharing military intentions and plans to avoid misunderstandings and reduce tension between nations.
Non-Traditional Notions of Security
Human Security
Human security extends beyond national borders to include the protection of individuals:
- Narrow Definition: Focuses on violent threats to individuals.
- Broad Definition: Includes threats like hunger, disease, and natural disasters.
Global Security
Global security addresses worldwide threats such as climate change, international terrorism, and pandemics. These require international cooperation.
New Sources of Threats
Terrorism
Terrorism involves political violence targeting civilians. It has a significant impact on global security and requires international efforts to combat.
Human Rights Violations
Human rights are classified into political, economic, social, and the rights of ethnic minorities. Differences exist on which rights should be deemed universal.
Global Poverty
Global poverty and population growth contribute to insecurity. High poverty levels lead to conflicts, especially in regions like sub-Saharan Africa.
Health Epidemics
Diseases like HIV/AIDS, bird flu, and SARS represent security threats. International collaboration is essential to manage and contain these epidemics.
Cooperative Security
Approaches to Cooperative Security
Non-traditional threats call for cooperative security strategies rather than military confrontation. Partnerships and collaborations at bilateral, regional, and global levels are crucial.
Role of International Organisations
Organisations like the UN and WHO play vital roles in devising strategies to combat global threats.
India's Security Strategy
Military Capability
India has faced several military conflicts with its neighbours. Strengthening its military capabilities and conducting nuclear tests are part of its security strategy.
Strengthening International Norms
India has worked towards non-alignment and disarmament, promoting peace and stability in the international arena.
Internal Security Strategies
India addresses internal security through democratic processes, allowing grievances to be articulated and resolved.
Economic Development and Human Security
Efforts to eradicate poverty and inequality are part of India’s strategy to ensure long-term security and stability.
graph TD
A[India's Security Strategy] --> B[Military Capability]
A --> C[Strengthening International Norms]
A --> D[Internal Security Strategies]
A --> E[Economic Development and Human Security]
B --> F[Conflicts with Neighbours]
B --> G[Nuclear Tests]
C --> H[Non-Alignment]
C --> I[Disarmament]
D --> J[Democratic Processes]
E --> K[Eradicate Poverty]
E --> L[Reduce Inequality]
Conclusion
Understanding security in the contemporary world requires a comprehensive approach. From traditional military threats to newer, non-traditional concerns like global warming and epidemics, the landscape of security is ever-evolving. By recognising and addressing these multifaceted threats through cooperation and strategic policies, nations can work towards a safer and more secure future.
This article aims to provide a detailed overview of "security in the contemporary world" for Class 12 students, covering traditional and non-traditional threats and focusing on India's security strategies.
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