Chapter 7 – Security in the Contemporary World :Important Questions and Answers

List of Questions and Answers

1.Explain the components of India's security strategy.

Ans:

  • The first component is to strengthen its military capabilities because India has been involved in conflicts with its neighbours — Pakistan and China.Also India is surrounded by nuclear armed countries so it was necessary to be prepared with nuclear tests and the first nuclear device test was done in 1974.
  • The second component of India’s security strategy has been to strengthen international norms and international institutions to protect its security interests.
  • The third component of Indian security strategy is geared towards meeting security challenges within the country.
  • And finally, there has been an attempt in India to develop its economy in a way that the vast mass of citizens are lifted out of poverty and misery and huge economic inequalities are not allowed to exist.

2.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

Ans:
(i) - b
(ii) - d
(iii) - c
(iv) - a

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3.Describe new sources of threats to human security.

Ans:
Here are the list of threats to human security:
Terrorism: refers to political violence that targets civilians purposely and with cruelty.Terrorist groups seek to change a political context or condition that they do not like by force or threat of force.Civilian targets are usually chosen to terrorise the public and to use the unhappiness of the public as a weapon against national governments or other parties in conflict.The classic cases of terrorism involve hijacking planes or planting bombs in trains, cafes, markets and other crowded places.
Human Rights:are classified into three types. The first type is political rights such as freedom of speech and assembly. The second type is economic and social rights. The third type is the rights of colonised people or ethnic and indigenous minorities. Examples like Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, the genocide in Rwanda, and the Indonesian military’s killing of people in East Timor have led to a debate on whether or not the UN should intervene to stop human rights abuses.
Global poverty:World population—now at 650 crore— will reach 700 to 800 crore within 25 years and may eventually level out at 900 to 1000 crore.Currently, half the world’s population growth occurs in just six countries—India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Indonesia.For the world’s poorest countries, population is expected to triple in the next 50 years, whereas many rich countries will see population shrinkage in that period. High per capita income and low population growth make rich states get richer, whereas low incomes and high population growth will make poor states get poorer.
Health epidemics: such as HIV-AIDS, bird flu, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) have rapidly spread across countries through migration, business, tourism and military operations. One country’s success or failure in limiting the spread of these diseases affects infections in other countries.

4.Write a note on Human Security.

Ans:

  • Human security is about the protection of people more than the protection of states.
  • Protecting citizens from foreign attack is a necessary condition for the security of individuals.
  • Also protect every individual from hunger, disease and natural disasters.
  • Protect humans from violence and also threats to human dignity.

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5.How is global poverty a source of insecurity?Explain.

Ans:

  • Today India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Indonesia adds up to half of the world population.
  • The population is expected to triple in the next 50 years, whereas many rich countries will see population shrinkage in that period.
  • High per capita income and low population growth make rich states get richer, whereas low incomes and high population growth makes poor states get poorer.
  • Globally, this population issues contributes to the gap between the Northern and Southern countries of the world.
  • Poverty in the South has also led to large-scale migration to seek a better life, especially better economic opportunities in the North.
  • This migration issues has created international political frictions as International law and norms make a distinction between migrants and refugees and are not ready to accept migrants.

6.Define "internally displaced people".

Ans:
People who have fled their homes but remain within national borders are called ‘internally displaced people’. Kashmiri Pandits that fled the violence in the Kashmir Valley in the early 1990s are an example of an internally displaced community.

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7.Mention the components of Traditional Security.

Ans:
Following are the components of Traditional Security:

  • Preventing war, which is called deterrence
  • Limiting or ending war, which is called defence
  • Balance of power
  • Alliance building

8.Explain traditional notion of external security.

Ans:
In the traditional conception of security, the greatest danger to a country is from military threats.
The source of this danger is another country which by threatening military action endangers the core values of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
Military action also endangers the lives of ordinary citizens.
Following are the components of Traditional Security:

  • Deterrence:Security policy is concerned with preventing war, which is called deterrence.
  • Defence:Limiting or ending war, which is called defence.
  • Balance of power:When countries look around them, they see that some countries are bigger and stronger. This is a clue to who might be a threat in the future.
  • Alliance building :An alliance is a coalition of states that coordinate their actions to deter or defend against military attack. Most alliances are formalised in written treaties and are based on a fairly clear identification of who constitutes the threat.

9.Explain alliance building as a component of traditional security policy.

Ans:

  • Alliance building is the fourth component of traditional security.
  • An alliance is a coalition of states that coordinate and work together against military attack.
  • Most alliances are formalised in written treaties and are based on a fairly clear identification of who constitutes the threat.
  • Countries form alliances to increase their effective power relative to another country or alliance.
  • Alliances are based on national interests and can change when national interests change.
  • For example, the US supported the Islamic militants in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union in the 1980s, but later attacked them when Al Qaeda—a group of Islamic militants led by Osama bin Laden—launched terrorist strikes against America on 11 September 2001.

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10.Explain balance of power as a component of traditional security policy.

Ans:

  • Balance of power is the third component of traditional security.
  • When countries look around them, they see that some countries are bigger and stronger and this is a clue that they can be a bid threat in the future.
  • Governments are, therefore, very sensitive to the balance of power between their country and they work hard to maintain a favourable balance of power with other countries, especially those close by, those with whom they have differences, or with those they have had conflicts in the past.
  • A good part of maintaining a balance of power is to build up one’s military power, although economic and technological power are also important since they are the basis for military power.