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Subhra Ranjan Political Science & International Relations - 2020 Test 06 Solution (Upscpdf - Com)
Subhra Ranjan Political Science & International Relations - 2020 Test 06 Solution (Upscpdf - Com)
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• In this sense, by providing a detailed analysis on the ways to conduct foreign policy
effectively, Kautilya has challenged the western idea that India lacked STRATEGIC
CULTURE. Although Kautilya’s mandal theory not completely applicable in the
present context of globalization and complex inter-dependence, but one cannot
ignore its relevance owing to its realist nature which forms the basic principle of
world politics.
(3). ‘Syed Ahmad recommended western education and scientific temper as the
instruments of social reforms and progress of the Muslim community in
India’.Elucidate and comment.
• Syed Ahmed Khan belonged to the time when the Muslim community was passing
through the phase of social stagnation. The situation became more complex when
the British rulers recognised Muslims as being primary responsible for the 1857
revolt.
• Apart from it, within the community itself, there were certain outdated and unsocial
practices which Syed Ahmad considered to be one of the important factors
responsible for the prevailing situation of the Muslims in the country. He was
fearful enough that under such conditions, Muslim community wouldn’t be able to
make any significant contribution in the history of human civilization.
• Therefore, Syed Ahmad started working on the idea that modernity and education
brings recognition. Hence, he advised Muslims to go for scientific learning and
develop scientific temper. In this context, he founded the scientific society (1863).
He also started a journal to promote scientific research, namely ‘Indian Institute
Gazette’. He firmly believed that being the most scientific of all religion, Islam must
be interpreted on scientific lines. Apart from it, he also brought at a magazine,
Tahzib-ul-akhlaq’ in order to end some of the practices with a view of reforming
Islam. However, such attempts at modernizing Muslim community even attracted
criticism from the orthodox sections of the community.
• Thus, it can argued, in the context of his vigorous attempts at reforming and
modernizing Islam and Islamists, that Syed Ahmed was a true visionary because
only a vision can transform an idea into such a mission.
(4) Explain the ‘End of History’ thesis and its relevance in context of present
developments in the world order.
• Political ideology has been an essential component of world history by intimately
involving in the continuing process of social transformation and political
development. Ideology has, therefore, come to be an indispensable feature of
human condition.
• However, few political thinkers have proclaimed the ideology has been brought to
an end. The ‘End of ideology’ thesis, proposed by Daniel Bell (1960) was based on
the fact that, post WW-2, politics in the west was characterized by broad agreement
amongst major political streams and the absence of ideological division. It was
evident from the fact that fascism and communism had both lost their appeal, while
(5) Compare and contrast Focault’s theory of power with that of Gramsci.
• The idea of power has assumed a great importance in the realm of political theory.
It has been interpreted differently by different schools of thought. While Marxists
interpreted power as control or domination over economic structure, Hannah
Arendt envisaged a constructive view of power as empowerment.
• Michael Focault has challenged the conventional understanding of power. He
moves away from the sovereignty– centric (Hobbesian) conception of power and
power as domination to what he calls as ‘disciplinary power’, which is the post-
modernist view of power.
(6). Discuss the relationship between power, authority and legitimacy. Critically
examine the concept of legitimation crisis.
• ‘Power’ is the central concept of polities and holds the same states in political
sciences as held by concept of money in the realm of economics. The significance
of power in the political arena was brought out by traditional thinkers like
Machiavelli, Hobbes etc as well as by modern thinkers like Max Weber,
Morgenthau etc.
• In social and political theory, power refers to the ability to do things and the
capacity to produce effects within social interaction. In this sense, power is a type
of behaviour and specifically derives from the existence of social relationships and
organized social interactions. In conventional sense, power is considered as
domination. According to Robert Dahl, power is a relational concept. On the other
hand, scholars like Hannah Arendt has given non-conventional view of political
power. According to her, political power doesn’t mean ‘power over’ (domination)
but ‘power to’ (empowerment) i.e. power as an enhanced capacity emerging from
collective action.
• ‘Legitimacy’ reflects the consent of the governed i.e. the exercise of power that has
the consent of the governed is considered to be legitimate. The power that is
complied with because it has legitimacy is termed as 'authority'.Thus power and
legitimacy play complementary roles in securing obedience to the commands of
authority. According to Rousseaw, even the strongest man is never strong enough
until he converts his strength into right and his power into authority. Hence,
legitimacy is a pre-condition for governability, which transforms naked power into
authority. Max Weber has suggested that state represents authority as the use of
power by state is considered to be legitimate by the people. Thus, according to Max
Weber, the relationship between power, legitimacy and authority can be explained
through the equation.
‘Authority’ = ‘Power’ + ‘Legitimacy’.
Legitimation crisis
• Legitimacy reflects the consent of the governed as it transforms naked power into
rightful authority. It confers upon an order or command an authoritative or binding
character. This forms the basis of any political system as it ensures obligation of
the governed and, thus, avoiding instability of the political system.
• Legitimation crisis is a condition, during which a political system is unable to evoke
efficient commitment or sense of authority to properly govern. It represents a
decline in the confidence and acceptance of administrative functions, institutions
or leadership. Thus, whether legitimacy is conferred by willing consent or it is
manufactured by ideological indoctrination, it is ‘sine qua non’ for the maintenance
of any system of political rule.
(7) Discuss the recent developments in the domestic policies of Sri Lanka. In the light
of recent development analyse the future prospect of India-Sri Lanka relations.
• ‘Domestic politics’, apart from the China factor, has always been an important
driver of India’s relations with its South-Asian neighbours, including Sri Lanka.
Recently, the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the new President of Sri Lanka
has brought out the question of future prospects of India-Sri Lanka relations.
According to C. Raja Mohan, the return of Rajapaksa has been widely feared in
New Delhi as heralding the renewal of authorization rule in Sri Lanka. Apart from
it, Rajapaksa are seen as being inclined to China.
• However despite the anxieties in New Delhi about Rajapaksa, the recent election
in Sri Lanka offers an opportunity –
I. According to C. Raja Mohan, the election of a strong interlocutor offers Delhi an
opportunity to explore the prospects of a reconstruction of the relationship. This is
important because earlier attempts by India’s leadership to repair the relationship
failed due to the fracture in Sri Lanka’s power structures and poor governance in
the previous regime.
II. As Sri Lanka ties with other powers (especially China) has always been of some
concern to Delhi, Sri Lanka has assured India of being mindful of the sensitivities
of its larger neighbour. This, according to C. Raja Mohan, is a realist recognition
of Sri Lanka in provoking India.
III. As Sri Lanka leadership has promised to reform and reorient the economy, there’s
considerable room for creative Indian policy for economic engagement with Sri
Lanka under Gotabaya.
• However, the question of post-civil war reconciliation and respect for the dignity
of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka remains a contentions issue in the relationship,
especially in the context of the strong majoritarian sentiment of the support base of
the new government in Sri Lanka. According to C. Raja Mohan, India must follow
a realist approach and shouldn’t present itself as a demander on Sri Lanka’s
internal political arrangement which could be counter-productive.
(8) What’s the significance of BRICS for India? What’re the major outcomes of the
recent BRICS summits in Brazilia and in what way that adds to India’s national
interest?
• BRICS, the grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies, namely Brazil,
Russia, India, China and South Africa, comprises 42.58% of the world population,
20% of the global GDP, 17% of the global trade and 13.24% of the World Bank
voting power. Fareed Zakaria has described the emergence of BRICS as the
beginning of ‘Post-American world order’. It symbolized the ‘decline of West and
Rise of Rest’.