Maharashtra Board Class 11 Political Science Chapter 9 The World Since 1945 Solutions

1A. Choose the Correct Alternative and Complete the Following Statements.

 

Question 1. In 1949, China became a communist country under the leadership of ___________
(a) Khrushchev
(b) Mao Zedong
(c) Joseph Stalin
(d) Ho Chi Minh
Answer: (b) Mao Zedong
In simple words: Mao Zedong led the communist revolution in China, establishing the People's Republic of China as a communist state in 1949.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always associate the year 1949 and the rise of communism in China with Mao Zedong to secure full marks in such MCQs.

Question 1. [Identify the leader of the Chinese Revolution]
Answer: Mao Zedong
In simple words: Mao Zedong was the key communist leader who established the People's Republic of China.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always associate Mao Zedong with the establishment of the communist regime in China in 1949.

 

Question 2. The principle of peaceful co-existence was put forth by ___________
(a) Eisenhower
(b) Joseph Stalin
(c) Khrushchev
(d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer: (c) Khrushchev
In simple words: Khrushchev, the Soviet leader, suggested that communist and capitalist countries could live peacefully without fighting.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that Nikita Khrushchev introduced the policy of 'peaceful coexistence' to reduce tensions with the West.

 

1B. State the Appropriate Concept for the Given Statement.

 

Question 1. Period of the dominance of European powers.
Answer: Eurocentric
In simple words: Eurocentric refers to a time when European nations held the most power and influence over global affairs.

🎯 Exam Tip: Use the term 'Eurocentric' to describe historical perspectives or eras dominated by European influence.

 

Question 2. The conflict between America and the Soviet Union.
Answer: Cold War
In simple words: The Cold War was a period of intense political and military rivalry between the US and USSR without direct fighting.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define the Cold War clearly by highlighting the lack of direct military conflict between the two superpowers.

 

1C. Find the Odd Word in the Given Set.

 

Question 1. Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, France.
Answer: France (not from the soviet bloc)
In simple words: France is the odd one out because it was a democratic Western nation, while the others belonged to the communist Soviet bloc.

🎯 Exam Tip: Group the countries by their Cold War alliances (NATO vs. Warsaw Pact) to easily identify the odd one out.

 

Question 2. Italy, Poland, Spain, Greece.
Answer: Poland (Not from the capitalist bloc nations)
In simple words: Poland is the odd one out because it was a communist country allied with the Soviet Union, whereas the others were capitalist nations.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember that Poland was part of the Eastern Bloc, while Italy, Spain, and Greece were Western capitalist nations.

 

2A. Complete the Concept Maps.

 

Question 1. Complete the concept map of the main organs of the United Nations.
Answer: The main organs of the United Nations are:
• General Assembly
• Security Council
• Trusteeship Council
• Secretariat
• International Court of Justice
• Economic and Social Council
In simple words: The United Nations is made up of six main branches, each having a special job like keeping peace, helping poor countries, or solving legal arguments between nations.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always remember to list all six organs of the United Nations, as missing even one can result in a loss of marks in diagram-based questions.

 

2B. Observe the Given Map and Answer the Following Questions

 

See a Map of the Division of Europe After World War II.

 

Question i. Name two East European countries under influence of the Soviet Union.
Answer: Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Romania. These nations were part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War era.
In simple words: These were countries in Eastern Europe that were controlled or heavily influenced by the Soviet Union after World War II.

🎯 Exam Tip: Even though the question asks for only two countries, remembering all five helps you choose the correct ones easily in multiple-choice questions.

 

Question 2. Name two West European countries under the influence of the United States.
Answer: France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, England. These democratic nations aligned with the United States to form the Western Bloc.
In simple words: These were democratic countries in Western Europe that partnered with the United States for security and economic growth.

🎯 Exam Tip: Make sure to memorize at least three of these countries to ensure you can easily recall them during your exams.

 

State Whether the Following Statements Are True or False with Reasons.

 

Question 1. After the Bolshevik Revolution, Soviet Russia became a capitalist nation.
Answer: This statement is False.

• After the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, Vladimir Lenin established Socialism based on Marxist doctrine in Russia.
• Thus, Russia became the first communist nation in the world. The USA is an example of a capitalist nation.

This historic shift completely transformed the global political landscape.
In simple words: This statement is incorrect because Russia became a communist country, not a capitalist one, after its revolution. Capitalism is a system like the one in the USA.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always state clearly whether the statement is 'True' or 'False' in the very first line before writing down your detailed reasons.

 

Question 2. The Bandung Conference brought Cold War in Asia.
Answer: This statement is False.

• In 1955, the Bandung conference had 24 participating countries and sought to broad base the concept of regionalism to Asia and Africa.
• The Bandung conference tried to bring cooperation and stability to the regions.

Instead of promoting conflict, it aimed to foster peace and unity among newly independent nations.
In simple words: This statement is false because the Bandung Conference was held to bring peace, cooperation, and unity to Asian and African countries, not to bring the Cold War.

🎯 Exam Tip: Highlight key terms like 'cooperation' and 'regionalism' when explaining why this statement is false.

 

Answer the Following.

 

Question 1. Explain the term regionalism.
Answer: Regionalism refers to a strong feeling of pride, loyalty, and attachment that people feel toward their own specific region. It often arises from shared language, culture, or history, leading people to demand regional development and autonomy. This sentiment can sometimes influence national politics significantly.
In simple words: Regionalism is when people love and feel extremely proud of their own local area or state. They work together to make sure their region gets special attention and development.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define regionalism clearly and mention both its positive aspect (regional pride) and its political aspect (demands for development) to score full marks.

 

Question 2. Discuss the role of the United Nations (UNO).
Answer: The UNO was established in 1945. Its main functions include to:
(i) Maintain International Peace and Security: The United Nations came into being with one main purpose i.e., the maintenance of international peace and security. The UN does this by working to prevent conflict, helping parties in conflict to make peace, peacekeeping activities, and creating the conditions to allow peace to hold and flourish. This collaborative effort helps avoid global-scale warfare.
(ii) Protect Human Rights: The promotion and protection of human rights is a key purpose and guiding principle of the UN. On 10th December 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted.
(iii) Deliver Humanitarian Aid: One of the purposes of the United Nations is “to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character.” The international community relies on the UN to coordinate humanitarian relief operations in times of natural and man-made disasters.
In simple words: The United Nations was created to keep global peace, protect human rights, and help people during major disasters. It acts as a shared platform where countries can work together to solve global problems.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly list the three main functions with their sub-headings (i), (ii), and (iii) to make your answer structured and easy for the examiner to grade.

Answer the Following in Detail with Reference to the Given Points

 

Question 1. Elaborate on the dimensions of the Cold War.
(a) political
(b) ideological
(c) economic
(d) security
Answer: The hostile relations between the USA and its allies and the USSR and its allies along with ideological conflict between them is called the ‘Cold War’ or Bipolarity. Its dimensions are:
(a) Political dimension: was the aspect of the struggle for political influence over the areas under the control of the two countries. Areas under Soviet influence included East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania. Areas under the United States’ influence included Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, West Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, and United Kingdom. Finland was forced to opt for neutrality to ensure that both the United States and the Soviet Union did not clash in the region.
(b) Ideological dimension: Eastern Europe adopted Socialist ideology under the influence of the Soviet Union and followed a Socialist form of government. Western Europe adopted capitalist ideology under the leadership of the United States. These countries had democratic governments.
(c) Economic dimension: East European countries with socialist governments followed the socialist economic system. This meant that the government or the state controlled the economy, whereas Western European nations followed a capitalist economic model with private enterprise.
(d) Security dimension: Both blocs formed military alliances to secure their territories. The United States led the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), while the Soviet Union established the Warsaw Pact to counter Western influence.
In simple words: The Cold War was a non-violent conflict between the US and the Soviet Union. It was fought through political influence, differing beliefs (capitalism vs. socialism), economic systems, and military alliances without direct military combat.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly define each of the four dimensions (political, ideological, economic, and security) with examples of countries or alliances involved to secure maximum marks.