Topics
Contemporary World Politics
Cold War Era
- Introduction to the Cold War Era
- The Berlin Blockade (1948-1949)
- Cold War (1945-1991)
- Emergence of Two Power Blocs After the Second World War
- Arenas of the Cold War
- Challenges to Bipolarity
- New International Economic Order
- India and the Cold War
- Disintegration of the Soviet Union and Its Impact Or Consequences on the World Order
The End of Bipolarity
- Introduction to the End of Bipolarity
- What Was the Soviet System?
- Gorbachev and Disintegration
- Why Did the Soviet Union Disintegrate?
- Consequences of Disintegration
- Shock Therapy in Post-communist Regimes
- Shock Therapy and Its Consequenes
- Tensions and Conflicts
- India and Post-communist Countries
- New Entities in World Politics: Russia, Balkan States and Central Asian States
- Introduction of Democratic Politics and Capitalism in Post-communist Regimes
- Overview of The End of Bipolarity
US Hegemony in World Politics
- Introduction of US Hegemony in World Politics
- Ayesha, Jabu and Andrei
- Beginning of the ‘New World Order’
- The Clinton Years
- 9/11 and the ‘Global War on Terror’
- The Iraq Invasion
- Hegemony
- Constraints on American Power
- India's Relationship with the Us
- How Can Hegemony Be Overcome?
- Growth of Unilateralism - Afghanistan, First Gulf War, Response to 9/11 and Attack on Iraq
- Dominance and Challenge to the Us in Economy and Ideology
Alternative Centres of Power
- Introduction to Alternative Centres of Power
- European Union
- Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
- The Rise of the Chinese Economy
- India-China Relations
- Overview of Contemporary Centres of Power
Contemporary South Asia in the Post Cold War Era
- Introduction to Contemporary South Asia
- What is South Asia?
- The Military and Democracy in Pakistan
- Democracy in Bangladesh
- Monarchy and Democracy in Nepal
- Ethnic Conflict and Democracy in Sri Lanka
- India-Pakistan Conflicts
- India's Relations with Its Neighbours
- Peace and Cooperation
- Impact of Economic Globalization on the Region
- Conflicts and Efforts for Peace in South Asia
- Overview of Contemporary South Asia
International Organizations
- Introduction to International Organisations
- Why International Organisations?
- Evolution of the UN
- Reform of the UN After the Cold War
- Reform of Structures and Processes
- Jurisdiction of the UN
- India and the UN Reforms
- The UN in a Unipolar World
- Restructuring and the Future of the UN
- India'S Position in the Restructured UN
- Rise of New International Actors - New International Economic Organisations, Ngos
- How Democratic and Accountable Are the New Institutions of Global Governance
- Overview of International Organizations
Security in Contemporary World
- Introduction to Security in the Contemporary World
- What is Security?
- Traditional Notions: External
- Traditional Security and Cooperation
- Non-traditional Notions
- New Sources of Threats
- Cooperative Security
- India’s Security Strategy
- Traditional Concerns of Security and Politics of Disarmament
- Non-traditional Or Human Security - Global Poverty, Health and Education
- Issues of Human Rights and Migration
- Overview of Security in Contemporary World
Environment and Natural Resources
- Introduction to Environment and Natural Resources
- Environmental Concerns in Global Politics
- The Protection of Global Commons
- Common but Differentiated Responsibilities
- Common Property Resources
- India's Stand on Environmental Issues
- Environment Movements: One Or Many?
- Resource Geopolitics
- The Indigenous Peoples and Their Rights
- Rights of Indigenous People
- Overview of Environment and Natural Resources
Globalisation
- Political Consequences
- Economic Consequences
- Cultural Consequences
- India and Resistance to Globalisation
- Economic, Cultural and Political Manifestations
- Debates on the Nature of Consequences of Globalisation
- Anti-globalisation Movements
- India as an Arena of Globalization and Struggle Against It
- Name Or Description
- Overview of Globalisation
- Opportunities and Threats of Globalization
Politics in India since Independence
Challenges of Nation-building
- Nehru's Approach to Nation-building
- Legacy of Partition - Challenge of 'Refugee' Resettlement, the Kashmir Problem
- Organisation and Reorganization of States
- Political Conflicts Overlanguage
- Challenges for the New Nation
- Partition: Displacement and Rehabilitation
- Integration of Princely States
- Overview of Challenges of Nation-building
Era of One-party Dominance
- Introduction of Era of One-party Dominance
- Congress Dominance in the First Three General Elections
- Nature of Congress Dominance at the National Level
- Uneven Dominance at the State Level
- Coalitional Nature of Congress
- Emergence of Opposition Parties
- Challenge of Building Democracy
- Overview of Era of One-party Dominance
Politics of Planned Development
- 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017)
- Expansion of State Sector and the Rise of New Economic Interests
- Famine and Suspension of Five Year Plans
- Green Revolution and Its Political Fallouts
- Introduction of Politics of Planned Development
- The Early Initiatives
- Key Controversies
- Major Outcome
- Overview of Politics of Planned Development
India's External Relations
- Nehru's Foreign Policy
- Sino-Indian War
- Pakistan (1948–49, 1965, 1971)
- India'S Nuclear Programme
- Shifting Alliance in World Politics
- International Context
- The Policy of Non-alignment
- Peace and Conflict with China
- Wars and Peace with Pakistan
- India's Nuclear Policy
- Overview of India's External Relations
Challenges to the Congress System
- Political Succession After Nehru
- Non-congressism and Electoral Upset of 1967
- Congress Split and Reconstitution
- Congress Victory in 1971 Elections
- Politics of Garibi Hatao
- Fourth General Elections, 1967
- Split in the Congress
- The 1971 Election and Restoration of Congress
- Overview of Challenges to the Congress System
Crisis of the Democratic Order
- Search for Committed Bureaucracy and Judiciary
- Navnirman Movement in Gujarat and the Bihar Movement
- Emergency - Context, Constitutional and Extra-constitutional Dimensions, Resistance to Emergency
- 1977 Elections and the Formation of Janata Party
- Rise of Civil Liberties Organisations
- Background to Emergency
- Declaration of Emergency
- Controversies Regarding Emergency
- Politics After Emergency
- Overview of Crisis of the Democratic Order
Rise of Popular Movements
- Farmer's Movements
- Womens’ Movement in India
- Environment and Development - Affected People'S Movements
- Implementation of Mandal Commission Report and Its Aftermath
- Nature of Popular Movements
- Dalit Panthers
- Bharatiya Kisan Union
- Anti Arrack Movement
- Narmada Bachao Aandolan
- Lesson from Popular Movements
Regional Aspirations
- Rise of Regional Parties
- Punjab Crisis and the Anti Sikh Riots of 1984
- The Kashmir Situation
- Challenges and Responses in the North East
- Region and the Nation
- Accommodation and National Integration
- Dravidian Movement
- Overview of Regional Aspirations
Recent Developments in Indian Politics
- Participatory Upsurge in 1990s
- Rise of the JD and the BJP
- Increasing Role of Regional Parties and Coalition Politics
- Coalition Governments - NDA (1998 - 2004) UPA (2004 - 2014) NDA (2014 Onwards)
- Context of the 1990s
- Era of Coalitions
- Political Rise of Other Backward Classes
- Communalism, Secularism, Democracy
- Emergence of a New Consensus
- Overview of Recent Developments in Indian Politics
Estimated time: 34 minutes
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: Challenge of Building Democracy in India
- India chose democracy despite difficulties.
- Deep commitment of national leaders.
- Adoption of the Constitution.
- Setting up of Election Commission.
- Challenges in conducting elections First General Elections (1951–52).
- Success of India’s democratic experiment.
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Key Points: Changing Methods of Voting in India
- Early elections used ballot papers.
- Ballot papers were prepared manually.
- Voting was time-consuming and complex.
- Stamp-based voting replaced boxes.
- Introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
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Key Points: Congress Dominance in the First Three General Elections
- Congress won the first general election (1952).
- Strong leadership and organisation.
- Continued dominance in 1957 and 1962 elections.
- Control at national and state levels.
- Electoral system favoured Congress.
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Key Points: Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
- She was a Gandhian and freedom fighter.
- Member of the Constituent Assembly.
- India’s first Health Minister.
- Served as Health Minister till 1957.
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Key Points: Communist victory in Kerala
- Communist Party won Kerala elections in 1957.
- Leadership of E. M. S. Namboodiripad.
- Opposition by the Congress party.
- Dismissal under Article 356 (1959).
- Significance in Indian democracy.
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Key Points: Socialist Party (SP)
- Origins within the Congress.
- Formation as a separate party (1948).
- Ideology of democratic socialism.
- Limited electoral success.
- Splits and legacy.
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Key Points: Acharya Narendra Dev
- He was a freedom fighter and founding President of the Congress Socialist Party.
- Active in the peasants’ movement.
- He led the Socialist Party and later the Praja Socialist Party.
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Key Points: Nature of Congress Dominance
- Congress dominance was democratic.
- Presence of opposition parties.
- Legacy of the freedom struggle.
- Strong organisation and early start.
- Inclusive national character.
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Key Points: Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
- He was a leading anti-caste thinker and Dalit leader.
- Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution.
- He resigned in 1951 over the Hindu Code Bill.
- Embraced Buddhism in 1956.
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Key Points: Congress as a Social and Ideological Coalition
- From elite group to mass movement.
- Broad social base.
- Ideological diversity, Congress included people with varying ideologies.
- Platform for many groups and parties.
- Ability to manage differences.
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Key Points: Rafi Ahmed Kidwai
- Congress leader from Uttar Pradesh.
- Served as Minister in U.P. in 1937 and 1946.
- Later as Communications Minister.
- India’s Food and Agriculture Minister (1952–54).
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Key Points: The Communist Party of India (CPI)
- Origins in the 1920s.
- Role during the freedom struggle, CPI worked within the Congress initially, but supported the British during World War II.
- Post-Independence shift in strategy.
- Electoral presence and regional strength.
- Split in the party (1964).
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Key Points: A. K. Gopalan
- He was a prominent Communist leader from Kerala.
- He joined the Communist Party in 1939.
- Respected parliamentarian and served as a Member of Parliament from 1952.
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Key Points: Tolerance and Management of Factions in the Congress
- Bharatiya Jana Sangh was founded in 1951 by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
- Its lineage can be traced to the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha.
- The party believed in one nation, one culture and one people.
- It advocated Akhand Bharat.
- Early electoral performance.
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Key Points: Deen Dayal Upadhyaya
- He was a full-time RSS worker since 1942.
- General Secretary and later President of the Jana Sangh.
- Propounded the concept of Integral Humanism.
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Key Points: Emergence of Opposition Parties
- India had several opposition parties even before the first general election of 1952.
- Limited electoral success.
- opposition parties played a crucial role in criticising government policies and practices.
- Kept democracy alive.
- Opposition parties helped train future leaders.
- Initial mutual respect.
- Changing political competition.
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
- He was the leader of the Hindu Mahasabha.
- Minister in Nehru’s first cabinet.
- He resigned in 1950.
- Opposed special status for Jammu & Kashmir.
- Died in detention in Jammu & Kashmir in 1953.
