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There is a view that absolute economic equality is neither possible nor desirable. It is argued that the most a society can do is to try and reduce the gaps between the richest and poorest members of society. Do you agree?
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A government report on farmers’ problems says that small and marginal farmers cannot get good prices from the market. It recommends that the government should intervene to ensure a better price but only for small and marginal farmers. Is this recommendation consistent with the principle of equality?
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Which of the following violate the principles of equality and why?
(a) Every child in the class will read the text of the play by turn.
(b) The Government of Canada encouraged white Europeans to migrate to Canada from the end of the Second World War until 1960.
(c) There is a separate railway reservation counter for the senior citizens.
(d) Access to some forest areas is reserved for certain tribal communities.
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Here are some arguments in favour of the right to vote for women.
Which of these are consistent with the idea of equality? Give reasons.
(a) Women are our mothers. We shall not disrespect our mothers by denying them the right to vote.
(b) Decisions of the government affect women as well as men, therefore they also should have a say in choosing the rulers.
(c) Not granting women the right to vote will cause disharmony in the family.
(d) Women constitute half of humanity. You cannot subjugate them for long by denying them the right to vote.
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What do you understand by the right to national self-determination?
How has this idea resulted in both formation of and challenges to nation-states?
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Match the following concepts with appropriate instances:
| (a) Affirmative action | (i) Every adult citizen has a right to vote |
| (b) Equality of opportunity | (ii) Banks offer a higher rate of interest to senior citizen |
| (c) Equal Rights | (iii) Every child should get free education |
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What are generally considered to be the basic minimum requirements of people for living a healthy and productive life? What is the responsibility of governments in trying to ensure this minimum to all?
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Which of the following arguments could be used to justify state action to provide basic minimum conditions of life to all citizens?
(a) Providing free services to the poor and needy can be justified as an act of charity.
(b) Providing all citizens with a basic minimum standard of living is one way of ensuring equality of opportunity.
(c) Some people are naturally lazy and we should be kind to them.
(d) Ensuring basic facilities and a minimum standard of living to all is a recognition of our shared humanity and a human right.
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On what grounds are some rights considered to be universal in nature?
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Identify three rights which you consider universal. Give reasons.
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Discuss briefly some of the new rights claims which are being put forward in our country today—for example, the rights of tribal people to protect their habitat and way of life, or the rights of children against bonded labour.
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Differentiate between political, economic, and cultural rights. Give examples of each kind of right.
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Rights place some limits on the authority of the state. Explain with examples.
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Write a short note on any two struggles for full enjoyment of citizen rights which have taken place in India in recent years. Which rights were being claimed in each case?
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“Democratic citizenship is a project rather than an accomplished fact even in countries like India which grant equal citizenship”. Discuss some of the issues regarding citizenship being raised in India today.
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Differentiate between the major approaches, discussed in the chapter, to the establishment of peace in the world.
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Indian electoral system aims at ensuring representation of socially disadvantaged sections. However we are yet to have even 12 per cent women members in our legislatures. What measures would you suggest to improve the situation?
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Should some states be governed by special provisions?
Does this create resentment among other States? Does this help in forging greater unity among the regions of the country?
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What is the difference between the negative and positive conception of liberty?
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The following is a statement about Ecuador. What similarities or differences do you find between this example and the judicial system in India?
“It would be helpful if a body of common law, or judicial precedent, existed that could clarify a journalist’s rights. Unfortunately, Ecuador’s courts don’t work that way. Judges are not forced to respect the rulings of higher courts in previous cases. Unlike the US, an appellate judge in Ecuador (or elsewhere in South America, for that matter) need not provide a written decision explaining the legal basis of a ruling. A judge may rule one way today and the opposite way, in a similar case, tomorrow, without explaining why.”
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