Arts (English Medium) Class 12 - CBSE Question Bank Solutions

Read the following passage and answer accordingly.

A coup took place in 1991 that was encouraged by Communist Party hard-liners. The people had tasted freedom by then and did not want the old style rule of the Communist Party. 

Boris Yeltsin emerged as a national hero in opposing this coup. The Russian Republic, where Yeltsin won a popular election, began to shake off centralised control. 

Power began to shift from the Soviet centre to the republics, especially in the more Europeanised part of the Soviet Union, which saw themselves as sovereign states. The Central Asian republics did not ask for independence and wanted to remain with the Soviet Federation. 

In December 1991, under the leadership of Yeltsin, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, three major republics of the USSR, declared that the Soviet Union was disbanded. 

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was banned. Capitalism and democracy were adopted as the bases for the post-Soviet republics. 

The declaration on the disintegration of the USSR and the formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) came as a surprise to the other republics, especially to the Central Asian ones. 

The exclusion of these republics was an issue that was quickly solved by making them founding members of the CIS. Russia was now accepted as the successor state of the Soviet Union. 

It inherited the Soviet seat in the UN Security Council. Russia accepted all the international treaties and commitments of the Soviet Union. It took over as the only nuclear state of the post-Soviet space and carried out some nuclear disarmament measures with the US. The old Soviet Union was thus dead and buried. 

Which type of government was adopted by the post soviet countries?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:

The Western alliance was formalized into an organization, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which came into existence in April 1949. It was an association of twelve states which declared that armed attack on any one of them in Europe or North America would be regarded as an attack on all of them. 

Each of these states would be obliged to help the other. The eastern alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact, was led by the Soviet Union. It was created in 1955 and its principal function was to counter NATO’s forces in Europe. 

International alliances during the Cold War era were determined by the requirements of the superpowers and the calculaüons of the smaller states. As noted above, Europe became the main arena of conflict between the superpowers. 

In some cases, the superpowers used their military power to bring countries into their respective alliances. Soviet intervention in east Europe provides an example. The Soviet Union used its influence in eastern Europe, backed by the very large presence of its armies in the countries of the region, to ensure that the eastern half of Europe remained within its sphere of influence. 

In East and Southeast Asia and in West Asia (Middle East), the United States built an alliance system called — the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) and the Central Treaty Organization 1 (CENTO). The Soviet Union and communist China responded by having close relations with regional countries such as North Vietnam, North Korea and Iraq.

When was NATO formed?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:

The Western alliance was formalized into an organization, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which came into existence in April 1949. It was an association of twelve states which declared that armed attack on any one of them in Europe or North America would be regarded as an attack on all of them. 

Each of these states would be obliged to help the other. The eastern alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact, was led by the Soviet Union. It was created in 1955 and its principal function was to counter NATO’s forces in Europe. 

International alliances during the Cold War era were determined by the requirements of the superpowers and the calculaüons of the smaller states. As noted above, Europe became the main arena of conflict between the superpowers. 

In some cases, the superpowers used their military power to bring countries into their respective alliances. Soviet intervention in east Europe provides an example. The Soviet Union used its influence in eastern Europe, backed by the very large presence of its armies in the countries of the region, to ensure that the eastern half of Europe remained within its sphere of influence. 

In East and Southeast Asia and in West Asia (Middle East), the United States built an alliance system called — the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) and the Central Treaty Organization 1 (CENTO). The Soviet Union and communist China responded by having close relations with regional countries such as North Vietnam, North Korea and Iraq.

How many states were associated with NATO?

Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows:

The Western alliance was formalized into an organization, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which came into existence in April 1949. It was an association of twelve states which declared that armed attack on any one of them in Europe or North America would be regarded as an attack on all of them. 

Each of these states would be obliged to help the other. The eastern alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact, was led by the Soviet Union. It was created in 1955 and its principal function was to counter NATO’s forces in Europe. 

International alliances during the Cold War era were determined by the requirements of the superpowers and the calculaüons of the smaller states. As noted above, Europe became the main arena of conflict between the superpowers. 

In some cases, the superpowers used their military power to bring countries into their respective alliances. Soviet intervention in east Europe provides an example. The Soviet Union used its influence in eastern Europe, backed by the very large presence of its armies in the countries of the region, to ensure that the eastern half of Europe remained within its sphere of influence. 

In East and Southeast Asia and in West Asia (Middle East), the United States built an alliance system called — the Southeast Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) and the Central Treaty Organization 1 (CENTO). The Soviet Union and communist China responded by having close relations with regional countries such as North Vietnam, North Korea and Iraq.

What was the primary aim of the Warsaw Pact?

Arms Control is an important measure of traditional security as ______.

Assertion (A): Traditional Security accepts confidence building as a means of avoiding violence.

Reason (R): Confidence building is a process in which countries share ideas and information with their rivals.

In this changing world, a strengthened and revitalized UN is desirable. Highlight the necessary reforms for an empowered United Nations.

Discuss three reasons for setting up the States Reorganization Commission after India’s independence.

Why did the people of China not receive the benefits of the reforms when its economy had improved dramatically? Explain giving any two reasons.

Explain any two major policy decisions made by the Chinese government to open and develop its economy.

Why was the Congress Party known as a social and ideological coalition? Explain.

Explain the nature of Congress's dominance after the independence in relation to democracy in other countries.

Who opposed the concept of 'Capitalist Individualism' and why?

Explain the principle of 'Integral Humanism', advocated by Deen Dayal Upadhyay.

Which one of the following countries was NOT a part of the Soviet Union?

Suggest any two measures to deal with threats to the traditional security.

Evaluate any three steps taken by the Chinese leadership for the growth of Chinese economy.

Analyse any three major happenings in Bangladesh that show peoples’ support to democracy.

Study the given cartoon carefully and answer the questions that follow: 

1. To which country are these two cartoons related?
   1. Japan
   2. Vietnam
   3. South Korea
   4. China
2. Red Book is related to which ideology?
   1. Capitalism
   2. Communism
   3. Humanism
   4. Terrorism
3. What does the 'Red Power Tie' depict?
   1. Negation of communism
   2. Acceptance of Capitalism
   3. Coordination of communism with Capitalism
   4. Negation of Capitalism
4. What is the difference between 'then' and 'now' as per the cartoon?
   1. 'Rigidity' has increased now in the ideology of 'then'.
   2. Rigidity has decreased 'now' in the ideology of 'then'.
   3. The leader under 'then' and the leader under 'now' belong to different political parties.
   4. The leader under 'then' and the leader under 'now' belong to different organisations.

How was the dominance of Congress Party in India different from the dominance of one party in other countries? Explain with any two examples.