Notes Class 11 Chapter 1 Political Science Maharashtra Board

The State

1. Introduction to Key Concepts
Civics focuses on the citizen and their rights and duties.
Political Science focuses on the State, Government, and Administration.
In this chapter, we learn about:

• Nation: A group of people with a shared identity.
• Nationalism: Love and loyalty for one’s nation.
• State: An independent country with specific features.
• Government: The system that runs the State.

2. Understanding the Terms: Nation, State, and Country
Country: A general term for places like India, China, or Pakistan.
Nation: A group of people who feel connected due to shared culture, language, history, or religion. It’s a psychological bond.
State: A nation becomes a State when it has:

• Sovereignty (independent decision-making power).
• Independent Government.
• Specific Territory.
• Population.

Difference Between Nation and State:
A nation is about people’s feelings of oneness (cultural or emotional).
A State is a nation with a government, territory, and sovereignty.
Example: India is both a nation (shared culture) and a State (with a government and territory).

Do You Know?

The word “Nation” comes from the Latin word “Nasci”, meaning “to be born”. It suggests people share ethnic or cultural roots.

3. Nation

What is a Nation?
A nation is a group of people who feel united because of shared:

• Culture (traditions, food, festivals).
• Ethnicity (common ancestry).
• Religion, Language, or History.

They may or may not live in one specific area.
Example: The Tamil people form a nation because of their shared language and culture, even if they live in different places.

Features of a Nation:

1. Population:
A nation must have people.
These people share similarities like language, religion, or history.
They feel a sense of unity (oneness).

2. Feeling of Community:
The shared similarities create an emotional bond.
People feel they belong to the same group.
Example: Indians feel united during Republic Day celebrations.

3. Desire to be Politically Separate:
People may want to govern themselves.
This desire for self-rule can lead to forming a nation.
Example: India’s freedom struggle was a desire to be a separate nation.

Quote:
Ernest Barker says a nation is a group of people in a specific area who share thoughts, feelings, history, religion, or language.

4. Nationalism

What is Nationalism?
Nationalism is the love and pride for one’s nation.
It creates a sense of loyalty to the country.
People feel connected to their homeland and want to support it.
Examples of nationalism:

• Cheering for India’s cricket team.
• Standing for the National Anthem.
• Supporting the army during a war.

Features of Nationalism:

1. Builder and Destroyer:

• Progressive Nationalism: Brings people together for development (e.g., India’s unity in diversity).
• Aggressive Nationalism: Can cause conflicts or wars (e.g., fighting other nations for power).

2. Opposes Imperialism/Colonialism:

• Nationalism encourages people to resist foreign rule.
• Example: India’s fight against British rule was driven by nationalism.

3. Promotes Diversity:

• Nationalism can unite people despite differences in religion, language, or culture.
• Example: India has many languages and religions but one nationalism (“Unity in Diversity”).

Types of Nationalism:

1. Liberal Nationalism:

Focuses on freedom and self-rule for every nation.
Originated during the French Revolution.
Example: Woodrow Wilson’s “Fourteen Points” supported nations’ rights to freedom after World War I.

2. Conservative Nationalism:
Focuses on patriotism and loyalty to the nation.
Looks inward to strengthen the nation.

3. Expansionist Nationalism:
Aggressive form where nations want to dominate others.
Example: Colonialism (when countries like Britain ruled India).

4. Anticolonial Nationalism:
Fighting against foreign rule to gain freedom.
Example: India’s freedom struggle against the British.

5. State

What is a State?
A State is a political community with:

Sovereignty: Power to make its own laws and decisions.
Independent Government: A system to run the country.
Territory: A defined area where the State has authority.
Population: People living in the State.
A State controls activities like education, defense, law and order, and even personal matters like issuing birth certificates or Aadhaar cards.

Definitions of a State:

Aristotle: A State is a group of families and villages aiming for a happy and honorable life.
Jean Bodin: A State is families and their possessions governed by supreme power.
Woodrow Wilson: A State is people organized for law within a specific territory.
Harold Laski: A State is a society with a government that has supreme authority in a specific area.

Elements of a State:

1. Sovereignty:

• Sovereignty means the State has full power to make decisions without depending on other countries.
• Example: India became sovereign in 1950 when its Constitution was adopted.
• Difference:
• Independence is political (freedom from foreign rule, achieved in 1947).
• Sovereignty is legal (having its own Constitution, achieved in 1950).

2. Government:
A State needs an independent government to make and enforce laws.
The government includes:

Executive (e.g., Prime Minister, President).
Legislature (e.g., Parliament).
Judiciary (e.g., courts).

Public Institutions: These belong to the State (e.g., Parliament, Army).
Private Institutions: These belong to society (e.g., private companies, clubs).
The government has legitimacy (authority to act for the public’s benefit).

2. Territory:
A State must have a defined geographic area.
Jurisdiction: The area where the State has legal power to govern.
Territory includes:

• Land within national borders.
• Territorial Waters: 12 nautical miles (22.2 km) along the coast.
• Air Space: The sky above the land (no fixed height limit).

4. Population:
A State needs people to exist.
The population can be diverse in language, religion, or culture.
Example: India has people speaking Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, etc., but all are part of one State.

6. State vs. Government
State and Government are related but different:

• The State is the entire system, including all people and institutions.
• The Government is a part of the State that runs it.

Differences Between State and Government:

Example:

• India is a State with sovereignty, territory, and population.
• The current ruling party or Prime Minister’s office is part of the Government.

Role of Government:
The government performs the State’s functions, like:
Maintaining law and order.
Providing welfare (e.g., schools, hospitals).
Making and enforcing laws.

It has three parts:
Executive: Runs the country (e.g., President, Prime Minister).
Legislature: Makes laws (e.g., Parliament).
Judiciary: Interprets laws (e.g., Supreme Court).