Political Science Notes Chapter 1 Post World War Political Developments Class 9 Maharashtra Board

Notes For All Chapters – Political Science Class 9
Introduction

Context: Previously studied local self-government, India’s Constitution, and political system in Civics. Now shifting focus to India’s relations with the world and major global issues.

Interdependence: Individuals and societies rely on each other for needs and cooperation. Similarly, nations are interdependent, forming an international system-a network of independent, sovereign states interacting through exchange, treaties, and mutual reliance.

Features of the International System

Interdependence:

• All countries depend on each other, regardless of size, wealth, or development.
• No nation is fully self-sufficient; even powerful nations rely on others for resources, trade, or support.

Questions to Ponder:

• • Difference between individual and national interdependence?
  • Are there rich vs. poor country divisions?
  • Is there a global constitution like a national one?
  • Who holds supreme authority in the international system?

Foreign Policy:

• Every nation has a policy for internal affairs and external relations with other countries, known as foreign policy.
• India’s foreign policy will be explored in detail in the next chapter.

Activity: Newspaper Analysis

• Collect news clippings for a month about foreign countries and classify them into:
  • (a) Visits by important foreign figures to India.
  • (b) Treaties signed between India and other nations.
  • (c) International conferences held in India.
  • (d) Events related to India’s neighboring countries.
• Display findings in an exhibition.

Historical Background: World Wars and Their Impact

First World War (1914-1918)

Participants: Major European countries; Europe was the center of the global system.

Impact:

• Huge loss of life and property.
• Economic collapse for both participating and non-participating countries.

Outcomes:

• Desire to prevent future wars led to the establishment of the League of Nations.
• Purpose: Resolve disputes, negotiate, and avoid war.
• Collapse of empires in Europe and emergence of new nations.
• Independence movements in African and Asian colonies challenged European dominance.

Failure: The League couldn’t prevent autocratic regimes (e.g., Hitler in Germany) or the Second World War.

Reflection Questions:

• Could strong democratic traditions in Germany have prevented Hitler’s rise? What precautions can prevent autocracy?
• What measures could the League have taken to avoid war?

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Scale: More destructive and widespread than the First World War; used advanced technology (e.g., nuclear weapons).
• Participants:
  • Allied Powers: Britain, France, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, Soviet Russia, China, America.
  • Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan.
• Key Events:
  • America dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki (August 6 & 9, 1945), ending the war.
  • Defeat of Germany in Europe and Japan in Asia.
• Impact:
  • Economic crisis for participating countries.
  • Beginning of the Cold War (1945-1991) between America and Soviet Russia.
• Questions:
  • What was happening in India during 1939-1945?
  • How did the Second World War affect India?

The Cold War (1945-1991)

Overview

Definition: A period of tension between America and Soviet Russia without direct war, but with the constant threat of conflict.

Cause: Post-WWII rivalry between former allies (America and Soviet Russia) over power, ideology, and influence.

Characteristics:

• • No actual fighting, but an arms race, ideological differences, and strategic competition.
  • America was an established superpower; Soviet Russia aimed to match it with nuclear weapons and military strength.

Effects of the Cold War

Military Organizations:

• NATO: Led by America (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
• Warsaw Pact: Led by Soviet Russia.
• Superpowers ensured the security of allied nations in their blocs.

Bipolarization:

• World split into two blocs: American-led (capitalist) vs. Soviet-led (socialist).
• Increased global tension.

Arms Race:

• Both superpowers competed to build destructive weapons.
• Later, efforts toward arms control and disarmament emerged due to peace concerns.

Regional Organizations:

• Developing nations formed groups like the European Economic Community and ASEAN for cooperation amidst superpower rivalry.

Non-Alignment:

• Some nations refused to join either bloc, adopting the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Key Event: Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

• A critical Cold War moment; research further for details.

Ideological Divide

• America: Democratic, capitalist, aimed to expand capitalism.
• Soviet Russia: Socialist, one-party authoritarian system, aimed to spread socialism.
• Europe split: Western Europe with America, Eastern Europe with Soviet Russia.

Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)

• Origins: Post-WWII, led by leaders like India’s Jawaharlal Nehru, Yugoslavia’s Tito, Egypt’s Nasser, Indonesia’s Sukarno, and Ghana’s Nkrumah (started in 1961).
• Goals:
  • Oppose colonialism, imperialism, and racism.
  • Promote peaceful resolution of disputes.
  • Advocate disarmament, human rights, and a New International Economic Order (NIEO) for developing nations.
• Significance:
  • Empowered less developed countries.
  • Remains relevant post-Cold War for humanism, peace, and equality.

End of the Cold War

Event: Disintegration of Soviet Russia (1991).

Reasons:

1. Soviet economic reforms (less state control).
2. Gorbachev’s policies: Perestroika (restructuring) and Glasnost (openness) reduced media control and spurred democracy.
3. Eastern European nations shifted to capitalism and democracy.
4. Soviet Union broke into new nations, with Russia as the largest successor.

Shift: From bipolar (two superpowers) to unipolar (America as sole superpower).

Post-Cold War Changes

• Unipolar World: America dominated global politics.
• Economic Growth: Increased trade, circulation of capital, labor, markets, and ideas.
• Globalization: Open economic relations, aided by information technology, reduced national boundaries.
• United Nations: Took a stronger role in peace, security, environmental protection, human rights, and disaster management.
• Shift in Relations: From “enemy nations” to “rival nations”; focus on trade over aid.

Globalization

• Definition: Increased global interconnectedness in trade, economics, and ideas.
• Benefits: More trade, economic unification, product availability.
• Drawbacks: Persistent gap between rich and poor nations.