POVERTY AS A CHALLENGE

 Std 9 – Economics- Poverty as a challenge

Q1. What is poverty? What are the dimensions of poverty?
Answer:
Poverty is a situation in which a person is unable to get the minimum necessities of life.
Due to poverty poor people are in a situation in which they are ill-treated at almost every place.
The dimensions of poverty are :

• Poverty means hunger and lack of shelter.

• It is a situation in which parents are not able to send their children to school or a situation where sick people cannot afford treatment.

• Poverty also means lack of clean water and sanitation facilities.

• It also means lack of a regular job at a minimum decent level.

• Poor people are in a situation in which they are ill-treated at almost every place, in farms, factories, government offices, hospitals, railway stations etc.

Q2. Discuss the various groups that are vulnerable to poverty.
Answer:
The following groups are vulnerable to poverty :

• Social Groups: Social groups, which are most vulnerable to poverty are Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe households. Although, the average for people below poverty line for all groups in India is 22, 43 out of 100 people belonging to Scheduled Tribes are not able to meet their basic needs.

• Economic Groups: Among the economic groups, the most vulnerable groups are the rural agricultural labour households and the urban casual labour households.

• Inequality of incomes within a family: There is also inequality of incomes within a family. In poor families, all suffer, but some suffer more than others. In some cases, women, elderly people and female infants are denied equal access to resources available to the family.

Q3. How does rapid growth rate of population increase poverty in a country?
Answer:

• Rapid growth of population in comparison to the rate of growth of resources hampers the process of economic development.

• Increase in population reduces the per capita income and lowers the standard of living in an economy.

• In India, rapid growth of population has put in more stress on its economic and social infrastructure and thereby, aggravating the problem of poverty and unemployment.

• Due to the enormous population, a large portion of national income is used on consumption and less is left for saving which, in turn, reduces the capital formation.

• As a result of low capital formation, enough employment opportunities cannot be created which further aggravate the problem of poverty. Poor people in India are ignorant, illiterate and have very few means of entertainment. So, they end up adding more to the population.

Q4. How can poverty be reduced in the future in India?
Answer:
Poverty can be reduced in the following ways :

• Increasing stress on universal free elementary education

• Increasing empowerment of women and the economically weaker sections of society.

• Declining population growth.

• Avoiding caste and gender discrimination.

• Improving healthcare, education and job security.

• Removing inequality of wealth among people.

Q5. What are the major reasons for less effectiveness of anti-poverty measures?
Answer:
The major reasons for less effectiveness of anti-poverty measures are :

• One of the major reasons for less effectiveness is the lack of proper implementation and right targeting.

• Moreover, there has been a lot of overlapping of schemes.

• Despite good intentions, the benefits of these schemes are not fully reached to the deserving poor.

• Therefore, the major emphasis in recent years is on proper monitoring of all the poverty alleviation programmes.

Q6. ‘One historical reason is the low level of economic development under the British colonial administration.’ Explain.
Answer:

• The policies of the colonial government ruined traditional handicrafts and discouraged development of industries like textiles.

• The low rate of growth persisted until the nineteen eighties. This resulted in less job opportunities and a low growth rate of incomes.

• This was accompanied by a high growth rate of population. The two combined to make the growth rate of per capita income very low. The failure at both the fronts: promotion of economic growth and population control perpetuated the cycle of poverty.

Q7. Give an account of the inter-state disparities in poverty in India.
Answer:

• States with poverty ratio more than the national average: Orissa, Bihar, Assam, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh are the most poverty ridden states of India. The poverty ratio in these states is much higher than the national average. Orissa and Bihar are the poorest states with a poverty ratio of 47 and 43 respectively. Most of these states are facing rural as well as urban poverty.

• States with poverty ratio less than the national average: Recent studies show that in 20 states and union territories, the poverty ratio is less than the national average. There has been a significant decline in poverty ratio in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and West Bengal.

• States with low poverty ratio: States like Punjab, Haryana, Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir have very low percentage of population living below the poverty line.

Q8. “There is a strong link between economic growth and poverty reduction.” Explain.
Answer.

• Over a period of thirty years lasting up to the early eighties, there were little per capita income growth and not much reduction in poverty. Official poverty estimates which were about 45 per cent in the early 1950s remained the same even in the early eighties.

• Since the eighties, India’s economic growth has been one of the fastest in the world. The growth rate jumped from an average of about 3.5% a year in the 1970s to about 6 % during the 1980s and 1990s. The higher growth rates have helped significantly in the reduction of poverty.

• Economic growth widens opportunities and provides the resources needed to invest in human development.

Q9. Discuss the major reasons for poverty in India.
Answer:

• British Rule: Britishers ruled India for more than 100 years. Prior to British rule, traditional industries, for instance, textiles, flourished in India. During British rule, the government adopted policies to discourage such industries. This left millions of weavers poor. Even after fifty years of independent India, we can find a major section of the people engaged in handicraft industries as downtrodden.

• Lack of industrialisation: India is very backward from the industrial point of view. Hardly 3 percent of the total working population is engaged in the large- scale industry.

• Over dependence on agriculture: Even after more than 60 years of independence more than 60 per cent of our total population still depends on agriculture for its livelihood. Due to shortage of inputs, our agriculture is backward.

• Inflationary pressure: Upward trend in prices adversely affects the poor sections of the society.

•  Unemployment: Due to lack of job opportunities, more than 90 lakhs of our total working force is unemployed.

Q10. Explain the two methods to estimate the poverty line.
Answer:
The two methods used to estimate poverty line are: –

1. Income method. In this method, the poverty line is estimated with the help of minimum income required. In the year 2011-12, the poverty line for a person was fixed at ₹ 816 per month
   for the rural areas and ₹ 1,000 per month for the urban areas. The higher amount for urban areas has been fixed because of high prices of essential products in urban areas.

2. Consumption method. In this method, the average calorie requirement of a person is multiplied to the current prices. The accepted average calorie requirement in India is 2,400 calories per person per day in rural areas and 2,100 calories per person per day in urban areas.

Q11. Elucidate the targeted anti-poverty programmes undertaken by the government.
Answer:
The government has launched many schemes affecting poverty directly or indirectly. Some of the
most important programmes are:

1. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005. It aims to provide 100 days of wage employment to every household to ensure security of livelihood in rural areas. It also aims at sustainable development to address the causes of drought, soil erosion and deforestation. One-third of the proposed jobs have been reserved for women under this scheme. The share of SCs, STs and women in the scheme are 23%, 17% and 53% respectively. The average wage has increased from ₹ 65 in 2006-07 to ₹ 132 in 2013-14.

2. Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY). It was started in 1993. The aim of the scheme is to create self-employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth in the rural areas and towns. The youth are provided assistance in setting up small businesses and industries.

3. Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP). It was launched in 1995. The aim of the programme is to create self-employment opportunities in rural areas and small towns.

4. Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY). It was launched in 1999. The aim is to bring the assisted poor families above the poverty line by organising them into Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with the help of bank credit and government subsidy.

5.  Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY). It was launched in 2000. Under this, additional central assistance is given to states for basic services like primary health, primary education, rural drinking water and rural electrification.

Q12. What are the main features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005?
Answer:
The main features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 are:

1. The Act assures 100 days employment every year to every rural household.

2. It also aimed at sustainable development to address the cause of drought, deforestation and soil erosion.

3. One-third of the jobs are reserved for women.

4. The share of SCs, STs and women are 23 per cent, 17 per cent and 53 per cent respectively, (ie) Under this, the average wage has increased from ₹ 65 in 2006-07 to ₹ 132 in 2013-14.

5. The scheme provided employment to 220 crores person days of employment to 4.78 crore households.

Electoral Politics

 Answer the following :

1. What makes an election democratic?

Ans: There are certain conditions that make an election

democratic.

 The election must be held regularly every 5

years.

 Every eligible voter must have one vote

with equal value.

 There should be more than 1 party so

that voters can get some real choice.

 Elections should be conducted in a free

and fair manner and people should

have felt the freedom to vote for any

candidate they like

2. What is the purpose of an election photo identity card ( EPIC )?

Ans: the main purpose of election photo identity card (EPIC) is

to ensure that no votes are in place of someone else.

3. Who used the slogan “ protect the self-respect of Telugus”?

Ans: “ Protect the self-respect of Telugus” was the slogan

used by N.T. Rama, the leader of the Telugu Desam Party.

4. Write any 5 demerits of electoral competitions.

Ans: the demerits of electoral competitions are:-

 An electoral competition creates a sense of

‘descent & ‘factionalism’ in every locality.

 The pressure of winning electoral fights

does not allow sensible long term politics to

be formulated.

 Some good people who wish to serve the

the country does not enter the arena as they do

not like the unhealthy competition in

politics.

 Candidates who ask to vote for communal

and caste line destroy the basic idea of

democracy.

 Different political parties and candidates

often use dirty tricks ( like distributing

liquor, money among the poor sections of

voters ) to win the elections.

5. What is the model code of conduct for the election campaign?

Ans: a set of norms and guidelines to be followed by political

and contesting candidates during election time is known as

the model code of conduct. according to this no party and

candidate can:

 Use any place of worship of election propaganda.

 Use government vehicles of officials or elections.

 Once elections are announced, ministers shall not

lay foundation stones of any projects, or take any

big policy decisions or make any promises of

providing public facilities.

6. How does electoral competition help the political parties

and leaders to win elections?

Ans :

 Regular electoral competitions provide

incentives to political parties and leaders.

 They know that if they raise issues that

people want to be raised, their

popularity and chances of victory will

increase in the next elections.

 But if they fail to satisfy the voters with

their work, they will not be able to win

again.

7. How does the principle of ‘ universal adult franchise’ work

in the Indian democracy?

Ans: universal adult franchise means that everyone has 1

vote and each vote should have equal value. no one should

be denied the right to vote without good reasons. In India, all

citizens aged 18 years and above can vote in elections. every

citizen has the right to vote, regardless of caste, religion, and

gender. some criminals and people with unsound minds can be

denied the right to vote, but also in rare situations. Every 5

years complete revision of the voter’s list takes place so that

the names of the new voters who have attained the voting

age are included and names of those who have moved to

some other place or are dead can be deleted.

8. Why were ‘reserved constituencies devised for the weaker

sections by remarks of the Indian constitution?

Ans:

 the constitution-makers are worried that in an

open electoral competition, certain weaker

sections may not stand a good chance to get

elected to the Lok Sabha and to the state

legislature assemblies.

 they may not have the required resources

education and contacts to contests and win

elections against others.

 Those who are influential and resourceful may

present them from winning the elections.

 If that happens our parliament and assemblies

will be deprived of the voice of a significant

section of the population.

9. How does a party fill a nomination for its candidate?

Ans :

 In order to be a candidate, the minimum age

is 25 years.

 Political parties nominate their candidates

who get the party symbol and support.

 Party’s nomination is often called party

‘ticket’.

 Every person who wishes to contest an

election has to fill a ‘nomination form’ and

give some money as a ‘security deposit’. If the

information is not correct, the nomination

can be canceled and the security deposit is

returned.

10. How is campaigning done for elections held in India?

Ans :

 In India, election campaigns take place for a 2-

week period between the announcement of

the final list of candidates and the date of

polling.

 During the period, the candidates contact their

voters.

 Political leaders address election meetings and

political parties mobilize their supporters.

 This is also the period when the newspapers

and television news broadcasting channels are

full of election-related stories and debates.

 During elections campaigns, political parties

try to focus the public attention on some big

issues.

 They want the public to vote for their parties

on that basis.

11. Write some of the successful slogans given by different

political parties in various elections.

Ans :

 GARIBI HATAO: was the slogan of the

Congress party, led by Indira Gandhi in the Lok

Sabha elections of 1971. The party promised to

prepare all politics to remove property from

the country.

 SAVE DEMOCRACY: was the slogan of the Janta

Party in the Lok Sabha elections of 1977. The

party promised to undo the excess committed

during the emergency and restore civil rights.

 LAND TO TILLER: was the slogan used by the

left front in West Bengal assembly elections

held in 1977.

 PROTECT THE SELF RESPECT OF TELEGUS: was

the slogan used by N.T. Ram Rao, the leader

of the Telegu Desam Party in the Andhra Pradesh

assembly elections in 1983.

12. How are ‘polls’ conducted in India?

Ans:

 The final stage of an election is when

voters cast their vote in the polling

booth . that day is usually called the

election day

 Every person whose name is on the

voters list can go to the nearby polling

booth situated usually in a local school

or government office.

 Once the voter goes inside the polling

booth the election officials identify

him/her by putting a mark on his or her

finger and allow him/her to cast their

vote.

 An agent of each candidate is allowed

to sit inside the polling booth and

ensure that the voting takes place in a

fair manner.

 A ballot paper is placed in which the

names of contesting candidates along

with their party name and symbols are

listed.

 Nowadays electronic voting machine

(EVM) are used to record voice.

 The machine shows the names of the

candidates and parts symbols

independent, allotted by the election

officials.

 Each voter has to press the button

against the name of the candidate,

he/she wants to vote for.

13. What powers are exercised by the election commission of

India?

Ans:

 The election commission (EC) controls the

election right from the announcement of the

elections till the results of the election.

 It implements the code of conduct and punishes

any candidate or party that violates it.

 During the election period, the EC can order the

government to focus some guidelines to prevent

the use and misuse of government power enhance

its chances to win the elections or transfer some

government officials.

 If the EC comes to know that the polling was not

fair in some booths or even an entire

constituency, they order repolling.

14. What does a voter turn out during an election in India

signify?

Ans:

 Peoples participation in elections is usually

measured by the voter's turnout figure.

Turnout indicates the percent of eligible

voters who can actually cast their votes.

 In India poor, illiterate and the

underprivileged people vote in larger

proportions as compared to the rich and

privileged section.

 Common people in India attach a lot of

importance to the election. they fell that

through elections, they can bing pressure

and political parties to adopt policies and

programs favorable for them.

 The interest of voters, in election-related

activities have been increasing over the

years.

15. what are the challenges to free and fair elections in India?

Ans :

 Candidates and parties with a lot of money may

not be sure of their victory but they enjoy a big

and unfair advantage over smaller parties and

independents.

 In some parts of the country, candidates with

criminal connections have been able to secure a

‘ticket from major parties.

 Some families tend to dominate the political

parties, tickets are distributed to relatives from

these families.

 Very often elections offer little choice to ordinary

citizens as both the major parties are similar to

each other in their policies and practices.

 Smaller parties and independent candidates

suffer a huge disadvantage as compared to bigger

parties.

16. Examine the need for the reserved constituency in India.

Ans:

 The constitution-makers were worried that in

an open electoral competition, certain

weaker sections may not stand a chance to

get elected o the Lok sabha and the states

legislative assembly.

 They may not have the required resources,

education and contacts to contest and win

elections against others.

 Those who are influential and resourceful,

may prevent them from winning elections.

 If that happens, our parliament and

assemblies would be deprived of the voice if

a significant section of our population.

 That would make our democracy less

representative and less democratic .so, the

makers of our constitution in the thought of a

special system of reserved constituencies for

the weaker sections.

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The rise of Hilter ans Nazism

 Very Short Answer Questions (VSAQs): 

 

1. Who was the propaganda minister of Hitler?
Joseph Goebbels.

 

2. Which court was set up at the end of the Second World War to prosecute Nazi war criminals?
An International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg

 

3. What do you mean by Genocidal war?
Genocidal war means killing on large scale leading to the destruction of large sections of people.

4. What do you mean by Reichstag?
Reichstag is the name of the German Parliament.

5. Which treaty was signed by Germany after its defeat In the First World war?
The Treaty of Versailles was signed by Germany after its defeat in the First World War.

6. Who was mockingly called 'November Criminals'?
Those who supported the Weimar Republic, mainly Socialists, Catholics and Democrats, were mockingly called the ‘November Criminals'.

7. How were the deputies of the Reichstag appointed?
The deputies of the Reichstag were elected on the basis of universal votes cast by all adults including women.

8. Which article of the Weimar Constitution gave the President the powers to impose emergency, suspend civil rights and rule by decree in Germany?
Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution gave the President the powers to impose emergency, suspend civil rights and rule by decree in Germany.

9. What do you mean by Free Corps?
The war veterans organisation through which the Weimar Republic crushed the uprising of the Spartacist League are called Free Corps.

 

10. Why did Nazis hold massive rallies and public meetings in Germany?
Nazis held massive rallies and public meetings in Germany to demonstrate their support for Hitler and instil(develop/create) a sense of unity among the people.

 

Short Answer Questions (SAQs):

1. Describe the events that happened during Great Economic Depression in the USA?
• The Wall Street Exchange crashed in 1929 and due to fear of a fall in prices, people made frantic efforts to sell their shares. 

• Over the next three years, between 1929 and 1932, the national income of the USA fell by half. 

• Factories shut down, exports fell, farmers were badly hit and speculators withdrew their money from the market.

 

 

2. Describe any three inherent defects in the Weimar Constitution that made it vulnerable to dictatorship.

OR

Mention three reasons responsible for the failure of the Weimar Republic.

OR

State any three factors which made the Weimer Republic politically fragile.

• The constitution provided that government must be based on proportional representation which made achieving a majority by any one party near impossible.

• The coalition governments were not stable and keeps changing.

• The constitution had Article 48, which gave the President the powers to impose emergency, suspend civil rights and rule by decree.

 

 

3. What promises did Hitler make to the Germans when he came to power? 

• He promised to build a strong nation and undo the justice of the Treaty of Versailles and restore the dignity of the German people. 

• He promised employment for those looking for work. 

• He promised to remove all foreign influences and resist all foreign conspiracies against Germany.

 

 

4. Explain any three effects of the Treaty of Versailles over Germany. 

• Germany lost its overseas colonies. 

• It was demilitarized. 

• The allied armies occupied resource-rich Rhineland. 

• It lost 75 percent of the iron and 26 percent of its coal to France, Poland, Denmark & Lithuania.

 

 

5. Describe the political impact of the defeat of Imperial Germany.

• The defeat of Imperial Germany and the abdication of the emperor gave an opportunity to recast German polity. 

• A National Assembly met at Weimar and established a democratic constitution with a federal structure. 

• Deputies were now elected to the German Parliament or Reichstag, on the basis of equal and universal votes cast by all adults including women.

 

 

6. Why did the Weimar Republic set up in Germany after the First World War become unpopular? Give three reasons. 

• The Weimar Republic was politically too fragile which created instability in Germany.

• The Weimar Republic was held responsible for signing the Treaty of Versailles and accepting its harsh terms.

• The Weimar Republic did not take any steps to improve the economic conditions of the people.

 

 

7. How did Nazis demonstrate support for Hitler?

• Nazis held massive rallies and public meetings to demonstrate their support for Hitler and instil a sense of unity among the people.

• The Red banners with the Swastika, the Nazi salute, and the ritualised rounds of applause after the speeches were all part of this spectacle of power.

• Nazi propaganda skilfully projected Hitler as a messiah, a saviour, as someone who had arrived to deliver people from their distress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. What was the verdict of the Nuremberg Tribunal? Why did the Allies avoid harsh punishment on Germany?

• The Nuremberg Tribunal sentenced only eleven leading Nazis to death for the mass murder of selected groups of innocent civilians of Europe.

• Many others were imprisoned for life.

• The Allies did not want to be as harsh on defeated Germany as they had been after the First World War which led to the rise of Nazi Germany.

 

 

 

 

Long Answer Questions (LAQs):

1. Mention any five effects of the ‘Great Economic Depression’ on the economy of Germany?

• The industrial production was reduced to 40 percent of the 1929 level.

• workers lost their jobs or were paid reduced wages.

• Unemployed youth took to criminal activities and total despair became commonplace.

• The middle classes, especially salaried employees and pensioners, saw their savings diminish when the currency lost its value.

• Small businessmen, the self-employed and retailers suffered as their businesses got ruined.

 

 

2. Why was the 'Treaty of Versailles' treated as harsh and humiliating to the people of Germany? Explain.

• Germany lost its overseas colonies, a tenth of its population, 13 percent of its territories, 75 percent of its iron and 26 percent of its coal to France, Poland, Denmark and Lithuania. 

• The Allied Powers demilitarised Germany to weaken its power. 

• The War Guilt Clause held Germany responsible for the war and damages the Allied countries suffered. 

• Germany was forced to pay compensation amounting to £6 billion. 

• The Allied armies also occupied the resource-rich Rhineland for much of the 1920s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. The First World War left a deep imprint on European society and polity. Elaborate on the given statement. 

• Soldiers came to be placed above civilians. 

• Politicians and publicists laid great stress on the need for men to be aggressive, strong and masculine. 

• Media glorified trench life. 

• Aggressive war propaganda and national honour occupied centre stage. 

• Popular support grew for conservative dictatorships.