CBSE Guess > Papers > Question Papers > Class X > 2009 > Social Science > Social Science

Q. 17. “Democracy stands much superior to any other form of government in promoting dignity and freedom of the individual.” Justify the statement by giving three examples. 3×1=3

Ans. Democracy stands much superior to any other form of government in promoting the dignity and freedom of the individual.
(i) The passion for respect and freedom are the bases of democracy. Democracy accepts dignity of women as a necessary ingredient of society. We have historically had male dominated societies. There is sensitivity to women’s issues because of long struggles by them. Democracy recognises the principle of equal treatment to women unlike non-democratic governments.
(ii) The same is true of caste inequalities. Democracy in India has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and opportunity.
(iii) Also, democracy has to meet the expectations of citizens and people have the right to complain about the functioning of democracy.

Q. 18. Analyse the growth of consumer movement as a ‘social force’ in India, which led to the enactment of COPRA, 1986 by the Indian Government. 3

Ans. The consumer movement as a ‘social force’ originated with the necessity of protecting and promoting the interests of consumers against unethical and unfair trade practices of the producers and sellers.
i. Rampant food shortages, hoarding, black marketing, adulteration of food and edible oil gave birth to the consumer movement in an organised form in the 1960s.
ii. In the early phase, consumer organisations were mainly engaged in writing articles and holding exhibitions. They formed groups to look into malpractices in ration shops and overcrowding in road passenger transport.
iii. Because of all these efforts, the movement succeeded in putting pressure on businesses and the government to change their unfair ways. As a result of all this, a major step was taken by the Indian Government in 1986. It enacted the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, which popularly came to be known as COPRA.

Q. 19. How did the French Revolution create a sense of ‘collective belongingness’ among the French in the eighteenth century? Explain. 4

Ans. From the beginning the French revolutionaries introduced various measures and practices to create a sense of ‘collective belongingness’ among the French. The ideas of ‘la patrie’ (the fatherland) and ‘le citoyen’ (the citizen), emphasized the notion of a united community, enjoying equal rights under a community. A new French flag, the tricolour, was chosen to replace the former royal standard. The Estates General was elected by the body of active citizens and renamed National Assembly. New hymns were composed, oaths taken and martyrs commemorated, all in the name of the nation.

A centralised administrative system was put in place and it formulated uniform laws for all citizens within its territory. Internal custom duties and dues were abolished and a uniform system of weights and measures was adopted. Regional dialects were discouraged and French, as spoken and written in Paris, became the common language of the nation.

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How was education promoted by French in Vietnam pro-French? Explain any four points in this regard. 4×1=4

Ans. Like the British in India, the French claimed that they were bringing modern civilization to the Vietnamese. Education was seen as one way to civilize the ‘natives’.
The French dismantled the traditional educational system and established French schools for the Vietnamese. They were keen to introduce French as a medium of instruction as the Vietnamese would be introduced to the culture and civilization of France. This would help to create an ”Asiatic France tied solidly to European France”, and Vietnam would respect French sentiments and ideas, and see the superiority of French culture.
School textbooks glorified French rule and children were taught that only French rule would bring peace in Vietnam.
The Tonkin Free School set up in 1907 provided a western style of education. The school’s approach was to be ‘modern’. It was not enough to learn science and western ideas, to be modern the Vietnamese had also to look modern.

Social Science 2009 Question Papers Class X
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