Class 10 Civics Chapter 3:- Democracy and Diversity

Democracy and Diversity

1. We saw how power can be distributed to accommodate linguistic and regional diversities.

2. People also identify them on the basis of their physical appearance, class, religion, gender, caste, tribes, etc.

3. In this chapter, we will study how democracy responds to socials difference, divisions, and inequalities.

4. We then turn to how democratic politics affects and is affected by these social diversities.

Terms:-

Homogeneous Society:
A society that has similar kinds of people, especially where there are no significant ethnic differences, for example, Germany and Sweden.

‘Migrant’:
Anybody who shifts from one region or country to another region within a country or to another country, usually for work or other opportunities, is called migrant.

Civil Rights Movement:
Led by Martin Luther King Jr., this movement lasted from 1954-1968. The movement refers to a set of events and reform movements aimed at abolishing legal racial discrimination against African-Americans. This movement practiced non-violent methods of civil disobedience against racially discriminatory laws and practices.

Black Power Movement:
This movement emerged in 1966 and lasted till 1975. It was a more militant and anti-racist movement. The Black Power Movement advocated even violence, if necessary, to end racism in the US.

A Story from Mexico Olympics :- Incident of two US athletes who protested at Mexico Olympics in 1968:

1. The story depicts an important landmark in the history of the CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES.
2. The two men standing with clenched fists upraised and head bowed are the US athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos.
3. The International Olympics Association held Carlos and Smith guilty of violating the Olympic spirit by making a political statement.
4. Their medals were taken back.
5. Back home, they were subjected to a lot of criticism even Norman had also suffered a lot, he was not included in the next Olympics.
6. But their action gained attention for the Civil Rights Movements in the US.

(Tommie Smith and John Carlos, the US athletes received their medals wearing only a pair of black socks with no shoes to represent Black poverty. The black-gloved and raised clenched fists were meant to symbolize Black Power. They were responding to social divisions and social inequalities. With this gesture their intention was to draw international attention to racial discrimination in the United States. Peter Norman wore a human rights badge on his shirt during the ceremony to show his support to the two Americans. The medals were taken back from Tommie Smith and John Carlos because the International Olympic Association held both of them guilty of violating the Olympic spirit by making a political statement.)

Differences, similarities, divisions

1. The athletes above were responding to social divisions and social inequalities.
2. Social diversity can take different forms in different societies.

(In the case of Belgium we noted that people who live in different regions speak different languages. In Sri Lanka, we noted linguistic as well as religious differences. Thus social diversity can take different forms in different societies.

We all experience social differences based on accident of birth in our everyday lives. People around us are male or female, they are tall and short, have different kinds of complexions, or have different physical abilities or disabilities. But all kinds of social differences are not based on accident of birth.

Some of the differences are based on our choices. For example, some people are atheists. They don’t believe in God or any religion. Some people choose to follow a religion other than the one in which they were born.

Social differences divide similar people from one another, but they also unite very different people.

We all have more than one identity and can belong to more than one social group. We have different identities in different contexts.)

Origins of social differences

1. These social differences are mostly based on an accident of birth.
2. We don’t choose to belong to our community.
3. But all kinds of social differences are not based on our birth.
4. Some of the differences are based on our choices.
5. For example, some people are atheists. They don’t believe in God or any religion.
6. Every social difference does not lead to social divisions.
7. In the instances above, Carlos and Smith were similar in one way and thus different from Norman who was white.
8. But they were also all similar in another way – they were all athletes who stood against racial discrimination.
9. We all have more than one identity and can belong to more than one social group.
10. We have different identities in different contexts.

• Accident of birth: We don’t choose to belong to our community. We belong to it simply because we were born into it. We experience social differences based on accident of birth in our everyday lives.
• Based on choices: Some of the differences are based on our choices. Some people are atheists. They don’t believe in God or any religion. Some people choose to follow a religion other than the one in which they were born. Most of us choose to study a subject of our interest and an occupation where we can excel. All these lead to formation of social groups that are based on our choices.)

Overlapping and cross – cutting differences

1. Social division takes place when some social differences overlap with other differences.
2. In the US because the blacks tend to be the poor, homeless and discriminated against.
3. In our country, Dalits tend to be poor and landless.
4. They often face discrimination and injustice.
5. The group that shares a common interest on one issue are likely to be in different issues.
6. Overlapping social differences create possibilities of deep social divisions and tensions.
7. Cross – cutting social differences are easier to accommodate.

(Social division takes place when some social difference overlaps with other differences. The difference between the Blacks and Whites becomes a social division in the US because the Blacks tend to be poor, homeless and discriminated against.

Situations of this kind produce social divisions, when one kind of social difference becomes more important than the other and people start feeling that they belong to different communities.

Overlapping social differences create possibilities of deep social divisions and tensions. Cross-cutting social differences are easier to accommodate.

Social divisions of one kind or another exist in most countries. It does not matter whether the country is small or big. India is a vast country with many communities. Belgium is a small country with many communities.

Social divisions affect voting in most countries. People from one community tend to prefer some party more than others. In many countries there are parties that focus only on one community.)

Politics of social divisions

1. At first sight, it would appear that the combination of politics and social divisions is very dangerous and explosive.
2. Political parties can make social divisions into political divisions and lead to conflict, violence or even disintegration of a country.
3. This has happened in many countries.

Range of outcomes

1. Northern Ireland of the United Kingdom has been for many years the site of a violent and bitter ethnic – political conflicts.
2. Such example leads some people to conclude that politics and social divisions must not be allowed to mix.
3. But if social divisions do exist in a country, they must never be expressed in politics.
4. At the same time every expression of social divisions in politics does not lead to such disasters.
5. In a democracy, it is only natural that political parties would talk about these divisions, make different promises to different communities.
6. Social divisions affect voting in most countries.
7. In many countries, there are parties that focus only on one community.

Three determinants

• How people perceive their identities. If people see their identities in exclusive terms, it becomes difficult to accommodate. As long as people in Northern Ireland saw themselves as only      Catholic or Protestant, their differences were difficult to reconcile. It is easier if identities are complimentary with national identity. This helps to stay together.
• How political leaders raise demands of any community. It is easier to accommodate demands that are within the constitutional framework and are not at the cost of another community. The demand for ‘only Sinhala’ was at the cost of the interest and identity of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
• How Government reacts to demands of different groups. If the rulers are willing to share power and accommodate the reasonable demands of minority community, as in Belgium, social divisions become less threatening for the country. But if the demand is suppressed in the name of national unity, as in Sri Lanka, the end result is quite opposite. Such attempts at forced integration sow the seeds of disintegration.

 

Thus the assertion of social diversities in a country need not be seen as a source of danger. In a democracy, political expression of social divisions is very normal and can be healthy. This allows various disadvantaged and marginal social groups to express their grievances and get the government to attend to these.

Expression of various kinds of social divisions in politics often results in their cancelling one another out and thus reducing their intensity. This leads to strengthening of a democracy.

People who feel marginalised, deprived and discriminated have to fight against the injustices. However history shows that democracy is the best way to fight for recognition and also to accommodate diversity.