Chapter 2 The End of Bipolarity

1 Mark Questions
1.Highlight any one feature of the multi-polar world as visualized by both Russia and
India.
A multi-polar world is characterised by the co-existence of multiple power centres in the
international system,
E.g., USA, Russia, China, Japan, etc.
2.Which one of the following statements about the Berlin war is false? (Delhi 2016)
(i) It symbolised the division between the capitalist and the communist world.
(ii) It was built immediately after the Second World War.
(iii) It was broken by the people on 9 November 1989.
(iv) It marked the unification of the two parts of Germany.
Question 3.
Which one of the following was NOT given primacy by the makers of the Soviet system?
(i) Abolition of private property.
(ii) A society based on the principle of equality.
(iii) No opposition party to be allowed.
(iv) No state control over the economy.
4.Define ‘Bipolarity’.
Bipolarity can be defined as a system of world order in which the majority of global
economic, military and cultural influence is held between two states.
5.Highlight any one major distinction between the Soviet economy and the capitalist
economy.
The Soviet system was based on the principles of equality and the planned economy
controlled by the state.
Whereas in the capitalist economy, private ownership is dominant. Land and productive
assets are owned and controlled by the capitalist.
6.Highlight any one consequence of ‘Shock Therapy’.
The Shock Therapy ruined the economy and people of the entire region. The large state-
controlled industrial complex almost collapsed as about 90 per cent of its industries
were put for sale.
7.How was the US benefitted by the Soviet disintegration?
The US benefitted by the Soviet disintegration due to the economic crisis of the USSR.
The Soviet Union used much of its resources in maintaining a nuclear and military
arsenal and the development of its satellite states in Eastern Europe and within the
Soviet system.
8.What is the new name of the former USSR?
The new name of the former USSR is ‘Russia’.
9.For how many years did the Civil War continue in Tajikistan? When did it come to an
end?
The Civil War in Tajikistan continued for 10 years. It came to an end in 2001.
10.The transition from an authoritarian socialist system to democratic capitalism was
influenced by the IMF and the World Bank. What was this transition known as?
The transition was called ‘Shock Therapy’.
11.Which two republics of the USSR have had violent secessionist movements at the
time of its disintegration?
Chechnya and Dagestan were the two republics of the USSR which have violent
secessionist movements at the time of its disintegration.
12.As a result of ‘Shock Therapy’, to which economic system, each state of the Soviet
bloc was gradual to be absorbed?
As a result of ‘Shock Therapy’ each state of the Soviet bloc was gradual to be absorbed
in the capitalist system.
13.On which ideology was the Soviet political system based?
The Soviet political system was based on the ideology of socialism and communism.
14.Mention the name of the Eastern alliance led by the Soviet Union.
Warsaw Pact was the name of the Eastern alliance led by the Soviet Union.
2 Marks Questions
1.State any two features of the Soviet system. OR
Which were the two important features of the Soviet system? OR
List any two characteristics of the Soviet Union. OR
Mention any two characteristics of the Soviet political system.
The two features of the Soviet system were :

1. The Soviet system was based on state welfare where the state was engaged in
mass production to meet the needs of the people.
2. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) controlled the government and
dominated the political decision-making.
2.What is meant of ‘Shock Therapy’?
The dissolution of the USSR was correlated with the downfall of communism in the
countries which were members of the socialist bloc. These post-Soviet countries
underwent a process of transition from an authoritarian socialist system to a
democratic capitalist system. The model of transition came to be called ‘Shock
Therapy’. It was facilitated by the World Bank and IMF, the Bretton Woods institutions.
3.Mention any two characteristics of the Soviet economy during the Cold War days.
Two characteristics of the Soviet economy during the cold war days were as follows:

1. It had a complex communication network, vast energy resources including oil, iron
and steel.
2. It had a domestic consumer industry that produced everything from pins to cars.
4.Why is it said that the collapse of the Berlin Wall signified the collapse of the bipolar
world?
The Berlin Wall was the hallmark of the Cold War. It symbolised the division between
the capitalist and the communist world; a bipolar world. But, after the disintegration of
the Soviet Union, people on 9th November 1989 broke the wall marking it as a symbol of
unification of the East and West Germany into a single country with Berlin as its capital.
The fall of the Berlin Wall was then followed by a line of events which marked the end of
the Cold War and more importantly collapse of the bipolar world.
5.List any two consequences of ‘Shock Therapy’. OR
Mention any two negative effects of ‘Shock therapy’.
Two consequences or the two negative effects ‘Shock Therapy’ were

1. It led to the gradual dismantling of the state-owned industrial sector.

2. It destroyed the old social welfare system of the state, pushing people to the
margins of the economy.
6.Why did the Soviet Union disintegrate? Highlight any two arguments in support of your
answer. OR Mention any two main reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The USSR disintegrated because :

1. The Soviet political and economic institutions had developed internal weaknesses
which defied people’s aspirations and needs.
2. Complimenting the administrative stagnation, there was an economic stagnation
which cut short the consumer demand and paved the way for the market failure.
7.List any two differences between the socialist and communist parties.

Differences between socialist and communist parties follow

Socialist Party Communist Party

The Communist party

Socialist party believes
believes in radical and
in gradual change while
fundamental change.

Socialist party aims at The Communist party

improvement and aims at a restructuring

reform in society while of an entire society.

4 Marks Questions
1.Describe any four consequences of ‘Shock Therapy’.
The term ‘Shock Therapy’ meant the transitional model from being a socialist country to
a capitalist country influenced by the World Bank and the IMF.
Four consequences of ‘Shock Therapy’ were :

• ‘Shock Therapy’ proved to be a real shock for the Soviet economy. It brought ruin
to the communist economies and the people of the region.
• It led to the collapse of the state-controlled industrial units and high scale
privatisation of the government enterprises and subsequent auctioning of the
state-owned industries which were called the ‘largest garage sale’ in world history.
 • The value of Russian currency, Ruble declined dramatically with a soaring rate of
inflation pushing people into poverty.
• The old system of social welfare was pushed to ashes with the government
withdrawing subsidies.
• It widened the gap between rich and poor. It further reinforced the economic
divide.
2.Explain any two reasons for the disintegration of the USSR.
OR Explain any four factors responsible for the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
Factors responsible for the disintegration of the Soviet Union were :

• The most important factor for the fall of the Soviet Union was a lack of proper
leadership. There was no clear cut line between the party and government as there
was one political party which was wielding power.
• Mikhail Gorbachev’s policies of ‘Perestroika and ‘Glasnost’ proved to be disastrous
for the economic health of the USSR.
• Anti-communists forces of the Soviet Union had the support of the USA and
Western European countries. Gorbachev due to his liberal policies did not try to
uproot these forces.
• No effort was ever made to create a socialist human being and a socialist culture.
3.Describe any four consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
The consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union were : (any four)

1. The disintegration of the Soviet Union meant the end of the Cold War because the
Cold War was the culmination of the rivalries between the USA and the USSR.
Thus, Cold War confrontations were put to an end.
2. The dissolution of the Soviet Union led to a dramatic change and upheaval in the
power relations which had implications for world politics. The disintegration left
open the world space to be dominated by the sole superpower called the USA or to
have the dominance of several powers.
3. The Bretton Woods institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary
Fund became active players in the wake of developmental needs of the second
world countries as they were borrowing money from the World Bank and IMF. ‘
4. The world saw the emergence of many new countries with their own independent
aspirations.
5. The Baltic states namely Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia joined the European Union
and subsequently became members of the NATO.
6. Undoubtedly the significant consequence of the withering away of the USSR was
the inauguration of the period of US hegemony in which capitalism was
pronounced as the winner because socialism had been dead.
6 Marks Questions
1.In what three ways did the collapse of the Soviet Union affect world politics? Explain.
OR Examine any six consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
For the consequences of the disintegration of the USSR,
The consequences of the disintegration of the Soviet Union were : (any four)
 1. The disintegration of the Soviet Union meant the end of the Cold War because the
Cold War was the culmination of the rivalries between the USA and the USSR.
Thus, Cold War confrontations were put to an end.
2. The dissolution of the Soviet Union led to a dramatic change and upheaval in the
power relations which had implications for world politics. The disintegration left
open the world space to be dominated by the sole superpower called the USA or to
have the dominance of several powers.
3. The Bretton Woods institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary
Fund became active players in the wake of developmental needs of the second
world countries as they were borrowing money from the World Bank and IMF. ‘
4. The world saw the emergence of many new countries with their own independent
aspirations.
5. The Baltic states namely Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia joined the European Union
and subsequently became members of the NATO.
6. Undoubtedly the significant consequence of the withering away of the USSR was
the inauguration of the period of US hegemony in which capitalism was
pronounced as the winner because socialism had been dead.
2.Highlight any three positive and three negative features each of the Soviet system in
the Soviet Union.
The three positive features of the Soviet system were :

1. The Soviet economy was more developed than the rest of the world except the US.
It had a complex communication network, vast energy resources, machinery
production and a transport system that connected its remotest areas.
2. A minimum standard of living for all Answer: citizens was ensured by the Soviet
state and the government subsidised basic necessities including health,
education, child care and other welfare schemes.
3. State ownership was given more importance. Land and productive assets were
owned and controlled by the Soviet state.
The three negative features of the Soviet system were:

1. The Soviet system was very bureaucratised and authoritarian in nature. It turned
the life of the people into disorder.
Authoritarianism meant the absence of democracy and freedom of speech which
angered the people.
2. The Soviet economy witnessed economic stagnation for a long time which led to
market failure when demand failed to meet supply in the market for consumer
goods.
3. State Treasury had spent a huge fortune on building and maintaining nuclear
arsenals and in developing its satellite states in East Europe and within the Soviet
system. It turned into a large economic burden for the Soviet system.
3.How did the Soviet Union suddenly disintegrated? Explain any six reasons,
OR Describe any six factors responsible for the disintegration of USSR.
OR Explain any three reasons for the disintegration of the USSR.
OR Examine any six factors which led to the disintegration of the former Soviet Union.
Following are the reasons for the disintegration of the USSR :
1. Leadership crisis It was the most important cause of the disintegration of the Soviet
Union. There was no dear cut line between the party and government as there was one
political party which was wielding power. The leader of the Communist Party of the
Soviet Union (CPSU) was placed at the helm of affairs of the government/state. The
CPSU managed to impress people for a substantial period. However, later on, the
leadership of the CPSU lost its sheen owing to corruption and simultaneously lost
people’s confidence.
2. Gorbachev’s policies Mikhail Gorbachev’s policies of Perestroika and Glasnost
proved to be disastrous for the economic health of the USSR. He did not create
conducive conditions for the implementation of the twin policies. Gorbachev ignored
the presence of anti-community forces and did not try to uproot them from the Soviet
Union.
3. Anti-communist elements had reached at its peak Gorbachev’s ignorance and his
liberal outlook, in turn, strengthened the anti-communal forces in Eastern Europe.
Consequently, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria and East Germany
witnessed the downfall of the communist regimes. These sudden developments paved
the way for the disintegration of the USSR.
4. Economic stagnation The Soviet economy remained stagnant for many years which
led to severe consumer shortages. Much of the resources were used in maintaining a
nuclear and military arsenal and the development of its satellite states.
5. Stagnant administration The administration and political system of the Soviet Union
became stagnant. The Communist Party that ruled the Soviet Union for over 70 years
was not accountable to the people. Rampant corruption, unwillingness to allow more
openness in government led to the collapse of the system.
6. Rise of nationalism and desires The final and the most immediate cause for the
disintegration of the USSR was the rise of nationalism and the desire for sovereignty
within various republics including Russia and the Baltic Republics.
4.Describe the role of Gorbachev to reform the Soviet system and the effects of these
reforms on the USSR.
Mikhail Gorbachev was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet
Union in 1985. He initiated reforms in the Soviet system and tried to normalise relations
with the West He also tried to democratise and reform the Soviet Union.
Some of the reforms initiated by Gorbachev are :

1. He introduced economic and political reform policies of ‘Perestroika’

(restructuring) and ‘glasnost’ (openness).
2. He stopped the arms race with the US by signing apart to control over nuclear
weapons.
3. He withdrew Soviet troops from Afghanistan and Eastern Europe.
4. He helped in the unification of Germany.
The reforms initiated by Gorbachev had following effects on the USSR :

1. Common people became impatient to bring openness and restructuring of the

system faster than these were scheduled in the policy of Perestroika and
Glasnost.
 2. Bureaucrats and communist hardliners did not want to adopt these policies, they
felt their powers and luxuries would reduce.
3. As a result, Gorbachev had to suffer and subsequently, he resigned and a coup
took place in 1991 in which Communist Party hardliners were on one side and the
staunch supporter of restructuring on the other.
4. Gorbachev’s reform policy geared up nationalistic feelings and the desire for
sovereignty within various republics including Russia and Baltic Republics.
5. People preferred the capitalist economy over the centralised economy under
which they were suffering.
5.Describe the factors that make most of the former Soviet Republics prone to conflicts
and threats.
OR Give any three examples to show that most of the former Soviet Republics were
prone to conflicts and tensions.
The present-day conflicts which the post-Soviet republics are confronted with can be
traced to the old days when the USSR had existed. With the downfall of the USSR,
Russia has experienced high levels of ethnic conflicts pertaining to exit claims by
former satellite states that rose against the idea of federation. Exit claims antagonised
the state leading to a clash between the interest of the centre and the constituent states
resulting in massive human right violations in Chechnya and in other regions.
The three factors that make most of the former Soviet republics prone to conflicts and
threats are:
1. Chechnya conflict which began in 1994 has led to the demand for independence. It
has been the bone of contention between separatists and the Government of Russia for
decades. Russia has been criticised for its actions which led to the mass killing of the
people in Chechnya.
2. Tajikistan conflict Tajikistan also experienced a decade long Civil War fuelled
primarily by a clash between ethnic groups. It ended in 2001. The cause of the Civil War
lies in the period after the end of the Cold War where the legitimacy crisis erupted after
presidential elections in Tajikistan. It took the form of a Civil War.
3. Georgia conflict Like the other post-Soviet states, Georgia also fell prey to the internal
conflicts and instability which had accumulated since the days of the Soviet Union.
Declaring independence, Georgia witnessed two gruesome conflicts in the country.
These conflicts proved to be painful for the country as it created divided societies
following divergent interests.
Question 6.
If the Soviet Union had not disintegrated and the world had remained bipolar, how would
that situation have affected world politics? (All India 2015)
Answer:
If the Soviet Union had not disintegrated, it would have affected world politics in the
following manner:

1. The USA would not have become so powerful and its hegemony would not have
been established. It would not be interfering in the world affairs more unilaterally.
2. The world would have headed towards a Third World War if there was no
disintegration of USSR. The war would have been more devastating and
destructive.
 3. The disintegration of USSR led to the independence of many countries which were
part of erstwhile USSR. This would have not been possible without the
disintegration.
4. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the USA’s position in the UNO also
became very strong. Almost all the decisions in UNO were taken under the
influence of the USA. This situation could have been different if there was no
collapse of USSR.
5. Most of the former Soviet Republics which are passing through conflicts and Civil
Wars, would not have gone through this agony.
6. Accumulation of nuclear weapons would have continued endlessly.
7.What was the Soviet system? Assess any four features of the Soviet system.
The Soviet system was based on the critique of capitalism which declares that
capitalism un avoiding leads never-ending impoverishment and exploitation of the
masses. It stressed that capitalism can never equate itself with mass production for the
satisfaction of human needs.
The Soviet system was largely pro-poor in orientation with social policies aimed at the
welfare of the masses. The Soviet system was constituted after the Russian Revolution
of 1917, based on equality and planned economy.
Four features of the Soviet system are :

1. In the Soviet system, the state was accorded an important role. The state was the
saviour of the masses.
2. The Soviet system was an outcome of the socialist doctrine which seeks to create
an egalitarian society.
3. The Soviet system’s economy was planned and controlled by the state. There were
no private enterprises or industries.
4. The Soviet political system gave primacy to the Communist Party with no scope
for the opposition in politics. It was a sign of authoritarianism.
8.Explain any six factors that forced Gorbachev to initiate reforms in the Soviet Union.
OR What were the factors that forced Gorbachev to initiate reforms in the USSR?
The six factors that forced Gorbachev to initiate reforms in the Soviet Union were :

1. The most important factor was to keep the USSR well aware of the revolutions
taking place in the field of information and technology in the West. Gorbachev was
well aware of the standard of technology in USSR.
2. Gorbachev wanted to make USSR an advanced country which could catch up with
or outpace the Western countries particularly the US. It was a step for
democratisation.
3. Gorbachev was a liberal in his outlook. He favoured normalisation of ties of the
USSR with the rest of the world. Among his top priorities was to forge better
relations with the Western countries.
4. Gorbachev faced administrative stagnation in the Soviet system because of lack
of democracy coupled with mounting corruption.
5. Gorbachev derived his motivation for reforms in the need to address the legacy of
the economic, social and political stagnation which took shape in the regime of
Brezhnev. They marked the economic decline of the decade 1976-1985 challenged
the military and political supremacy of the USSR.
 6. Foreign policy complications aided by the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan
in 1979 compelled Gorbachev to reinvigorate the Soviet command economy to
usher in the era of economic prosperity.
9.‘Although India has maintained good relations with all the post-communist countries,
yet the strongest relations are still between India and Russia?’ Explain the statement
with any three suitable arguments.
OR Why are India’s relations with Russia considered an important aspect of India’s
foreign policy? Explain.
India has maintained good relations with all the Post-Communist countries but it has
the strongest relation with Russia which continues to date. Following are some
arguments to support the statement:
1. Indo-Russian relation is an important segment of India’s foreign policy. The relations
between these two countries are embedded in a history of trust and common interests
and are matched by popular perceptions. Famous Bollywood personalities are common
names in Russia.
2. Both countries share a vision of a multipolar world order. A multipolar world is the co-
existence of several powers in the international system, collective security, greater
regionalism, negotiated settlements of international conflicts, an independent foreign
policy for all countries and decision-making through bodies like the UN.
3. From this relationship, India gets benefits on issues like Kashmir, energy supplies,
sharing information on international terrorism, access to Central Asia and balancing its
relations with China. On the other hand, Russia stands to benefit from this relationship
because India is the second largest arms market for Russia.
The Indian military gets most of its hardware from Russia.
4. Russia is vital for India as it has repeatedly come to the assistance of India during its
oil crisis. India is trying to increase its energy imports from Russia and the republics of
Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
5. Apart from this, Russia is important for India’s nuclear energy plants and assisted
India’s space industry. For example,
Russia has provided the cryogenic rocket when India needed it.
Dut to the above reasons, Russia is considered an important aspect of India’s foreign
policy.
10.What is meant by ‘Shock therapy’? Assess its consequences on the Post-Communist
regimes?
For a meaning of Shock therapy,
The dissolution of the USSR was correlated with the downfall of communism in the
countries which were members of the socialist bloc. These post-Soviet countries
underwent a process of transition from an authoritarian socialist system to a
democratic capitalist system. The model of transition came to be called ‘Shock
Therapy’. It was facilitated by the World Bank and IMF, the Bretton Woods institutions.
For consequences of Shock Therapy on the post-communist regimes. The term ‘Shock
Therapy’ meant the transitional model from being a socialist country to a capitalist
country influenced by the World Bank and the IMF.
Four consequences of ‘Shock Therapy’ were :
 1. ‘Shock Therapy’ proved to be a real shock for the Soviet economy. It brought ruin
to the communist economies and the people of the region.
2. It led to the collapse of the state-controlled industrial units and high scale
privatisation of the government enterprises and subsequent auctioning of the
state-owned industries which were called the ‘largest garage sale’ in world history.
3. The value of Russian currency, Ruble declined dramatically with a soaring rate of
inflation pushing people into poverty.
4. The old system of social welfare was pushed to ashes with the government
withdrawing subsidies.
5. It widened the gap between rich and poor. It further reinforced the economic
divide.
11.Examine India’s relationship with the former Soviet Union during the Cold War.
India and the former Soviet Union enjoyed a cordial relationship during the Cold War.
The relation between the two was a multi-dimensional relationship

1. Economic relation During the Cold Era, India’s public sector companies were
assisted by the Soviet Union. It gave aid and technical assistance for steel plants
like Bhilai, Bokaro, Visakhapatnam as well as machinery plants like Bharat Heavy
Electrical Limited etc. Apart from this, the Soviet Union accepted the Indian
currency for trade when India was short of foreign exchange.
2. Political relation On the political front, the Soviet Union has supported India in the
UN over the Kashmir issue. India got support from the Soviet Union during major
conflicts especially during the war with Pakistan in 1971.
The Soviet Union on the other hand also got indirect support from India for its
foreign policy.
3. Defence relation India received its military hardware from the Soviet Union when
other countries were willing to part with military technologies.
4. Culture In the Soviet Union, Hindi films and Indian culture were very popular. This
has been proved as many prominent Indian writers and artists paid a visit to the
USSR.
12.‘India and the USSR enjoyed a special relationship during the Cold War, which led
critics to say that India was a part of the Soviet camp.’ Do you agree? Support your
answer with any two arguments. (HOTS; All India 2008)
Yes, the special relationship between India and USSR reflected this. First, India’s Non-
Alignment was said to be ‘unprincipled’. In the name of pursuing its national interest.
India, it was said, often refused to take a firm stand on crucial international issues.
Second, it is suggested that India was inconsistent and took contradictory postures.
Having criticised others for joining alliances, India signed the Treaty of Friendship in
August 1971 with the USSR for 20 years.
This was regarded, particularly by outside observers, as virtually joining the Soviet
alliance system. However, the Indian Government’s view was that India needed
diplomatic and possibly military support during the Bangladesh crisis and that in any
case, the treaty did not stop India from having good relations with other countries
including the US.
13.Examine any six characteristics of the Soviet system during 1971-1991.
The USSR contained 15 constituent republics, it was formed on 30th December 1924
with the adoption of a federal Constitution. It was the largest country in terms of area.
Following are its six characteristics in the time period of 20 years

1. The USSR was federation only on a paper. In reality, it did not embrace the features
of a federal system. The fifteen republics were denied autonomy and there was
centralisation of power around Russia.
2. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) controlled the government and
dominated the political decision-making. It strengthened the principle of
democratic centralism which meant lack of dissent on the decisions of the upper
party bodies. Thus, the single-party system was the norm.
3. The most coloured feature of the Soviet system was the propagation of socialism
to oppose the effects of capitalism, though later on it was abandoned (Shock
Therapy).
4. The Soviet economy was state-owned and state planned where the state was the
owner of the means of production thus, there was an absence of private property.
5. The Soviet system was characterised by a complex communications network with
vast energy resources like oil, iron and steel. The state has a vast network of
transportation to manufacture or transport goods to remotest areas.
6. The Soviet system was based on state welfare where the state was engaged in
mass production to meet the needs of the people.
Passage-Based Questions
1.Read the passage given below carefully and answer the following questions.
Each of these countries was required to make a total shift to a capitalist economy,
which meant rooting out completely any structures evolved during this period. Above all,
it meant that private ownership was to be the dominant pattern of ownership of
property. Privatisation of state assets and corporate ownership patterns were to be
immediately brought in. Collective farms were to be replaced by private farming and
capitalism in agriculture. This transition rules out any alternate or ‘third way’.
(i) Name any two countries which were required to make a total shift?
(ii) Why were the collective farms to be replaced by private farming?
(iii) Since the ‘third way’ has been ruled out, what were the only two ways of controlling
the economy?
Answer:
(i) Two countries which were required to make a total shift were Russia and
Kazakhstan.
(ii) The collective farms were replaced by private farming for making private ownership
as a dominant pattern of ownership of property.
(iii) The only two ways of controlling the economy were capitalist’economy and ‘Shock
therapy’.
2.The value of the Ruble declined dramatically. The rate of inflation was so high that
people lost all their savings. The collective farm system disintegrated leaving people
without food security, and the government started to import food. The old trading
structure broke down with no alternative in its place. The old system of social welfare
was systematically destroyed. The withdrawal of government subsidies pushed large
sections of the people into poverty. (All India 2016)
(i) What is meant by subsidy?
(ii) How did the disintegration of the collective farm system lead to the loss of food
security?
(iii) This passage is associated with which country? Why did the government start
importing food?
Answer:
(i) A subsidy is a sum of money granted by the state or a public body to help an industry
or business keep the price of a commodity or service low.
(ii) The disintegration of the collective farm system led to capitalism in agriculture
which left people without food security because state-sponsored subsidies, food grains
etc to poor were put to an end under a capitalist system.
(iii) The given passage is associated with Russia. The government started importing
food to meet the shortage of food.
3.Study the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow
The collapse of communism was followed in most of these countries by a painful
process of transition from an authoritarian socialist system to a democratic capitalist
system. Privatisation of state assets and corporate ownership patterns were to be
immediately brought in.
(i) Why has the process of transition been ’ described as painful?
(ii) Which political system existed before the transition and which system replaced it, if
any?
(iii) What does privatisation imply?
Answer:
(i) The transition has been described as painful because it underlined the collapse of
communism which was followed by a shift from an authoritarian socialist system to a
democratic system.
(ii) An authoritarian political system crystallised by the socialist model of development
had existed before the transition. It was replaced by a democratic capitalist system.
(iii) Privatisation means a reduction in state planning whereby state resorts to
disinvestment and encourages private ownership of property and means of production.
We hope the Political Science Class 12 Important Questions Chapter 2 The End of
Bipolarity help you. If you have any query regarding Political Science Class 12 Important
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Map Based Questions
On a political map of world locate and label the following by giving symbols to them:

Questions
1. A republic of Eastern Europe split into two independent countries peacefully.
2. Most dominating republic of Soviet Union.
3. Identify two major oil and gas producers of Soviet Union.
members of Commonwealth of Independent States.
Answer:
1. Czechoslovakia Czechs (1) and Slovakia(2).
2. Russia (3).
3. Turkmenistan (4) and Uzbekistan (5).
4. Yugoslavia (6).
5. Ukraine (7) and Belarus (8).
Text book based questions
1.Which among the following statements that describe the nature of Soviet economy
is wrong?
(a) Socialism was the dominant ideology.
(b) State ownership/control existed over the factors of production.
(c) People enjoyed economic freedom.
(d) Every aspect of the economy was planned and contained by the state.
Answer: (c) People enjoyed economic freedom.

2.Arrange the following in chronological order:

(a) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
(b) Fall of the Berlin Wall
(c) Disintegration of Soviet Union
(d) Russian Revolution
Answer: I. (d) Russian Revolution (1917)
II. (a) Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)
III. (b) Fall of the Berlin Wall (Nov 1989)
IV. (c) Disintegration of Soviet Union
3. Which among the following is NOT an outcome of the disintegration of the
USSR?
(a) End of the ideological war between the US and USSR
(b) Birth of CIS
(c) Change in the balance of power in the world order
(d) Crises in the Middle East
Answer: (d) Crises in the Middle East

4. 4. Match the following:

Answer: (i)-(c); (ii)-(d); (iti)-(a); (iv)-(e); (v)-(b)

5. 5. Fill in the blanks:

(a) The Soviet Political System was
based on ideology.
(b) was the military alliance
started by the USSR.
(c) party dominated the
Soviet Union’s political system.
(d) initiated the reforms
in the USSR in 1985.
(e) The fall of the symbolised
the end of the Cold War.
Answer: (a) socialist (b) Warsaw Pact
(c) Communist (d) Gorbachev
(e) Berlin wall