Class 10 Political Science/ Civics Chapter 3- Gender, Religious and Caste

 

Class 10 Political Science/ Civics

Chapter 3- Gender, Religious and Caste

Notes

 

1. Gender Division:

• Many people think that men and women naturally have different roles in society, but it's actually based on what society expects, not biology.
• In many places, women usually do most of the housework, whether they're part of a family or working outside the home. This is called the sexual division of labor.
• The sexual division of labor has kept women from doing certain jobs for a long time, mainly keeping them at home. But things have changed with movements like Women's Suffrage.
• Patriarchy is when society sees men as more important than women and gives them more power in politics and money.

2. Women experience discrimination and oppression in various ways:

a. Compared to men, women have a lower literacy rate (54% vs. 76%). Even though girls perform as well as, if not better than, boys in school, they are more likely to drop out, and fewer are allowed to pursue higher education.

b. The work done by women is often undervalued, resulting in fewer high-paying job opportunities for them.

c. Women typically receive lower pay than men for doing the same job.

d. Despite the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976, which aims to prevent such practices, this inequality persists across different industries.

e. Female fetuses are selectively aborted in some regions, leading to imbalanced child sex ratios like India's 914 girls for every 1000 boys.

f. Girls and women face various forms of violence and harassment, both within and outside of their homes.

3. Feminist: A feminist is an individual, regardless of gender, who advocates for equal rights and opportunities for both men and women.

Feminist Movement: These movements represent radical efforts by women dedicated to achieving gender equality in personal, family, and public spheres. They have mobilized and campaigned to expand opportunities for women in politics, law, education, and employment.

Women's engagement in public life is notably high in certain regions globally, such as Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Norway, and Finland.

4. Women’s Political Representation:

The participation of women in politics has historically lagged behind that of men worldwide. Enhancing women's political empowerment and placing them in decision-making and legislative roles can enhance their well-being. When women hold positions of authority, they are more likely to address women's needs and find solutions to their challenges.

• In India, women's representation in politics falls below the global average, with only about 10% of legislators being women compared to the global average of 19%.
• Women are underrepresented in state legislatures in India, comprising only about 5% of the total seats.
• The Panchayati Raj Act mandates that one-third of all seats in local bodies be reserved for women candidates, leading to increased female participation in municipalities and panchayats.
• However, attempts to implement similar legislation in the Lok Sabha and various state legislatures have been unsuccessful due to a lack of consensus among political parties, resulting in the failure to pass such laws.

5. Religion:

Religious affiliations often intersect with politics, particularly in India where diverse religious communities coexist. It's essential for individuals to be able to voice their political needs, interests, and demands as members of their respective religious communities.

6. Family Law:

Family laws encompass regulations governing various familial matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption. These laws vary depending on the religious affiliation of individuals in our country.

7. Communalism:

Communal politics involves leveraging religion in political discourse, pitting the demands of one religious group against another, often with the backing of state authority to establish dominance. This occurs:

• When one religion is portrayed as superior to others.
• When conflicting demands arise between different religious groups.
• When state power is wielded to favor one religious community over others.

8. In the political arena, communalism can manifest in various ways:

• Displaying biases and prejudices towards certain religious groups, along with assertions of religious superiority.
• A communal mindset often fuels aspirations for political dominance within one's religious community.
• Religious symbols, leaders, emotional appeals, and fear tactics are employed to mobilize followers of a particular religion for political purposes.
• In extreme cases, communalism can lead to violent conflicts, riots, and massacres, as witnessed during the partition of India and Pakistan, marking some of the deadliest communal unrest in history.

 

9. Secular State: India stands as a democratic and secular nation, characterized by several significant features:

·        The Indian state remains impartial regarding religion, devoid of any official religious affiliation.

·        Under the Constitution, individuals and groups enjoy the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate any religion of their choice, or to adhere to none at all.

·        Discrimination based on religion is expressly prohibited by the Constitution.

·        The Constitution empowers the government to intervene in religious affairs to ensure religious equality, with practices like untouchability being explicitly prohibited.

10. Caste and Politics:

Caste is a system of social classification based on occupation, often characterized by its hereditary nature, religious underpinnings, and the division of people into hierarchical status groups. This hierarchy often limits interaction between different caste groups, both upward and downward. Both politics and caste exhibit aspects that are beneficial and detrimental.

11. Caste Inequalities:

In many societies, occupations are transmitted from one generation to the next, a practice that is elevated to its extreme in the caste system. Traditionally, members of the same caste were expected to form a cohesive social unit, sharing similar occupations, marrying within the caste, and refraining from inter-caste dining.

The traditional notions of caste hierarchy are eroding due to factors such as economic advancement, widespread urbanization, improved literacy and education, occupational mobility, and the diminishing influence of landholding status in communities. The Indian Constitution has outlawed caste-based discrimination and laid the foundation for policies aimed at rectifying inequalities within the system.

12. Caste in Politics:

 Caste manifests itself in various forms within politics:

• Political parties and governments often strive to ensure representation from diverse castes and tribes among their candidates.
• Caste sentiments are frequently invoked by politicians to secure electoral victories.
• Caste-based issues are highlighted during elections to garner political support, given the significant power wielded by voters under the "one man, one vote" principle.
• Lower caste individuals have become increasingly cognizant of their voting rights and influence due to the efforts of political parties.

13. Politics in Caste: Politics influences and is influenced by the caste system, leading to various manifestations:

• Caste groups seek to expand their influence by assimilating neighboring castes or sub-castes.
• Negotiations and interactions occur between different caste groups or communities.
• New caste identities, such as "backward" and "forward" castes, have emerged in the political landscape.
• caste plays a multifaceted role in politics, sometimes leading to tensions, conflicts, and even violence in certain situations.