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.
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