World History GS Paper I by Rashid Yasin

Model Answer

Question #1. Discuss the growth and evolution of socialism in Europe in the 19th century. Also, comment on the success of Second Communist International in overcoming inter-country rivalries in Europe.

 Discuss the growth and evolution of socialism in Europe in the 19th century. Also, comment on the success of Second Communist International in overcoming inter-country rivalries in Europe.

Approach    

•   Introduce with conditions existing in Europe in 19th century (30 words)
•   Highlight the reasons for the growth and evolution of socialism in Europe, linking them to the prevailing conditions of industrial societies. Mention various phases of evolution (80 words)
•   Role of Second International (40 words)

Hints:

The 19th century in Europe was a time of profound social and economic changes. It was a time when new industrialized regions developed and new cities came up, railways expanded and the Industrial Revolution occurred. Industrialization brought men, women and children to factories. Work hours were often long and wages were poor. Unemployment was a common problem. Unequal distribution of wealth created two economic classes and friction between them gave birth to socialism.

Reasons for the growth and evolution of socialism in Europe

• Socialism is a system in which, in contrast to capitalism, there is common ownership of the means of production instead of private; planned production for use instead of anarchic production for profit. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution and the growth of the factory system, the inefficiency, waste, irrationality, and injustice of Capitalism were apparent to thinking people. Beginning about the year 1800, in both England and France, the evils of capitalism were brought before the public in pamphlets, books, and speeches.
• Early Socialists like Robert Owen Simon criticized the excesses of poverty and inequality of the Industrial Revolution, and advocated reforms such as the egalitarian distribution of wealth in a peaceful manner. Outlining principles for the reorganization of society along collectivist lines, Saint- Simon and Owen sought to build socialism on the foundations of planned, utopian communities.
• Later in 1948, Marx and Engels disregarded the socialism of early thinkers as utopia in communist manifesto. And he proposed his new brand of socialism which he called scientific socialism as it is based on class struggle. This brand of socialism often called Marxism later became more popular.
• In 1864 the International Workingmen's Association (called the First International) united diverse revolutionary currents including French followers of Proudhon, Blanquists, Philadelphes, English trade unionists, socialists and social democrats.
• Paris commune in 1871, fuelled hopes among many and it encouraged many socialists as a sign that the working classes were ready for radical measures, but the violence propagated by it hindered the progress of socialism.
• Marx and workers in England and Germany began forming associations to fight for better living and working conditions. Many radical parties were formed in various countries but eventually most of them later turned away from pure Marxism towards parliamentary democracy.
• There were many different currents of socialism in operation in the later part of the 19th century. To coordinate their efforts, socialists formed an international body - namely, the Second International.

Second Communist International

• The most significant achievements of the Second International were its campaign against militarism and war and in asserting the principle of the basic equality of all peoples and their right to freedom and national independence.
• They expressed the conviction that capitalism was the root cause of wars among European nations. The socialist movement had made the international solidarity of workers a fundamental principle.
• When Russia and Japan were warring on each other, the leader of the Japanese socialist group and the leader of the Russian socialists were made the joint presidents of the Second International at its Congress in 1904. The socialists in many countries had resolved to call for a general strike to prevent their countries from participating in wars.
• But when the large-scale war finally broke out, the workers allied with their respective governments. The idea of worker's unity was not as powerful as nationalism.
• And socialism also was not a monolithic force; it had taken different forms in different countries; so, there was no unity among workers of different countries. So, in the end the second international failed in overcoming inter-country rivalry.

Question #2. How was the process of decolonization of Africa different from other countries of Asia? What impact did it have on the post-colonial socio-economic development of African countries?

Approach:

• Briefly introduce the decolonization.(25 words)
• Discuss how the process of decolonization in Africa different from other countries of Asia.(40 words)
• Discuss impact of decolonisation on the post-colonial socio-economic development of African countries.(60 words)
• Conclusion ( 25 words)

Hints:

Decolonization, the process by which colonies become independent of the colonizing country. After World War II, European countries generally lacked the wealth and political support necessary to suppress faraway revolts; they also faced opposition from the new superpowers, the U.S. and the Soviet Union, both of which had taken positions against colonialism. Between 1945 and 1960, three dozen new states in Asia and Africa achieved autonomy or outright independence from their European colonial rulers.

Difference in the process of decolonization of Africa from other countries of Asia

• The internal struggle of independence in Asia began in the beginning of the 20th century. The first and second world wars only aided these movements and resulted in independence. The Vietnamese had been clamoring for independence from the French since before WWII. Most of Asia was independent by 1950s.
• Whereas in Africa the independence movements were a result of the late post WW2 period. The decolonization of Africa, be it through war or peaceful means, took place mainly between 1956 and 1975, with its most intense period occurring in the early 1960s.
• The decolonization of Asia was a result of national struggle, whereas in Africa in many cases it was under international pressure from organizations like UN, NAM. For example, many French and British colonies were granted their independence with little bloodshed in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
• The decolonization of Asia was accompanied by development of alternative views of society, economy and polity. It resulted in successful political transitions. Whereas in Africa in absence of national aspiration the states remained politically weak and fell into civil wars.

Therefore it can be seen that there were some stark differences in the process of decolonization in two continents which affected the future development of these regions in following ways:

• African nations faced the issue of weak governments and institutions: as a result, they were drawn into civil wars, power conflicts, corruption and absolute forms of governments.
• African resources were used for personal gains and not for public purposes, which resulted into low human development index in these countries.
• The development path was overtaken by MNCs, which exploited these countries and their resources. It was confirmed by recent reports which said that the contribution of MNCs in GDP was much lower than the profits which they shifted through base erosion profit shifting. It can be said that the understanding of the drain of wealth, inclusiveness, nationalism, pluralism and democracy which countries like India, Indonesia and others got during their freedom struggle, African countries witnessed this post-independence and as a result their socio-economic transformation was delayed.
• These new member states had a few characteristics in common; they were non-white, with developing economies, facing internal problems that were the result of their colonial past, which sometimes put them at odds with European countries and made them suspicious of European-style governmental structures, political ideas, and economic institutions.
• These countries also became vocal advocates of continuing decolonization, with the result that the UN Assembly was often ahead of the Security Council on issues of self-governance and decolonization.

Conclusion:

Thus, decolonization of countries in Asia and Africa is one of the momentous events in the twentieth century. The new nations pushed the UN toward accepting resolutions for independence for colonial states and creating a special committee on colonialism, demonstrating that even though some nations continued to struggle for independence, in the eyes of the international community, the colonial era was ending.