Explore topic-wise InterviewSolutions in .

Community (not an element of State)

Territory includes land area, the airspace over it, and the territorial waters along the coastline.

A ‘nation’ becomes a state when it has a specific territory, population, sovereignty, and an independent government.

The terms State and Government are often used interchangeably. However, they are different concepts. The state is a political organization. Government is an agency of the State through which the will of the State is formulated, expressed, and realized. 

Government is the main wing of the state. Its main nature is administrative. Law and order, welfare, etc. are some of the main functions of the State. These functions are performed through the government organs such as the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary. 

Powers of the government are delegated. The state is a universal, permanent institution while the Government exists in different forms for a specific period. All persons within its territory are members of the State while the number of members in the government is limited.

This statement is True. 

The government is the agency through which the will of the State is formulated and expressed.

Thus the government is an element of the state and only has powers given to it by the state.

The principle of ‘self-determination of nations’ was advocated by Woodrow Wilson

Government is the agency of the state through which its will is formulated, expressed, and realized.

States may comprise of many ‘nationalities’ living together. For example, the Soviet Union had people of many nationalities like Russians, Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Ukrainians,etc. Similarly, the United Kingdom consists of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The terms ‘state’ and ‘nation’ appear to have the same meaning and are often used interchangeably, However, technically there is a difference. A nation has a sense of ‘oneness’ that is psychological and is born out of commonness of ethnicity and race, culture and history, religion, language, etc. The State is a politically organized society within a definite territory. It is used to describe a sovereign country having an independent government in a specific territory.

The area of the State within which it has the authority to govern is called its jurisdiction. Thus, Jurisdiction is the legal power that the State has to take decisions.

The Fourteen Point put forward by President Woodrow Wilson of the USA was a statement of principles for peace outlined in a speech on January 8, 1918. It aids an outline for stable, long-lasting peace in Europe, the Americas, and the rest of the world, following the First World War. It also visioned ‘self-determination of nations.

(d) Conservative Nationalism – Israeli Nationalism.

Progressive type of nationalism is reflected in liberation struggles.

Nation-State (not an organ of government)

The territory is an essential element of a State. It includes 

The actual land within the national boundaries. 

The territorial waters along the coastline. This is up to 12 nautical miles (22.2 km or 13.8 miles) along the coastline. 

The air space above its territory (there is no international law on the height of this air space.)

The four elements of a State are population, territory, government, and sovereignty.

The three organs of a government are Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary.

(c) it is a State within Indian territory but not a Sovereign unit.

Authority of the government to take decisions in the public interest : Legitimacy

The main premise of liberal nationalism is that every nation has the right to freedom and self-determination.

This statement is True. 

India becomes politically independent in 1947 but become a sovereign state only on 26th January 1950. 

This was when the Constitution came into force and India declared itself as the Sovereign Democratic Republic.

Some factors that promote nationalism are common race, religion, language, etc.

This statement is True. 

The four elements of a State are population, territory, government, and sovereignty. 

Nomadic tribes do not possess a fixed geographical area (territory) so they cannot be called a State.

This statement is False. 

India has voluntarily accepted membership of the SAARC – a regional organization.

This membership in no way encroaches on any aspect of India’s sovereignty.

Russian, Ukrainian, Latvian, and Estonian.

Nationalism

A spirit of a common consciousness that binds a community together.

State

A politically organized society within a definite territory.

The right of a section of people having unity to decide what type of government they prefer : Self-determination

A people organized for law within a definite territory : State

(i) Sovereignty: It signifies the supreme power of the State internally as well as externally. It means an independent nation with its own constitution. 

(ii) Government: This refers to the agency through which the will of the state is expressed. Modern governments have three organs viz. legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government must be independent. Institutions of the State are ‘public’ institutions and have the legitimacy to act on behalf of the State. These institutions are responsible for making and implementing laws to promote the general welfare of the people. There are various kinds of government based on their creation or style of function for e.g., democracy or dictatorship, republic or monarchy, presidential or parliamentary system, etc.

(iii) Population: A State is an association of human beings. The progress of a State depends on the quality of the population. Some states viz. China, India, etc., have a large population while some States have a small population viz. Monaco, Belgium, etc. The population may be homogeneous e.g., Israel, or diverse e.g. erstwhile USSR comprised of many nationalities like Russians, Ukrainians, Latvians, etc. Thus a ‘State’ may comprise of many ‘nations’. 

(iv) Territory: A State is recognized by its territory. This includes the land area within its boundaries, the airspace above the area, and surrounding territorial waters (up to 12 nautical miles). The area within which the State has the authority to govern is called its jurisdiction. Some states have a small territory e.g., Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives, etc., while other States e.g., Brazil, Russia, India, and Australia have a large territory. Most States have compact territory e.g., India, while some states which exist as islands have scattered territory e.g., Indonesia.

Type of nationalism that promotes imperialism and colonialism : Expansionist Nationalism

All citizens are members of the State. Decisions are taken in the public interest by the government of the State. This authority of the State to make decisions is called legitimacy. The State has the legitimacy to take decisions in the interest of the people.

Nationalism discourages imperialism and colonialism. The resistance to any form of external occupation is one of the features of nationalism. National liberation struggles or freedom struggles across the world are a product of nationalism. It thus encourages self-determination e.g., India’s struggle for freedom from European colonialism.

I agree with this statement. 

Nationalism refers to a spirit of psychological oneness or common consciousness that binds a community together. It is an expression of emotionality. 

There are many factors that promote nationalism such as culture and language, common race, religion, geographical area, history, and political aspirations. Many times, these very factors may also lead to problems among the people and hence be destructive. Indian nationalism united the people in their struggle for liberation from British colonialism. However, religious diversity and the ‘Two Nation Theory’ put forth by the Muslim League led to the partition and creation of India and West and East Pakistan in 1947.

Although religion was a unifying factor in the national spirit of Pakistan, it wasn’t enough to sustain national integration. East and West Pakistan were separated by the landmass of India and because of linguistic, cultural, and historical differences, the common consciousness dimmed. East Pakistan demanded political independence and in 1971, the State of Bangladesh was formed. Progressive nationalism can help national integration and development while aggressive nationalism is destructive in nature.

(a) the collapse of many empires led to a demand for self-determination.

Nationalism is a force that holds the people to a sense of political loyalty to the country.