Class 12 Political Science - BIHAR
The End of Bipolarity
The End of Bipolarity chapter explores the collapse of the Soviet Union and the disintegration of the second world, marking a monumental shift in international politics. For Class 12 Bihar Board (BSEB) students, this chapter is crucial as it details how the bipolar world order led by the US and USSR ended, giving way to unipolar dominance. Key topics include the causes and consequences of Soviet disintegration, Gorbachev's reforms (Glasnost and Perestroika), shock therapy in post-communist countries, and India's changing foreign policy relations with Russia and other post-Soviet states in the contemporary globalized era.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Shock Therapy
A painful process of transition from a state-controlled socialist economy to a free-market capitalism system in Russia and Central Asia, guided by the World Bank and IMF.
Mikhail Gorbachev's Reforms
Policies of economic restructuring (Perestroika) and openness (Glasnost) introduced in the 1980s that inadvertently catalyzed the collapse of the Soviet Union.
CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States)
An organization formed in 1991 by the successor states of the Soviet Union to coordinate trade, finance, legislation, and security.
Bipolarity
A system of world order where two superpowers (the US and the USSR) dominate global politics, which ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991.
Unipolar System
A distribution of power in which one state exercises most of the cultural, economic, and military influence, prominently seen after the fall of the USSR.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Bihar Board (BSEB) Class 12 Political Science exam, this chapter typically carries around 6 to 8 marks. Questions usually include objective (multiple choice) questions, short-answer questions about the causes of Soviet disintegration, and long-answer questions explaining Shock Therapy and its consequences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the main reasons behind the disintegration of the Soviet Union?
Key reasons include economic stagnation, political and administrative corruption, widespread shortages of consumer goods, the authoritarian nature of the regime, and the rise of nationalism among Soviet republics.
What is meant by Shock Therapy and why did it fail?
Shock Therapy was a rapid transition to capitalism. It failed because it ruined the Russian economy, destroyed state-controlled industries, caused hyperinflation, and plunged a large population into poverty.
How did the end of bipolarity affect India's foreign policy?
India maintained a strategic partnership with Russia, its traditional ally, while simultaneously improving diplomatic and economic ties with the United States in a multipolar world.
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