Class 12 Political Science - WEST-BENGAL
Security in the Contemporary World
The chapter 'Security in the Contemporary World' explores the meaning and nature of security beyond traditional military threats. For Class 12 West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) students, this chapter is crucial for understanding global politics, moving from a state-centric view to a broader human-centric approach. It covers traditional notions of security, such as deterrence and balance of power, alongside non-traditional challenges like terrorism, human rights violations, global poverty, and health epidemics like pandemics. Grasping these concepts helps students analyze modern geopolitical crises and international cooperation frameworks effectively in their board exams.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Traditional Notion of Security
Focuses on threats to national security coming from outside the borders, where military action is the core concern involving war, deterrence, defense, and the balance of power.
Non-Traditional Notion of Security
Expands the security agenda to include threats beyond military combat, such as terrorism, human rights abuses, global poverty, migration, and environmental degradation.
Cooperative Security
A strategy where nations work together globally to address international threats like poverty, disease, and terrorism through diplomacy, international law, and cooperation rather than military confrontation.
Confidence Building Measures (CBMs)
A process in which countries share ideas and information with their rivals to prevent misunderstandings and accidental military conflicts.
Human Security
The protection of people from critical and life-threatening dangers, emphasizing 'freedom from want' and 'freedom from fear' rather than just the protection of state borders.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) Political Science board exam, this chapter typically carries around 6-8 marks. Questions usually include Short Answer Type Questions (SAQ), Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), and Essay/Broad Answer Type Questions (LAQ) focusing on the difference between traditional and non-traditional security or India's security strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary difference between traditional and non-traditional security?
Traditional security deals mainly with military threats from foreign states, while non-traditional security deals with a wider range of threats affecting human survival, such as pandemics, terrorism, and poverty.
Why is international cooperation necessary for non-traditional security?
Because non-traditional threats like global warming, international terrorism, and epidemics do not respect national boundaries and cannot be solved by a single nation alone.
What does 'Balance of Power' mean in traditional security?
It is a strategy where countries build up their military power or form alliances to ensure no single nation becomes powerful enough to dominate all others.
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