Chapter 1: Post–World War Political Developments
📘 Class 9 • Political Science • From World Wars → Cold War → Globalisation
At a Glance 🔎
- International System: a web of sovereign States tied by interdependence, treaties, and organisations.
- Two World Wars reshaped borders, economies, and global institutions (League of Nations → United Nations).
- Cold War (1945–1991): US vs USSR rivalry without direct war; blocs, arms race, regional groupings, Non-Alignment.
- End of Cold War: Reforms in USSR, Eastern Europe’s transition, USSR disintegration → unipolar world.
- Post-1991: Rise of globalisation, expanded UN role, focus on trade, human rights, environment, disasters.
1) International System & Interdependence 🌐
- Interdependence: No nation is fully self-sufficient—trade, technology, energy, health, and security link countries.
- Foreign Policy: A State’s plan for dealing with other States—diplomacy, trade, security, aid, treaties.
- Treaties
- Alliances
- International Law
- Global Governance
💡 Think: How is interdependence between people like interdependence between nations? Where is it different?
2) First World War (1914–1918) ⚔️
| Allied Powers | Central Powers |
|---|---|
| Britain, France, Russia (later USA, Italy) | Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria |
- Impact: Massive loss of life/property; economic collapse even for non-participants via trade shocks.
- Aftermath: Empires fell; new States emerged; anti-colonial movements grew in Asia & Africa.
- League of Nations founded to prevent wars—offered dialogue but failed to stop future aggression.
3) Second World War (1939–1945) 🌍🔥
Inter-war drift: Rise of autocratic regimes (Germany, Italy, Spain); League’s weakness led to a wider conflict.
| Allied Powers | Axis Powers |
|---|---|
| Britain, France, USA, USSR, China, (Dominions incl. India) | Germany, Japan, Italy |
- Technology escalated the destruction; atomic bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki ended the war in Asia.
- Outcomes: Axis defeat; emergence of two superpowers; birth of the United Nations.
4) The Cold War (c. 1945–1991) 🧊⚡
Definition: Prolonged US–USSR rivalry without direct war; intense tension, proxy conflicts, arms/space race, ideological contest.
Core Drivers
- Ideologies: Capitalist democracy (USA) vs socialist one-party system (USSR).
- Power rivalry: Competing influence over Europe and the developing world.
- Arms race: Nuclear and conventional build-up → later, efforts at arms control.
Major Effects
- Military blocs: NATO (US-led) vs Warsaw Pact (USSR-led).
- Bipolarisation: Many States aligned with one bloc, raising global tensions.
- Regional groupings: EEC/European Community, ASEAN for cooperation & development.
- Non-Alignment: Newly independent Asian–African nations chose independence from bloc politics.
🛰️ Explore: The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis nearly triggered nuclear war—study how diplomacy pulled the world back.
5) Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) 🤝
Key Leaders (1961): Jawaharlal Nehru (India), Tito (Yugoslavia), Nasser (Egypt), Sukarno (Indonesia), Nkrumah (Ghana).
- Stance: Opposed colonialism, imperialism, racism; promoted peaceful dispute resolution.
- Voice of the Global South: Raised issues of disarmament, human rights, development; demanded a New International Economic Order (NIEO).
- Relevance: Even post-Cold War, NAM’s values—sovereignty, equality, peace—remain meaningful.
6) End of the Cold War 🔚
- USSR reforms: Gorbachev’s Perestroika (restructuring) & Glasnost (openness) loosened State control, encouraged transparency.
- Eastern Europe moved toward democracy & markets; regimes changed.
- USSR disintegration: New States emerged; Russia remained the largest successor.
- Unipolar moment: USA as the only superpower; NATO’s military posture softened.
7) Post-Cold War World 🌏
- Trade first: Nations prioritised economic relations over ideological conflict.
- Flows intensified: Capital, labour, markets, technology, information—and ideas—circulated widely.
- UN’s role expanded: Peace & security, environment, human rights, gender equality, disaster management.
- Rhetoric shifted: “Enemy” → “rival” as cooperation and competition coexisted.
8) Globalisation: Meaning, Pros & Concerns 🌐💱
Meaning: Deepening global integration in trade, finance, tech, information and culture—accelerated by the IT revolution.
| Benefits 😊 | Concerns ⚠️ |
|---|---|
|
|
9) Timeline ⏳
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1914–1918 | First World War; League of Nations conceived for peace |
| 1939–1945 | Second World War; UN founded; atomic bombings in Japan |
| 1945–1991 | Cold War: NATO vs Warsaw Pact; Non-Aligned Movement (from 1961) |
| 1985–1991 | USSR reforms; Eastern Europe transitions; USSR disintegrates |
| 1991→ | Post-Cold War: unipolarity; accelerated globalisation; stronger UN agendas |
Quick Recap ✅
- World Wars → new borders, institutions; Cold War rivalry framed global politics for decades.
- NAM gave a voice to newly independent countries, advocating peace and equity.
- Post-1991, trade & technology knitted the world closer—opportunities rose, but so did new challenges.
Study Prompts & Activities 🧠
- Collect news clippings on treaties, high-level visits, international conferences involving India; make a wall collage.
- Short note: Why did the League of Nations fail? Suggest two steps that might have helped.
- Debate: “Globalisation has helped developing countries more than it has hurt.”
Chapter 1: Post–World War Political Developments — Exercises (Solved)
📘 Class 9 • Political Science • Answer Key + Reasons
1(A) Choose the correct option ✅
(1) A system of independent and sovereign States —
Correct: (b) International system
💡 Why? The web of interactions, treaties and institutions among sovereign States is called the international system.
(2) The main responsibility of the United Nations —
Correct: (a) to avoid war
💡 Core UN purpose is to maintain international peace and security—i.e., prevent/contain wars through cooperation and collective security.
(3) The Cold War ended with this event —
Correct: (b) Disintegration of the Soviet Russia
💡 The USSR’s breakup (1991) dissolved the US–USSR bipolar rivalry, marking the Cold War’s end.
2) True/False — with Reasons 🧐
- (1) The League of Nations was established after the First World War. — True
It was created (1919) to resolve disputes peacefully and avert another world war.
- (2) The world became unipolar due to the Cold War. — False
The Cold War bipolarised the world (US vs USSR). After the Cold War ended (1991), a unipolar moment emerged with the USA as the sole superpower.
- (3) The policies of Mikhail Gorbachev gave an impetus to democratisation. — True
Perestroika (restructuring) and Glasnost (openness) reduced State control and encouraged transparency, catalysing democratic transitions in Eastern Europe and within the USSR.
3) Explain the following concepts 📖
- Cold War: A prolonged US–USSR rivalry (c. 1945–1991) marked by political, military and ideological tension without direct war; included arms/space races, proxy conflicts and bloc politics.
- Non-alignment: A foreign-policy choice by newly independent nations to avoid joining either Cold War bloc; championed peaceful coexistence, sovereignty and development cooperation.
- Interdependence: Mutual reliance among countries for resources, markets, technology, security and ideas—no nation is wholly self-sufficient.
- Bipolarisation: Division of the world into two opposing blocs led by rival superpowers (during the Cold War: US vs USSR).
- Globalisation: Deepening worldwide integration of trade, finance, technology, information and culture—accelerated after 1991 with the IT revolution.
4) Write brief answers ✍️
(1) Compare the First World War and the Second World War
| Points | First World War | Second World War |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Period | 1914–1918 | 1939–1945 |
| 2. Involved nations | Allied Powers: Britain, France, Russia (later USA, Italy) • Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria | Allied Powers: Britain, USA, USSR, China, (Dominions incl. India) • Axis Powers: Germany, Japan, Italy |
| 3. Impacts (Political & Economic) | Collapse of empires; redrawn borders; severe economic crises; rise of anti-colonial movements; League of Nations formed but weak. | Greater destruction & tech warfare (incl. atomic bombs); emergence of US & USSR as superpowers; decolonisation accelerated; start of the Cold War. |
| 4. International Organisations established after the War | League of Nations (to prevent future wars) | United Nations (peace & security; broader global cooperation) |
(2) What were the factors responsible for the end of the Cold War?
- Gorbachev’s reforms—Perestroika & Glasnost—reduced State control and encouraged openness.
- Democratic transitions in Eastern Europe; collapse of one-party regimes.
- Economic strain and unsustainable arms race within the USSR bloc.
- Arms control and détente efforts lowered tensions.
- Disintegration of the USSR into independent States (1991), dissolving the bipolar structure.
(3) What major changes occurred in global politics after the end of the Cold War?
- Unipolar moment: USA remained the sole superpower; bloc confrontation receded.
- Trade-first focus: Economic ties and market integration gained primacy; rise of globalisation.
- Freer flows of capital, technology, information and ideas worldwide.
- Expanded UN role in peacekeeping, human rights, environment and disaster response.
- Shift in rhetoric: “Enemy States” → “Rival/partner States”; more regional cooperation.
Exam tip 📝: For short notes/long answers, pair definitions with one key example (e.g., NATO/Warsaw for bipolarisation; NAM leaders for non-alignment) to secure full credit.