[Topic wise IAS World History Question Bank (1979-2015)]: (4) Nation-State System

Nation-State System
(i) Rise of Nationalism in 19th century
(ii) Nationalism: State building in Germany and Italy
(iii) Disintegration of Empires through the emergence of nationalities.
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(i) Rise of Nationalism in 19th century

1. How did Japan develop between 1868 and 1894 ? Did the ‘Restoration of Meiji’ mark a sharp break with the past? [1987, 60 Marks]

2. “The characteristic motive of this period (1830-1871) was not so much Liberalism as Nationalism.” Comment. [1982, 20 Marks]

3. “The Crimean War was the most useless war ever waged.” Comment. [2000, 20 Marks]

4. Lord Beaconsfield after his return from the Congress of Berlin (1878) boasted: “I have brought peace with honour.” Comment. [1998, 20 Marks]

5. The years 1853-1894 witnessed the transformation of Japan. Explain. [1998, 60 Marks]

(ii) Nationalism: State building in Germany and Italy

Italy and Germany

1. “The comparison between Cavour’s and Bismarck’s achievements reveals ‘striking points of resemblance and no less striking points of dissimilarity.” Comment. [1990, 20 Marks]

2. “Comparison of the fascist regime in Italy with the National Socialist regime of Germany is almost inevitable. The similarities are obvious, but there is one point of difference which is worth mentioning.” Comment. [1991, 20 Marks]

3. The unification of Italy and that of Germany constituted a contrast in respect of the ways they were affected and impact they left on later international politics. Elucidate. [1995, 60 Marks]

Italy

1. Trace the various stages that led to the Unification of Italy between 1848 and 1870. [1980, 60 Marks]

2. Trace the course of the movement for Italian Unification from 1848 with special reference to the contribution of Mazzini. [1983, 60 Marks]

3. “They have stopped me from making Italy by diplomacy from the North, I will make it by revolution from the South.” Comment.  [1985, 20 Marks]

4. What were the obstacles to Italian unification till 1852? How and with what methods was the unification of Italy achieved? [1993, 60 Marks]

5.  “The unification of Italy completed…the destruction of the European order.” Comment. 20m [1997, 20 Marks]

6. “They have stopped me from making Italy by diplomacy from the North; I will make it by revolution from the South.” Comment. [2005, 20 Marks]

7. “Mazzini’s conception of Italian nationality was not exclusive and his dominant ideal was the recreation of moral unity of mankind.” Critically examine. [2015, 10 Marks]

Germany

1. “Napoleon kindled the national sentiment but German unity was achieved by Bismarck.” Discuss. [1981, 60 Marks]

2. “It is one of the ironies of history that Napoleon was the creator of modern Germany.” Comment. [1984, 20 Marks]

3. “The Unification of Germany was the one thing Bismarck was determined to prevent.” Comment. [1987, 20 Marks]

4. Isolation of France constituted the keystone of Bismarck’s foreign policy. Elucidate. [1997, 60 Marks]

5. “The political unification of Germany was accomplished solely by Bismarck.” Comment. [1999, 20 Marks]

6. “Bismarck created a new Germany with the policy of ‘blood and iron’.” Comment. [2001, 20 Marks]

7. “Napoleon kindled the national sentiment, but German unity was achieved by Bismarck.” Discuss. [2002, 60 Marks]

8. Bismarck united Germany not by majority of votes and speeches but by a policy of ‚ “Blood and Iron”. In the light of this statement assess the contribution of Bismarck to the unification of Germany. [2003, 60 Marks]

9. “To Bismarck the conclusion of the Treaty of May 20, 1882, was the culmination of this system.” Comment.  [2004, 20 Marks]

10. Was German unification achieved more by ‘coal and iron’ than by ‘blood and iron’? [2012, 30 Marks]

11. “The  language  of  narrow  nationalism  held  at  Frankfurt  destroyed  the  German Revolution;  as  the  fatal  idea  of  aggrandizement  of  the  House  of  Savoy  destroyed  the Italian Revolution.” Discuss. [2014, 20 Marks]

(iii) Disintegration of Empires through the emergence of nationalities

1. “Under Mustafa Kemal’s dictatorship; Turkey was rapidly natonalized.” Comment. [1986, 20 Marks]

2. “….. the European nations in emphasizing their solidarity, their European’s in dealing with Asian countries inevitably gave rise to a feeling of Asianness.” Comment. [1988, 20 Marks]

3. “The Eastern Question has always been an international question.” Comment. [1989, 20 Marks]

4. “Nominally the new Turkey was republican and democratic.” Comment. [1992, 20 Marks]

5. “The Eastern Question has always been an international question”. Elucidate. [2010, 30 Marks]