World History: Previous Years’ Questions with Solutions
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Enlightenment and Modern ideas
| (i) Major ideas of Enlightenment: Kant, Rousseau |
| (ii) Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies |
| (iii) Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx); spread of Marxian Socialism |
Major ideas of Enlightenment: Kant, Rousseau and Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies
Q. “The principles of Enlightenment were in some ways a continuation of the discoveries and theories of the Scientific Revolution.” Critically examine. [UPSC, 2020]
Q.. What was “enlightened” about the Age of Enlightenment? [UPSC- 2021]
Q.. “Kant’s redefinition of reason and his rehabilitation of conscience marked a high point in the intellectual reaction against dominant rationalism of the Enlightenment.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2017]
Q.. ‘Rousseau kindled a hope which became the spirit of the Enlightenment’. Critically examine. [UPSC- 2022]
“Rousseau’s political philosophy contains the seeds of Socialism, Absolutism and Democracy.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Q. Explain the major ideas of Enlightenment. Discuss the contribution of Rousseau in Enlightenment.
“The Enlightenment represented alternative approaches to modernity, alternative habits of mind and heart, of conscience and sensibility.” Discuss.
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“…he (Voltaire) was living in the Age of Enlightenment …. The age itself was not enlightened.” — E. Kant. Critically evaluate. [20 Marks]
“The promptings of the heart are more to be trusted than the logic of the mind.” — Rousseau. Critically evaluate. [20 Marks]
“The despotic rulers of Europe were influenced by the philosophy of Enlightenment and begun to follow a benevolent policy towards their subjects.” Critically examine. [20 Marks]
OR
“Enlightened despots (Europe) were not necessarily politically liberal.” Critically examine. [10 Marks]
“For Kant, enlightenment is mankind’s final coming of age, the emancipation of the human consciousness from an immature state of ignorance and error.” Critically examine. [20 Marks]
“Rousseau strove to reconcile the liberty of the individual and the institution of Government through a new vision of the Contract-Theory of Government.” Critically examine. [10 Marks]
Extra Questions and Answers
Discuss how the frontal assault on the Enlightenment was launched by Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
“As per Kant, the motto of enlightenment is ‘Sapere Aude’ i.e. “Have courage to use your own understanding!”. In the light of this statement, examine different aspects of Kant’s idea of Enlightenment.
“If there were a nation of Gods, it would govern itself democratically. A government so perfect is not suited to men.” – Rousseau. Comment.
Q.. “Rousseau’s sovereign was like Hobbesian leviathan with its head chopped off.” Comment..
Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx); spread of Marxian Socialism
Q.. Engels did much more than Marx himself to popularise the ideas of Marxism. Critically examine. [UPSC- 2022]
How would you explain the nature of pre-Marxian Socialism?
“Karl Marx applied his critical intelligence to Wealth of Nations … Where Smith had seen only the sunlight, Marx saw only the shadows thrown upon the human scene by the unimpeded exercise of individual liberty…” Elucidate.
“With the writings of Karl Marx, Socialism assumed the form of Scientific Socialism.” Critically Examine.
“Marxian Communism is primarily the offspring of German Hegelianism and French Socialism.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“France was more fertile than Britain in producing new Socialist theories and movements, though they bore less concrete results in France than in Britain.” [20 Marks]
“If we were to define our conception of the State, our answer would be that the State is the banker of the poor. The government would finance and supervise the purchase of productive equipment and the formation of workshops.” In light of the above statement of Louis Blanc, throw light on the Pre-Marxist Socialist Thought in Europe. [20 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
“From that time forward socialism was no longer an accidental discovery of this or that ingenious brain, but the necessary outcome of the struggle between two historically developed classes- the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. Its task was no longer to manufacture a system of society as perfect as possible, but to … discover in the economic conditions … the means of ending the conflict …. The socialism of earlier days certainly criticised the existing capitalistic mode of production and its consequences. But it could not explain them, and, therefore, could not get the mastery of them.”
In the light of the above statement, give an account of the criticism of utopian socialism and socialism redefined by Marx.
Origin of Modern Politics
| (i) European States System. |
| (ii) American Revolution and the Constitution. |
| (iii) French revolution and aftermath, 1789-1815. |
| (iv) American Civil War with reference to Abraham Lincoln and the abolition of slavery. |
| (v) British Democratic Politics, 1815- 1850; Parliamentary Reformers, Free Traders, Chartists |
American Revolution
Q. Do you understand that the lack of statesmanship in London during the 1760’s and the 1770’s was, an important contributory factor in precipitating the American Revolution. Analyse. [UPSC- 2022]
Q.. “The American War of Independence transformed Europe as well as America.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2018]
American Revolution seems to have come with remarkable suddenness. A roster of talented leaders emerged during 1763 to 1775 to make it happen. [20 Marks]
“At the news of the Declaration of Independence crowds gathered to cheer, fire guns and cannon and ring church bells in Philadelphia. Boston and other places, but there were many people in America who did not rejoice.” Comment. [20 Marks]
The American Revolution “was a natural and even expected event in the history of colonial people who had come of age.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness….” Examine this statement by explaining the significance of the Declaration of Independence of American Revolution.
“American Revolution was not really a Revolution.” Critically examine.
Briefly discuss the impact of American Revolution on Britain.
American Constitution
What were the factors that worked in the drafting of the American Constitution? Do you agree with Beard’s view of the Constitution being an Economic Document? [60 Marks]
How far is it correct to say that every feature of the American Constitution was ultimately of English Origin? [20 Marks]
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Explain the main features of the US Federal Constitution. [10 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
“The Articles of Confederation proved too weak to manage the affairs of the United States and its remedy lied to in the ratification of the Constitution.” Elaborate.
“Drafting of the American Constitution was the work of four months of secret debates and compromises.” Elucidate.
American Civil War with reference to Abraham Lincoln and the abolition of slavery
Q.. In the American civil war, the victory of the North had many consequences. Some of them were direct and obvious. However, its indirect effects on American development were perhaps even more important. Comment. [UPSC- 2021]
Q.. “Six hundred thousand men had died. The union was preserved, the slaves freed. A nation ‘conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal’ had survived its most terrible ordeal.” Critically examine.
Q. “Lincoln’s main thesis was that the Slavery issue had to be decided one way or the other and could no longer be evaded by compromise.” Comment in the light of his role in the American Civil War. [UPSC, 2020]
“If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.”. Comment. [20 Marks]
“A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently, half slave and half free” Explain Abraham Lincoln’s perspective.
Extra Questions and Answers
“The war was a surgical operation, severe indeed, but necessary to restore the normal health of the nation, and with all its cost it brought untold blessings to the United States.” Comment.
French revolution and aftermath, 1789-1815
Q. “The causes of the French Revolution of 1789 included both long term and structural factors, as well as more immediate events.” Critically examine. [UPSC, 2020]
Q.. “The multiple contradictions that quickly undermined the new edifice, had been expressed even before the meeting of the Estate General in France. The internal conflict among Estates had manifested itself.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2015]
Q.. ‘The codification of French Law was perhaps the most enduring of Napoleon’s achievements’. Critically examine. [UPSC- 2022]
Q.. “Napoleon was not a revolutionary but he solidified many of the revolutionary changes of 1789-1791 and he himself supported most of the ideas and proposals of Enlightenment philosophers.” Substantiate. [UPSC- 2020]
Q. How far did the Napoleonic preferential stance to help out the French economy result in embroiling France in continental conflict? [UPSC, 2019]
Q.. Napoleon’s continental system may be reckoned as the greatest blunder and may be described as a “monument of misdirected energy”. Critically examine. [UPSC- 2021]
Q.. “The writings of the philosophers had a tremendous influence on the minds of the people and created a revolutionary awakening in their minds and formed the intellectual creed of the French Revolution.” Comment. [20 Marks]
OR
“No event as encompassing as the French Revolution occurs in an intellectual vacuum.” Comment. [20 Marks]
OR
“If monarchical misrule ignited the French revolution, lofty ideas both inspired and sustained it.” Comment. [UPSC- 1997, 2020]
“French political writers of the eighteenth century were influenced by Locke and also by the curious contrasts which they perceived between the government of his country and their own.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“What mattered in 1789 – and what made men revolutionary almost in spite of themselves – was the whole ‘revolutionary situation’; and in producing that situation the work of the philosophers played no very important role.” Comment. [20 Marks]
OR
“The connection between the philosophers’ ideas and the outbreak of the French Revolution (1789) is somewhat remote and indirect.” Critically evaluate. [10 Marks]
OR
Critically examine the statement that the French Revolution was not caused by the French philosophers but by the conditions of national life and by the mistakes of the government. [20]
“Napoleon was the child of the Revolution, but in many ways he reversed the aims and principles of the movement from which he sprang.” Comment. [20 Marks]
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The French Revolution (1789) really achieved far less than what it intended to effect. Do you agree? [20 Marks]
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“To some extent, the American War of Independence inspired the French Revolution.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“The spirit behind the great reforms of Napoleon’s Consulate at home was the transference of the methods of Bonaparte the general to the task of Bonaparte the statesman.” Critically examine.
How did Napoleon Bonaparte fuse the old France with the new? [2009, 30 Marks]
OR
How did Napoleon fuse the French of the ancient regime with the France of the Post Revolutionary era? [2012, 30 Marks]
To what extent did Napoleon’s economic war with England become his undoing? [20 Marks]
OR
“The Continental Blockade was a misconceived idea of economically defeating Great Britain.” Critically examine. [10 Marks]
“The Declaration of Rights was the death-warrant of the system of privilege, and so of the ancient regime… Yet in the history of ideas it belonged rather to the past than to the future.” Examine. [20 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
“Though the role of philosophers and bourgeois has been well acknowledged in the French Revolution, but the contribution of women has been largely ignored.” Do you agree?
“Conditions in other Western European countries looked more fertile for Revolution, but it happened in France and not in other Western European Countries.” Analyze.
Throw light on the debate on the nature of French Revolution.
“My true glory is not to have won 40 battles…Waterloo will erase the memory of so many victories…but…what will live forever, is my Civil Code.” Comment.
“The continental system was a double edged sword which harmed its creator more than its opponent.” Comment.
“The political existence of the Napoleonic Empire was short but it was an event of profound significance in the history of Europe.” Elucidate.
“I found the crown of France lying on the ground, and I picked it up with my sword.” Discuss Napoleon’s perspective.
How far do you agree with the view that Spanish ulcer ruined Napoleon Bonaparte?
Q. “The insatiable ambition, weakness in Empire and several mistakes brough Napoleon down.” Explain.
British Democratic Politics, 1815-1850; Parliamentary Reformers, Free Traders, Chartists
Q.. The Chartist Movement failed to achieve its stated objective, but succeeded in seeding the idea that a representative democracy should include all citizens. [UPSC- 2021]
Q.. “The arguments of the free traders were a curious mixture of economic hard-headedness, social benevolence, cosmopolitan idealism and class prejudice.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2019]
Q.. “Change in Britain came comparatively peacefully through democratic process in the first half of the nineteenth century and a model of a functioning democracy through ballot box was successfully put in place.” Elaborate. [UPSC- 2013]
Q. “… The passing of the ‘Reform Act’ marked the real beginning of modern party organisation in England… In a real sense, the present political system of England dates from 1832.” Comment.
Review the background of the Chartist Movement. Despite its failure how had their demands been met in the succeeding years? [60 Marks]
“Though reform was inevitable, the Act (1832) by which it was accomplished was open to grave criticism.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“The roots of Chartism are partly political and partly economic.” Elaborate. [20 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
“Though the Reform Act, 1832 was criticised for many reasons, it was still important not only for what is was but also for what it sets in motion.” Explain.
“There were several factors which led to the death of the Chartist Movement, but calling it a complete failure is not justified.” Comment.
Evaluate the success of the free trade movement in Britain in the nineteenth century.
Industrialization
| (i) English Industrial Revolution: Causes and Impact on Society |
| (ii) Industrialization in other countries: USA, Germany, Russia, Japan |
| (iii) Industrialization and Globalization |
Q.. There were many reasons why the industrial revolution first happened in England. [UPSC- 2021]
Q.. “Industrial Revolution had far reaching social and political consequences with the advent of assembly line factories, urbanization and rise of the urban working class.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2020]
Q.. “The Industrial Revolution put mobility in the place of stability.” Comment. [UPSC- 1990]
OR
“The Industrial Revolution put mobility in the place of stability.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2018]
Q.. How did the policies of governments facilitate the process of industrialisation in Europe? [UPSC- 2019]
“Protestantism contributed substantially to the rise of capitalism.” Comment. [20 Marks]
The Industrial Revolution “Changed England in character and culture.” Comment. [20 Marks]
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“The oppressive exploitation of the working class in the wake of Industrial Revolution had jolted the social conscience of England.” Elucidate. [10 Marks]
“Whoever says Industrial Revolution, says cotton.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“The process of industrialisation in some other countries of Europe was different from that in England.” [20 Marks]
Q.. Discuss how Japan industrialised after the Meiji Restorations. What were the consequences for its neighbours?
Explain why England became the harbinger of Industrial Revolution. Also throw light on its social consequences.
Extra Questions and Answers
“Several factors worked together to cause the rapid industrialisation of Germany after 1871.” Comment.
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. |
Rise of Nationalism in 19th century
How did Japan develop between 1868 and 1894? Did the ‘Restoration of Meiji’ mark a sharp break with the past? [60 Marks]
OR
The years 1853-1894 witnessed the transformation of Japan. Explain. [60 Marks]
“The Crimean War was the most useless war ever waged.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Lord Beaconsfield after his return from the Congress of Berlin (1878) boasted: “I have brought peace with honour.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Extra Questions and Answers
“Crimea war was a fumbling war, probably unnecessary, largely futile, certainly extravagant, but rich with unintended consequences.” Elaborate.
The settlement reached at the Congress of Berlin had ignored the aspirations and sentiments of the Balkan peoples in the in the interests of Powers and could not bring peace in Europe in the long run.” Analyse.
Q.. “Nationalism in Asia and Africa differed from European nationalism which itself had variety of forms.” Elaborate. [10 Marks]
Nationalism: State building in Germany and Italy
Italy and Germany
“The comparison between Cavour’s and Bismarck’s achievements reveals striking points of resemblance and no less striking points of dissimilarity.” Comment. [20 Marks]
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. [60 Marks]
Q.. “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.
Italy
Q. How was Italy transformed from ‘a geographical expression’ to a nation-state? [20 Marks]
Q.. Discuss the different stages of the unification of Italy from 1848 to the occupation of Rome in 1870. [UPSC- 2023]
Trace the various stages that led to the Unification of Italy between 1848 and 1870. [60 Marks]
OR
Trace the course of the movement for Italian Unification from 1848 with special reference to the contribution of Mazzini. [60 Marks]
“They have stopped me from making Italy by diplomacy from the North; I will make it by revolution from the South.” Comment. [20 Marks]
What were the obstacles to Italian unification till 1852? How and with what methods was the unification of Italy achieved? [60 Marks]
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“The unification of Italy completed…the destruction of the European order.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“Mazzini’s conception of Italian nationality was not exclusive and his dominant ideal was the recreation of moral unity of mankind.” Critically examine. [10 Marks]
Extra Questions and Answers
“Italy must be saved from foreigners, evil principles and madmen.” Explain Cavour’s perspective.
“Out of the mud of the Crimea, a new Italy was made and less obviously a new Germany.” Explain.
Germany
Q.. Examine the role of Bismarck in state building in Germany.
Q.. “18 January, 1871 had been a day of triumph for the strength and pride of Germany and 28 June, 1919 was the day of chastisement.” Critically examine.
Q. “From Bismarck’s ‘Blood and Iron’ speech and his forceful actions to achieve German unification, Bismarck came to be known as the Iron Chancellor.” Critically examine. [UPSC, 2020]
“Napoleon kindled the national sentiment but German unity was achieved by Bismarck.” Discuss. [60 Marks]
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Q.. What determinant factors, along with diplomatic, shaped the process of German Unification?
“It is one of the ironies of history that Napoleon was the creator of modern Germany.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“At the end of the battle of Sedan (1870)‚ Europe lost a mistress and gained a master.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“The Unification of Germany was the one thing Bismarck was determined to prevent.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Isolation of France constituted the keystone of Bismarck’s foreign policy. Elucidate. [60 Marks]
Q. Critically examine the ‘blood and iron’ policy of Balban. [2017, 10 Marks]
OR
“The political unification of Germany was accomplished solely by Bismarck.” Comment. [20 Marks]
OR
“Bismarck created a new Germany with the policy of ‘blood and iron’.” Comment. [20 Marks]
OR
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. [60 Marks]
“To Bismarck the conclusion of the Treaty of May 20, 1882, was the culmination of his system.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Was German unification achieved more by ‘coal and iron’ than by ‘blood and iron’? [30 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
“It was France that was defeated at Sadowa” Comment.
Critically examine the role of Zollverein in unification of Germany under Prussia.
“A war with France lay in the logic of history.”-Bismarck. Comment.
“The comparison between Italian unification and German unification reveals striking points of resemblance and no less striking points of dissimilarity with some in favor of Italy and some in favor of Germany.” Analyse.
Disintegration of Empires through the emergence of nationalities
“Nominally the new Turkey was republican and democratic.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“The Eastern Question has always been an international question”. Elucidate. [30 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
“Eastern Question was not easily solvable as interests of major Powers diverged.” Comment.
“Sick man of Europe showed unusual recuperative powers, and his political heirs had to wait long before they could succeed to the inheritance.” Explain.
Imperialism and Colonialism
| (i) South and South-East Asia |
| (ii) Latin America and South Africa |
| (iii) Australia |
| (iv) Imperialism and free trade: Rise of neo-imperialism. |
Q.. “History of Africa appears to be simply an extension or mere sub-theme under the broad headings of European and American history. According to this historiography, Africa seems to be without any history before the European scramble.” Elucidate.
Critically examine the culture system in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) during the nineteenth century. Why was it dismantled? [60 Marks]
OR
What was the culture system in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) during the 19th century? Why was it dismantled? [60 Marks]
Critically examine the Dutch colonial policy in Indonesia. [30 Marks]
OR
“Holland was engaged in a systematic exploitation of Indonesia in the nineteenth century.” Elucidate. [60 Marks]
OR
Examine the nature of Dutch imperialism in Indonesia. [10 Marks]
“The Treaty of Nanking is the basic act in the imposing but unstable structure of international relations which governed China for a hundred years.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Write a critical note on: Importance of the Opium War in the history of China. [20 Marks]
Discuss the Self-strengthening movement in China. [60 Marks]
How did the Treaty Port System in China develop between 1840 and 1860? What was its inference on Chinese attitude to foreigners? [60 Marks]
OR
“By 1861, China may be said to have been fully though grudgingly opened to the Westerner.” Comment. [20 Marks]
OR
Why is the period from 1842 to 1900 considered as half a century of humiliations in the history of China? What was the reaction of China? [60 Marks]
OR
Divided into spheres of influence by foreign powers, China in the 19th century presented a sorry spectacle. How did China react to it? [60 Marks]
OR
To what extent did the Western powers bring China under their domination without annexation? [60 Marks]
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Write a critique on the partition of Africa from 1870 to 1914, with particular reference to Germany’s imperial designs in the Continent. [60 Marks]
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“New imperialism was a nationalistic, not an economic phenomena.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Trace the stages in the partition of Africa after 1870. How did it affect international relations? [60 Marks]
OR
Trace the various stages of European imperialism in Africa in the nineteenth century. [60 Marks]
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“Colonies are like fruits which cling to the tree only till they ripen.” Comment. [10 Marks]
Write a critical note on: Theory of ‘The New imperialism’ after 1870. [20 Marks]
OR
Discuss the emergence of neo-imperialism in the late nineteenth century. [30 Marks]
“In all the long annals of Imperialism, the partition of Africa is a remarkable freak.” Comment. [20 Marks]
OR
What do you understand by imperialism? State briefly its unique features in the case of Africa? [20 Marks]
Q.. Africa was chopped into states artificially created by accident of European competition. Analyse. [UPSC, GS, 2013]
Trace the growth of British imperialism in South Africa from 1800 to 1907 [10 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
What was “New” in “The New imperialism”? Was it caused by economic factors or nationalist factors?
Trace the growth of British colonialism in Australia from 1788 to 1907.
“The government of Van den Bosch made Holland a prosperous country because of heavy exploitation of the natives and resources under the Culture System in Indonesia, but still the system was finally dismantled.” Explain.
“Berlin Conference was not “the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs” but a peaceful formalization of the Scramble for Africa.” Critically analyse this statement.
Revolution and Counter-Revolution
| (i) 19th Century European revolutions |
| (ii) The Russian Revolution of 1917-1921 |
| (iii) Fascist Counter-Revolution, Italy and Germany |
| (iv) The Chinese Revolution of 1949 |
19th Century European revolutions
Q. “The 1848 revolutions frightened the crowned heads of Europe and caused several to abdicate. Those who remained were cognizant of the threats posed by liberalism, nationalism and socialism.” Comment. [UPSC, 2020]
Q.. What were the causes and consequences of the revolutionary upsurger of the 1840s in Europe? [UPSC- 2021]
Q.. Do you subscribe to the view that the Greek War of Independence was mired in contrasts of the best and the worst episodes? How did it affect the Concert of Europe?
“For a tired and timid generation Metternich was the necessary man.” Comment. [20 Marks]
What is Metternich system? Assess its impact on Europe. [10 Marks]
OR
“Most of the European Revolutions of 1848 were nationalist as well as popular insurrections against foreign rule and repressive policy of Metternich.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Discuss how agrarian crisis accompanied by severe industrial depression triggered the Revolutions of 1848.
OR
“Even though ideas and institutions undoubtedly shaped the events of 1848, it was economic misery and the fear thereof that triggered them.” Analyse this statement.
“The whole episode that is known as the July Revolution (1830) was fought and won not for the establishment of an extreme democracy but to get rid of the aristocratic and clericalist attitude of the restored Bourbons.” Critically examine. [10 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
Q. “The Congress of Vienna was based on principles of balance of power, legitimacy and compensation. Its criticism was that it ignored forces of the time.” Comment.
“The Vienna Congress is significant in giving effect to certain accomplished and containing the seed of momentous development fact. The chief defect of the Vienna Congress was that it ignored the forces of the time, especially the sentiment of nationality, but criticism of the Vienna Congress has been unduly harsh.” Explain.
“The Concert of Europe as an agency for international co-operation broke up mainly on two rocks, one principle and the other of the mutual jealousy of the Powers.” Comment.
“The European Revolutions of 1848 resemble each other in nothing but date.” Elucidate.
“Though reaction triumphed in some countries, the Revolutions of 1830 had far reaching consequences beneficial to the cause of the people.” Comment.
“Revolution occurred in France in 1848 because France was bored.” Explain this statement.
The Russian Revolution of 1917-1921
Q.. How did Stalin build on Lenin’s legacy of Bolshevik Revolution and introduce new elements of totalitarianism to transform USSR as a superpower? [UPSC- 2020]
Q.. Examine the statement that “the danger of ‘Bolshevism’ dominated not only the history of the years immediately following the Russian Revolution of 1917 but the entire history of the world since that date.” [UPSC- 2017]
“The Russian Revolution (1917) was an economic explosion hastened by the stupidities of the autocratic Government”. Comment. [20 Marks]
In Russia, Lenin was “the father of socialism, organizer of the revolution and the founder of the new Russian society.” Examine the statement. [1998, 60 Marks]
OR
Write a critical note on: Lenin’s role in the Russian Revolution of 1917. [20 Marks]
OR
How did Lenin achieve an abrupt transition from a Monarchical autocratic to a Socialist State? [20]
“The bold knight, Lenin, having rescued the fair maiden of the Revolution from the evil sorcerer, Kerensky, everyone lived happily hereafter.” Comment.
Analyze the causes of the Russian Revolutions of 1917. Why was the second Revolution Significant in more than one way? [60 Marks]
OR
What were the causes for the success of Bolshevik Revolution of 1917? Discuss its significance in the history of the world. [60 Marks]
OR
Examine the causes of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and indicate its significance in world history. [60 Marks]
OR
Account for the overthrow of the Tsarist regime in Russia. [30 Marks]
OR
The Russian Revolution of 1917 was a single revolution which developed two phases. Elucidate. [60 Marks]
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“The impact of the French Revolution (1789) was initially confined the Europe, but, that of the Russia Revolution (1917) was global.” – Critically review. [30 Marks]
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Extra Questions Answers
Was February Revolution from above or below, organized or spontaneous?
Critically discuss different views regarding Lenin’s controversial personality among historians and his responsibility of the excesses and atrocities during the Stalin era.
Fascist Counter-Revolution, Italy and Germany
Q. Examine the circumstances which led to the overthrow of democracy and the establishment of Fascist dictatorship in Italy.
Q. Was Czechoslovakia served on a dish to Hitler at Munich? What were its implications?
Critically examine the main features of the foreign policy of Nazi Germany. [60 Marks]
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Q.. Hitler was “a creature flung to the top by the tides of revolutionary change, or the embodiment of the collective unconsciousness of a people obsessed with violence and death.” Comment. [1984, 20 Marks]
“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. [20 Marks]
“There was an element of system in Hitler’s foreign policy…. .His outlook was continental.” Comment. [20 Marks]
‘Corporate State’ was Mussolini’s answer to sociopolitical problems of his country. Elucidate. [60 Marks]
What were the weaknesses and difficulties of the Weimer Republic? How did Hitler succeed in establishing his dictatorship? [60 Marks]
Discuss the main characteristics of Fascism. [60 Marks]
How did the policy of appeasement escalate the problem of Nazi aggrandizement? [30 Marks]
With reference to the ‘Fascist ideology’ discuss the rise to Totalitarian state in Europe after the First World War.
OR
“Extreme nationalism of the Fascist Variety has various faces in various countries, but it has everywhere certain common characteristics.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Extra Questions and Answers
“Appeasement is justified in several ways but it can still be blamed for the Second World War”. Comment.
“It would be wrong to give the impression that Hitler hung on to power simply by terrorizing the entire nation.” Analyse this statement.
The Chinese Revolution of 1949
Q.. In the Chinese Revolution of 1949, the elements of communism and nationalism were discernible. Explain the statement in the light of Mao’s strategy which was different from that of Lenin. [UPSC- 2018]
Q.. Revolutions, whether in Russia (1917) or in China (1949), are a disastrous way of transforming a country. Comment. [UPSC- 2021]
Q. “If the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia (that resulted in the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or Soviet Union) inaugurated an international competition for the hearts and minds of people all over the globe, the Chinese Revolution raised the stakes of that struggle.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2013]
“The turn of the tide against the Kuomintang, consequently, was due as much to its weakness as to Communist strength.” Comment. [20 Marks]
OR
“The failure of Kuomintang against the communist onslaught was unimaginable and it was Mao Tse-tung whose tenacity and innovative approach had accomplished the unthinkable.” Discuss. [2015, 20 Marks]
With the proclamation in Nanking of a Chinese Republic with Sun-Yat-Sen as the President in 1911, “the old China wilted rapidly.” Comment.
“The announcement of the creation of the Peoples’ Republic of China on October 1, 1959 by Mao Zedong ended the civil war between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Nationalist Party (KMT).” – Elaborate. [2012, 30 Marks]
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Review the political circumstances in China in the years 1945-49 leading to the establishment of the Communist rule in the land. How did the United States seek to resolve the conflict between the Nationalists and the communists in the period? [1984, 60 Marks]
OR
Examine the circumstances in china in the years 1945-49. What did the United States do to resolve the conflict between the Nationalists and the Communists there? [2002, 60 Marks]
Discuss the circumstances leading to the Chinese Revolution of 1949 and analyze its significance. [2005, 60 Marks]
OR
Critically analysis the cause and the results of the Chinese revolution of 1949. [2006, 60 Marks]
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Extra Questions Answers
“They covered about 6000 miles in 368 days and crossed 18 mountain ranges, 5 of which were snow-capped, and 24 rivers. They passed through 12 different provinces, occupied 62 cities, and broke through enveloping armies of 10 different provincial warlords, besides defeating, eluding, or out-manoeuvring the various forces of government troops sent against them.” Comment.
“The weakness of the Kuomintang and the strength of the Communists led to the victory of the Communists in the Chinese Revolution which left a deep impact on the world politics.” Explain.
Discuss the differences in the nature of the communism of China and the USSR. What were the early advantages the Chinese communism had over that of the USSR?
“It is one of the ironies of history that Japan was the creator of communist China.” Explain this statement.
World Wars
| (i) 1st and 2nd World Wars as Total Wars: Societal implications |
| (ii) World War I: Causes and consequences |
| (iii) World War II: Causes and consequence |
Q. Do you agree with the statement that the Second World War was history’s most destructive war? Elaborate. [UPSC, 2020]
Q.. Europe was at war with itself in the first half of the twentieth century with a long cease-fire. Comment. [UPSC- 2021]
Q. Do you agree with the view that the Treaty of Versailles was a bad compromise between a treaty based upon force and a treaty based on ideas?
Q.. How far is it correct to say that the First World War was fought essentially for the preservation of the balance of power?
“Until December 1941 the battlefield of the Second World War was exclusively European and Atlantic; thereafter it became also Asiatic and Pacific.” Comment.
One of the most important impacts of the Second World War was the “division of Europe”, eastern and western. Comment.
Q. “The effectiveness of the League of Nations to prevent or to check Japanese aggression against China was the first serious blow to its prestige as an agency for providing security.”
Q. “There are many ways in which the war of 1914-18 was unprecedented, and in human history, entirely novel.” Critically examine.
OR
Why was the first World War termed as the first ‘total’ war in modern history?
What led to the formation of the Berlin-Rome Tokyo axis? Indicate its impact on international politics. [1986, 60 Marks]
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Critically examine the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Did he want to introduce a sort of socialism? [60 Marks]
“The Anglo-Japanese Treaty (1902) marks a milestone in the development of Japan as an Asiatic power.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Show how the Spanish Civil War was a prelude to World War II.
“The Treaty of Versailles was merely an armistice for twenty years.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“The Manchurian crisis decided the fate of the league of Nations.” Comment. [20 Marks]
Q.. “The Communist international and the League of Nations both announced the end of the Balance of Power.” Comment. [1996, 20 Marks]
Analyze the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919 and examine the validity of Germany’s objections to the Treaty. [60 Marks]
“The most important single factor … in the year following 1919 was the French demand for security.” Comment. [10 Marks]
“Treaty of Versailles contained the seeds of future conflicts.” Comment. [10 Marks]
“In the long run, the Locarno Treaty (December 1925) was destructive both of the Treaty of Versailles and of the Covenant.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“Hitler did not really want a World War. His intention was only a short war with Poland.” (A. J. P. Taylor). Comment. [20 Marks]
“The peace of Versailles lacked moral validity from the start.” Critically evaluate. [20 Marks]
“By 1914, the sick man of Europe was no longer just Turkey: it was Europe itself.” Explain. [20 Marks]
“Any single explanation for the outbreak of the First World War likely to be too simple. An amalgam of factors intellectual, social, economic as well as political and diplomatic contributed to this horrifying conflict of monumental propositions.” – Explain. [30 Marks]
“The Russo-Japanese War helped in the rise of Japan as a great power.” [10 Marks]
“The Berlin Congress (1878) failed to unlock the Eastern Question. Though there was no longer major war in Europe for nearly three decades after the Treaty of Berlin, it contained the seeds of many future wars.” Critically Evaluate. [20 Marks]
“League of Nations is a League of Notions.” Comment. [10]
Extra Questions Answers
Give logic for and against the view that Hitler had no clear long-term plans for a major War.
“We were often conscious that we were skating on the thinnest of ice, and that the peace of Europe was at mercy of a chapter of unforeseen and unforeseeable accidents.” Explain this statement.
“The Second World War differed in many aspects from all the previous war which resulted in its characterization as a total war.” Explain.
“Germany was officially asked to attack the east, in return for peace in the west”. Comment.
“Making peace settlement after the First World War at Paris Peace Conference involved clash of interests of allied powers as well as difference in personalities of their leaders.” Explain with examples.
To what extent was the Paris Peace Settlement shaped by the principle of self-determination?
“The Washington Conference temporarily ironed out differences among the powers over the Far Eastern Question but unwittingly it increased the power of Japan in the Far East.” Elaborate.
“A well-motivated Italian invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in October 1935 demonstrated the ineffectiveness of the League.” Comment.
“The heart of the lamb of Czechoslovakia was butchered in the midnight by a knife supplied by Chamberlin.” Elucidate.
“The Balkan Wars (1912-13) did not solve the Balkan problems and were the prelude to the First World War.” Elucidate.
“The First World War was a tragedy of miscalculation.” Comment.
“Several factors worked together to make the League of Nations a failure but calling it complete failure and irrelevant in the world history is unjustified.” Elaborate.
“The great failing of the peace settlement was that it left the Germans with a sense of resentment and grievance but did not leave them too weak to retaliate and seek revenge.” Explain.
Discuss the impact of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05) on Japan, China and European politics.
“Russia’s defeat by Japan in 1905 had fatal consequences for the peace of Europe leading to the First World War.” Comment.
Q. “The purpose of Atlantic Charter was to be a message of hope to the occupied countries, and it held out the promise of a world organization based on the enduring verities of international morality.” Comment.
The World after World War II
| (i) Emergence of two power blocs |
| (ii) Emergence of Third World and non-alignment |
| (iii) UNO and the global disputes |
Emergence of two power blocs
In the post -Second World War scenario friends in war did not remain friends in peace. Examine the truth of this view in the period of your study. [60 Marks]
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Critically examine the various dimensions and phases of the cold war between 1947 and 1962. [60 Marks]
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“After World War II, the strategy of the West towards Soviet bloc crystallized as a ‘policy of containment’.” Comment. [20 Marks]
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Discuss the circumstances leading to the Suez Crisis of 1956 and examine its repercussions on global politics. [10 Marks]
Q. Outline the circumstances leading to the adoption of Marshall Plan.
“The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan were considered by Russian Bloc as a weapon against Russia in order to restrict her influence.” Critically examine. [20 Marks]
Outline the circumstances Leading to détente. [10 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.” Comment.
“The Cuban Missile Crisis, though lasted for few days, was extremely tensed and had important results.” Elucidate.
“I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. I believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way. I believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes. ”—President Harry Truman. Comment. [10 Marks]
How accurate is it to talk about a ‘thaw’ in the Cold War in the years after 1953? Discuss with examples.
“The Korean War was as much an international conflict as it was internal.” Comment.
Emergence of Third World and non-alignment
Q.. “Non-alignment came to symbolize the struggle of India and other newly independent nations to retain and strengthen their independence from colonialism and imperialism.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2019]
Q.. “During the Cold War, some important leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement wanted to keep the movement away from the military blocs.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2021]
Q. “The multiple of newly independent countries came to be known as the ‘Third World’, belonging neither to the First World of capitalist democracies, nor the Communist Second World.” Critically examine. [UPSC, 2020]
Q. The role of the Non-Alignment Movement in world affairs had suffered greatly due to the theatre of internecine conflicts among the Third World countries who spearheaded it.” Elucidate.
Would you argue that the Non-Aligned Movement played a crucial role in promoting a climate of peace? [30 Marks]
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The role of the Non-Alignment Movement in world affairs had suffered greatly due to the theatre of internecine conflicts among the Third World countries who spearheaded it.” Elucidate.
Extra Questions and Answers
“The end of the Cold War and with it, the age of bipolarity, does not make the Non-Aligned Movement, which was said to be conceived to avoid Cold War politics, irrelevant.” Justify this statement.
Q. Discuss the nature and character of Non-alignment movement.
UNO and the global disputes
Q.. Do you think that the United Nations Organisation had played a significant role in resolving international disputes and ensuring peace in the world? [UPSC- 2021]
Q. Discuss how far the United Nations has been successful in resolving global disputes from year 1946 to 1991.
Q.. “The Security Council is the heart of the United Nations.” Comment. [10 Marks]
Examine the peace keeping efforts of the United Nations Organization.
Liberation from Colonial Rule
| (i) Latin America-Bolivar |
| (ii) Arab World-Egypt |
| (iii) Africa-Apartheid to Democracy |
| (iv) South-East Asia-Vietnam |
Q.. Why was the apartheid policy introduced in South Africa? What were its main features? [UPSC- 2022]
Q.. The white-minority government of South Africa treated the natives very badly by denying them fundamental rights and made Apartheid an official policy. How were the people able to end Apartheid policy and establish a transitional rule? [UPSC- 2021]
Q. Discuss the circumstances leading to the French exist from Algeria in 1962. [UPSC, 2020]
Q. “The British were slated to withdraw from Palestine in May 1948, and both sides prepared for that day. Violence between Arabs and Jews, already endemic, escalated.” Critically examine. [UPSC, 2020]
Q.. “The Arab countries looked up to Nasser as a leader who could withstand the pressure exerted by Western countries on Egypt to make peace with Israel.” Critically analyse. [UPSC- 2021]
Q. Analyze the role of Egypt after the Second World War in bringing about Arab unity.
Q. Which factors would you attribute to the British colonial intervention in Malaya in the 19th century? How did Malays react to British colonial rule?
Q. “There must be an end to white monopoly on political power, and a fundamental restructuring of our political and economic systems to ensure that the inequalities of apartheid are addressed and our society thoroughly democratized,” Discuss.
How did the Japanese occupation of South-East Asian countries during the Second World War give a boost to nationalism in the regions? Explain with examples. [60 Marks]
“The period 1919 to 1945 is important in the history of Egypt for the exploitation of its resources by Great Britain and rise of strong nationalism.” Discuss.
Arab Nationalism and Oil- these were the principal factors complicating the relations of the West Asian countries with the outside world. Do you agree? [60 Marks]
OR
“Arab nationalism and oil – these were the principal Factors in complicating the relations of Middle Eastern countries with the outside world.” Comment. [30 Marks]
OR
“One of the last Strongholds – of oil imperialism and European colonialism it (Middle East) cultivates a fiery nationalism as a weapon against foreign oppression.” Comment. [20 Marks]
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Q.. Trace the growth of Arab nationalism after the First World War. How far was it a reaction to Oil Imperialism? [UPSC- 1989, 2016]
The Arab nationalism had a peculiar character. It stood for nation independence for separate Arab States as well as for the unity of all Arabs irrespective of their state boundaries.” – Examine. [30 Marks]
Discuss the aims of the establishment of the Arab League and assess it role in safeguarding the interests of the Arab nations. [60 Marks]
“Turkish renaissance guided by Kemal Pasha revolutionized the Turkish life at many levels.” Amplify. [60 Marks]
Give a brief account of the struggle against ‘Apartheid’ in South Africa. [60 Marks]
Why did Vietnam go through thirty years of war after the Second World War? [30 Marks]
Trace the significant role played by Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam’s struggle for freedom. [10 Marks]
Explain how American imperialism in Philippines differed with European imperialism in Indonesia and Indo-China? [30 Marks]
Extra Questions Answers
“Arab Nationalism, which was stirred at the outbreak of the First World War, received a check at the peace settlement.” Elaborate.
Q.. Discuss the role of Zaghlul Pasha in the rise of Egyptian Nationalism.
“All who have served the Revolution have ploughed the sea”. – Simon Bolivar. In the light of the above statement, give the contribution of Simon Bolivar in the liberation of Latin American colonies and his failed attempt of uniting them.
“Opposition to apartheid was inside as well as outside Africa.” Explain.
What problems were germane to the decolonization process in Kenya? Also discuss role played by Jomo Kenyatta in the process.
Without de Gaulle’s masterly handling of the situation, the Algerian crisis would probably have plunged France into civil war. How far would you agree with this verdict on President de Gaulle’s contribution to the events leading to Algerian independence?
“The Suez crisis had shown the UNO at its best and it proved to be Britain’s last fling of the imperial dice.” Comment.
Decolonization and Underdevelopment
| (i) Factors constraining development: Latin America, Africa |
Write a critical note on the process of decolonization accelerated by the Second World War.
“After achieving independence from foreign colonial rulers, the new African nations faced several problems impeding their development which were mostly similar in nature.” Discuss with the help of examples.
Explain why Latin America was beset with chronic political instability and endemic military conflicts throughout most of the 19th century.
Extra Questions and Answers
“The wind of change is blowing through the continent. Whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact, and our national policies must take account of it.” Comment.
Briefly discuss the Windrush generation and recent controversy associated with it.
Unification of Europe
| (i) Post War Foundations: NATO and European Community |
| (ii) Consolidation and Expansion of European Community |
| (iii) European Union |
Q. Do you agree with the view that the formation of NATO marked a revolution in American attitude to the world problems?
“The Brussels Treaty of 17 March, 1948 paved the way for the formation of NATO.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“NATO in many ways symbolized the key role that the United States had come to play in Europe.” Comment. [20 Marks]
“The collapse of Berlin Wall in 1989 brought new ideas of co-operation in Europe.” Critically evaluate. [10 Marks]
Q.. “The European union is the new sick man of Europe.” critically evaluate. [UPSC- 2013]
Extra Questions Answers
“The World after Second World War contained the seed of European Unity.” Justify the statement.
“Britain not only had to change its attitude, but also had to face French opposition to join European Economic Community (EEC).” Explain.
“The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which was formed under the leadership of the USA with the requirement of the Cold War was responded by the Soviet Union with their own rival alliance.” Explain.
“The events in Prague, together with the Berlin blockade, convinced the European recipients of American economic assistance that they needed military protection as well: that led them to request the creation of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization.” Analyse this statement.
Q.. Trace the evolution of the European Community after the Second World War.
Disintegration of Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar World
| (i) Factors leading to the collapse of Soviet communism and the Soviet Union, 1985-1991 |
| (ii) Political Changes in Eastern Europe 1989-2001 |
| (iii) End of the cold war and US ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower |
Q.. “The supremacy of USA after the end of Cold War had its challenges as well.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2023]
Q.. The impact of the end of the Cold War and the emergence of the US as the lone superpower has been both, good and bad. Discuss. [UPSC- 2021]
Q. A new configuration of power emerged in world politics after the end of the cold war. Analyse how USA managed to become the sole superpower. [UPSC, 2020]
Q.. “With the Cold War over and the Soviet Union gone, the face of international diplomacy has undergone a metamorphosis.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2012]
Discuss the main factors leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union. [60 Marks]
OR
Analyse the factors for the collapse of Soviet Communism and Soviet Union during 1985-1991. [60 Marks]
OR
“By the 1980s, the Communist system of the Soviet Union was incapable of maintaining the country’s role as a Superpower.” Explain this statement. [25 Marks]
Analyze the factors leading to the end of the Cold war and account for the U.S. ascendancy in the world. [60 Marks]
OR
Account for the factors that brought about the end of the Cold War. [60 Marks]
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What factors contributed to the emergence of a unipolar world? [20 Marks]
Q. In what way did the political changes in Soviet Union influence the events in Eastern Europe during the closing decades of the 20th Century?
Q. Review the policy of Glasnost adopted by Gorbachev.
“The essence of Perestroika is for people to feel they are country’s master.” —Gorbachev. Critically evaluate. [10 Marks]
“With the Cold War over and the Soviet Union gone, the face of international diplomacy has undergone a metamorphosis.” Critically examine. [10 Marks]
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Extra Questions and Answers
“A series of political events served as the catalyst for exacerbating inherent tensions in the Yugoslav republic.” In the light of the given statement, delineate the factors and events leading to the breakup of Yugoslavia in the bloody civil war.
Discuss the reasons behind one of the major political changes in Eastern Europe after the disintegration of Soviet Union: the dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
Consider the view that if Gorbachev had followed different policies, the USSR could have survived, in the same way that communism survived in China.
![Do you think that “Quit India Movement was spontaneous revolution”? क्या आपके विचार में “भारत छोडों आन्दोलन एक स्वतः स्फूर्त क्रान्ति थी”? [UPPSC, 2017] OR The Quit India Movement’ was a spontaneous revolt of the people against the British rule. Analyse it. भारत छोड़ो आन्दोलन ब्रिटिश शासन के विरुद्ध स्वतःस्फूर्त जन-विद्रोह था। इसका विश्लेषण कीजिए। [UPPSC, 2006]](https://selfstudyhistory.com/wp-content/themes/daily-insight/assets/uploads/no-featured-image-500x375.jpg)
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Where are the topics related to Renaissance, Reformation etc?