Day: June 3, 2020

“There are many ways in which the war of 1914-18 was unprecedented, and in human history, entirely novel.” Critically examine. [UPSC, 2019] OR Why was the first World War termed as the first ‘total’ war in modern history?  ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: World War I or Great War was an international conflict that in 1914–18 embroiled most of […]

Discuss how far the United Nations has been successful in resolving global disputes from year 1946 to 1991. [UPSC, 2018] ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The United Nations Organization (UNO), an intergovernmental organization, officially came into existence in October 1945 after the Second World War, to prevent another such conflict and resolving global disputes. Although it has had […]

Explain how Ashoka used religion as a tool of political aggrandizement. [UPSC, 2019]  ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: “Dhamma” corresponds to the Sanskrit word “Dharma” which literally means “which is to be held fast to” or “adhering strictly”. Many historians consider Ashoka’s “Dhamma” as a tool used by Ashoka for political aggrandizement. Historians like Nilakantha Shastri consider Dhamma […]

Q. Examine the status of Sanskrit in Mughal India. [UPSC, 2019]  ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: Mughals cultivated a thoroughly multicultural and multilingual imperial image that involved repeated attention to Sanskrit texts. Although not much significant and original work was done in Sanskrit during the period, the number of Sanskrit works produced is quite impressive. As before, most […]

Q. Review the policy of Glasnost adopted by Gorbachev. [UPSC, 2018] ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: In the mid-1980’s, the new General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev introduced the liberalizing reforms to bring long term changes in the administration and the stagnant economy of the erstwhile USSR. Gorbachev’s internal reforms rested on […]

Q. Outline the circumstances leading to the adoption of Marshall Plan. [UPSC, 2018]  ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: Announced in June 1947, Marshall Plan or European Recovery Programme (ERP) was an economic extension of the Truman Doctrine. American Secretary of State George Marshall produced his European Recovery Programme (ERP), which offered economic and financial help wherever it was […]

Q. Trace the development of land reforms in India between 1947 and early 1960’s. [UPSC, 2018]  ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: The main characteristics of the agrarian structure which independent India inherited were absentee land ownership; exploitation of tenants through high rents and insecurity of tenure; unequal distribution of land; tiny and fragmented holdings; and lack of adequate […]

“An important feature of agriculture in Mughal India has been the large number of crops raised by the peasants”. Illustrate by giving examples. [UPSC, 2018]  ©selfstudyhistory.com Ans: India with extensive land area, different types of soils and varying climatic conditions, could boast of a large number of agricultural products in Mughal India which included -food […]