Author: selfstudyhistory

Q. “The language of narrow nationalism held at Frankfurt destroyed the German Revolution; as the fatal idea of aggrandisement of the House of Savoy destroyed the Italian Revolution.” Discuss. [UPSC- 2014]  Ans: Giuseppe Mazzini in his essay “Faith and the Future” had written in 1850: “The manifesto of Lamartine destroyed the French Revolution of 1848, […]

Q. How far is it correct to say that the First World War was fought essentially for the preservation of the balance of power? [UPSC- 2015]  Ans: World War I began in the Balkans on 28 July 1914 and ended on 11 November 1918, leaving 17 million dead and 25 million wounded.. Its belligerents included […]

Q. ‘The Security Council is the heart of the United Nations.’ Comment. [UPSC, 2003]  Answer: 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. There are seven main organs of the UN like General Assembly, Secretariat, Security Council, International […]

Q. How would you characterize the nature of Mauryan state on the basis of Kautilya’s Arthashastra? [UPSC- 2021] Ans: On the basis of Kautilya’s Arthashastra the Mauryan Empire has been presented as a new form of government marked by centralized control and planning over people, produce and resources. ©selfstudyhistory.com The nature of Mauryan state on […]

Q. “States’ reorganization did not, of course, resolve all the problems relating to linguistic conflicts.” Critically examine. [UPSC- 2018] Ans: India was fragmented into 565 princely states and a number of provinces when it became free. After independence and their integration with India, there began the process of organising them into politically and economically viable […]

Q. Large number of land grants in hitherto non-arable tracts invariably meant expansion of agriculture in early medieval India. How did the management of hydraulic resources (different types of irrigation works) facilitate expansion of agriculture in this period? [UPSC- 2021]  Ans: The early Indian medieval period marks the growth of cultivation and organisation of land […]

Q. How did international trade support urbanisation in North India during the 13-14th century CE? [UPSC- 2020]  Ans: During the Sultanat period, India remained the manufacturing workshop for the Asian world and adjacent areas of East Africa. India’s position was based on highly productive agriculture, skilled craftsmen, strong manufacturing traditions, and a highly specialized and […]

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. [UPSC- 2015] Ans: African historiography has been following divisions, schemes, and sequences set by the Europeans and […]