Ch 1
DEMOCRACY IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
1. Who was Salvador Allende?
Salvador
Allende was the President of Chile, a country in South America. He was the founder
and leader of the Socialist Party of Chile and led the Popular Unity coalition
to victory in the presidential election in 1970.
2. What were the reforms introduced
by Allende in Chile?
The
President, Allende had taken several policy decisions to help the poor and the workers.
These included reform of the educational system, free milk for children and redistribution
of land to the landless farmers. He was opposed to foreign companies taking
away natural resources like copper from the country. The landlords, the rich
and the Church opposed his policies. Some other political parties in Chile also
opposed his government.
3. Why did the landlords and
capitalists oppose the policies of Allende?
The Landlords and Capitalists did not like the socialist
policies like the redistribution of land to the landless farmers. He was a
supporter of socialism.
4. What
setback did democracy face in Chile? Or How did General Pinochet come to power
in Chile?
A
popularly elected democratic government was overthrown in Chile on 11 September
1973 by a military coup. General Augusto Pinochet ,an Army general, led the
coup. The government of the United States of America was unhappy with Allende’s
rule and is known to have supported and funded activities that led to the coup.
Pinochet became the President of the country and ruled it for the next 17
years.
5. Why
was the U.S.A unhappy with Allende’s rule in Chile?
USA
supported capitalism and was against socialism.It did not like the spread of socialism
in the world. But Allende followed social
ist
principles and opposed capitalism. Therefore the U.S.A was unhappy with Allende’s
rule in Chile.
6.
Describe the reign of terror let lose by Pinochet, in Chile,
soon after
coming to power Pinochet’s government tortured and killed several of those who
supported Allende and those who wanted democracy to be restored. These included
General Alberto Bachelet of the Chilean Air Force and many other officers who
refused to join the coup. General Bachelet’s wife and daughter were put in prison
and tortured. More than 3,000 people were killed by the military. Many more
were reported ‘missing’. No one knows what happened to them.
7. How
was democracy restored in Chile?
Pinochet’s
military dictatorship came to an end after he decided to hold a referendum in 1988.
He felt confident that in this referendum, the people would say ‘yes’ to his continuing
in power. But the people of Chile had not forgotten their democratic traditions.
Their vote was a decisive ‘no’ to Pinochet. This led to Pinochet losing first
his
political and then his military powers. Political freedom was restored. Since
then Chile has held four presidential elections in which different political
parties have participated. Slowly, the army’s role in the country’s government
has been eliminated. The elected governments came to power and democracy was
restored.
8. How
did the hope that Allende expressed in his last address come true?
When
democracy was overthrown , the hope Allende expressed in his last address was realized
when democracy was restored. Felony, cowardice and treason were finally punished.
Political freedom was restored.
9. Who
was Michelle Bachelet?
Michelle
Bachelet was the daughter of General Alberto Bachelet of the Chilean Air Force
who was tortured by General Phinotche . Michelle Bachelet (pronounced Mishel Bashelet),
was elected President of Chile in January 2006. A medical doctor and a moderate
socialist, Michelle became the first womanto be a Defence Minister in Latin America.
10.
Describe the political conditions in Poland in
the
1980s.
In 1980s
Poland was ruled by the Polish United Workers’ Party. This was one of the many
communist parties that ruled in several countries of East Europe at that time.
In these countries, no other political party was allowed to function. The
people could not freely choose the leaders of the communist party orthe government.
Those who spoke against the leaders or the party or the government were put in
prison. The government in Poland was supported and controlled by the government
of the Soviet Union (USSR), a vast and powerful communist state.
11. Name
the two political organizations in Poland.
The
Polish United Workers’ Party and a new trade union called Solidarity (Solidarnosc
in Polish) were the two political organizations in Poland.
12. Why
did the workers of Lenin Shipyard in the city of ‘Gdansk’ go on a strike in August
1940? Why was it illegal?
The
workers of Lenin Shipyard in the city of Gdansk ( Dannzig in German) went on a strike
in August 1940 to take back a crane operator, a woman worker, who was unjustly dismissed
from service. This strike was illegal, because trade unions independent of the ruling
party were not allowed in Poland.
13. Who
was Lech Walesa ? How did he become the leader of workers on strike and later
the President of Poland?
Lech
Walesa (pronounced Lek Walesha), was dismissed from service in 1976 for demanding
higher pay in Poland. Walesa joined the strikes and soon emerged as the leader
of the striking workers.
14. What
were the demands of the workers of Lenin Shipyard in the city of Gdansk?
They
wanted to take back a crane operator, a woman
worker,
who was unjustly dismissed from service across the whole city. Later under Lech
Walesa they demanded the right to form independent trade unions. They also
demanded the release of political prisoners and an end to censorship on on press
15. Write any
two conditions of
the 21 point
agreement signed between
the workers led by Walesa and the Government led
by General Jaruzelski.
ANS.
The
21-point agreement with
the government ended their
strike. The government agreed to recognize the workers’
right to form independent trade unions and their right to strike.
After the Gdansk
agreement was signed,
a new trade
union called Solidarity (Solidarnoscin Polish) was formed.
It was the first time an independent trade union was formed in Poland.
16. Why did General Jaruzelski impose martial law on
Poland in December 1981?
ANS.
Within a
year of its
formation the trade
union Solidarity swept
across Poland and
had about one crore members. Revelations of widespread corruption and
mismanagement in the government made
matters worse for
the rulers. The government,
led by General Jaruzelski, grew
anxious and imposed
martial law in December 1981.
Thousands of Solidarity members
were put in
prison. Freedom to organise, protest
and express opinions was once
again taken away.
17. What were the favourable
conditions in Poland during 1989 and 1990 for a changein Government?
Or
How did Poland become a democratic country?
ans.
Another wave of strikes after the Gdansk strike, ain organised by Slidarity, began in 1988. This time the Polish government was weaker,uncertain and the economy was in decline. Another round of negotiations with Walesa resulted in an agreement in April 1989 for free elections. Solidarity contested all the100 seats of the Senate and won 99 of them. In October 1990, Poland had its firstpresidential elections in which more than one party could contest. Walesa was elected the President of Poland
18. What are the two important
features of democracy?
ans.
Democracy is
a form of government that
allows people to
choose their rulersIn
a democracy, only leaders elected by
people should rule the country. The
people have the
freedom to express
views, freedom to
organize and freedom
to protest.
19. What were
the differences between
the two non-democratic rules
in Chile and Poland?
There were many differences between
Pinochet’s rule in Chile and the communist rule in Poland. Chile was ruled by a
military dictator, while Poland was ruled by a political party. The
government of Poland
claimed that it was ruling
on behalf of
the working classes. Pinochet made
no such claim and openly favoured big capitalists.
20. What were
the common features
of the two
non-democratic rules in
Chile and Poland?
The people could not choose or change
their rulers.There was no
real freedom to
express one’s opinions,
form political associations
and organize protests and political action
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