CHAPTER 5: Rights NCERT SOLUTION CLASS 11TH Political Science | EDUGROWN NOTES

Short Answer Type Question:

Q1. What are rights and why are they important? What are the bases on which claims to rights can be made?
Answer
Rights are those claims which are necessary for leading a life of respect and dignity. It is important because:
• It helps individuals to develop their talents and skills.
• It helps to develop one’s capacity to reason.
• It gives individuals useful skills and enables us to make informed choices in life.
The bases on which claims to rights can be made are
• They represent conditions that we collectively see as a source of self-respect and dignity
• They are necessary for our well-being.

Q2. On what grounds are some rights considered to be universal in nature? Identify three rights which you consider universal. Give reasons.

Answer

Some rights are considered to be universal in nature because they are important for all human beings
who live in society. Three universal rights are:
• Right to a livelihood is necessary for leading a life of respect and dignity.
• Right to education is universal because it helps to develop our capacity to reason, gives us useful
skills and enables us to make informed choices in life
• Freedom of expression is important as it allows for the free expression of beliefs and opinions.

Q3. Discuss briefly some of the new rights claims which are being put forward in our country today — for example the rights of tribal peoples to protect their habitat and way of life, or the rights of children against bonded labour.

Answer

Some of the new rights claims which are being put forward in our country today are: The rights for tribal people: These people are dependent on forest and land for their livelihood since ancient times. They want no interference in their habitat and way of life which is going on in the name of modernisation. According to them their demands justified and essential for leading secure and respectful life.
• The rights of children against bonded labour: Childrens are future of the country so they must be free from any kind of exploitation or bonded labour.
• The right to education: Every child must have right to receive the basic education as it helps in the development of their potential.

Q4. Differentiate between political, economic and cultural rights. Give examples of each kind of right.

Answer

• Political rights give to the citizens the right to equality before law and the right to participate in the political process. For example: right to vote and elect representatives, the right to contest elections, the right to form political parties or join them.

• Economic rights give the citizens the right to their basic needs of food, shelter, clothes etc. For example: right to minimum wage.

• Culture rights give the citizens right to preserve their culture and its dignity. For Example: right
to establish institutions for teaching one’s language and culture.

Q5. Rights place some limits on the authority of the state. Explain with examples.

Answer

Rights place some limits on the authority of the state as it suggests what the state must refrain from doing. It places certain obligations upon the state to act in a certain way. For example if right suggests that the state can not simply arrest an individual at its own will. If it wishes to put an individual behind bars it must defend that action. It must give reasons for curtailing that individual liberty before a judicial court. This is why the police are required to produce an arrest warrant before taking any person away. Thus, rights  place certain constraints upon state actions.

Long Answer Type Questions :

Q1.How can we classify rights?
Answer:
Rights can be classified into the following two types:
(a) Moral rights are our moral senses which cannot be demanded or cannot be forced. Even if moral rights are violated, no legal action can be taken, i.e. to make children educated to look after parents, etc.
(b) Legal rights are recognized by the state which are enforceable and can be classified as:

• Civil rights help to lead a secured social life, i.e. right to life and education.
• Political rights are given to the citizens by the state, i.e. right to contest election, right to vote, right to hold any public office, etc.
• Economic rights include right to work, to rest, to housing, to buy own property in any part of country and to possess any job or profession in the country.

Q2.Explain some political rights of the citizens.
Answer:
Political rights are given to the citizens to participate in the affairs of the state:

• Right to vote is the most important political right to participate in the formation of government without any discrimination, i.e. every citizen in the age of 18 years and above enjoys the right to vote.
• Every voter enjoys the right to contest elections, i.e. right to be elected as a representatives on the attainment of 25 years of age.
• All the citizens are eligible to hold public offices equally, i.e. on one can be discriminated on the ground of colour, language, religion, caste, etc.
• Every citizen enjoys the right to address petitions of complaints to the competent authorities, i.e. people’s grievance can be redressed by the government.
• Citizens can enjoy the right to form political parties also at their own.
• The citizens are provided the right to equality before law, i.e. equal opportunities are available to one and all without any discrimination on any ground.

Q3.Explain some civil rights of its citizens.
Answer:
Civil rights are as follows:

• The life of an individual is considered the property of state also as its human resource. Hence, it protects the life of individual also by providing the right to life. To commit suicide or to murder has been declared punishable offence.
• The citizens are allowed to enjoy the right to personal liberty. Hence, no individual can be arrested arbitrarily and cannot be deprived of his life, liberty and property without a breach of law established in an ordinary court of law.
• The citizens enjoy the right to equality in all spheres in a democratic state, i.e. all individuals should enjoy equal opportunities and nobody should be discriminated on any ground.
• Every individual enjoys the right to move freely in any part of country and to reside also in any part of the territory. No one can be compelled to leave one place without one’s own will.
• Every citizen in a state exercises the right to freedom of thought and expression, i.e. writing, speaking, free expression of opinion and even to criticise the governmental policies, etc.
• The citizens are provided with the freedom to form social, economic, political and cultural association. The state cannot interfere in the functioning of these associations, i.e. trade unions, commercial associations, etc.