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Security in the Contemporary World – Class 12 Political Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 12 Political Science, chapter 5. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

Security means freedom from threats to core values. Traditional security focuses on military threats to a state and responses such as deterrence, defence, balance of power and alliances. Non-traditional security widens the idea to threats to human beings, such as terrorism, poverty, disease, environmental damage and migration. Cooperative security and global action are needed for many of these threats. India follows a mix of strategies for its security.

Traditional notions of security

The main threat is seen as military force from another country, endangering sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
Responses include deterrence (preventing war), defence (limiting or ending war), balance of power and building alliances.
Arms control and confidence-building measures, such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (1968), aim to reduce the risk of war.

Non-traditional security

Human security focuses on protecting people, not just states, from violence, hunger, disease and natural disasters.
New threats include terrorism, global poverty, health epidemics such as HIV/AIDS and COVID-19, climate change and large-scale migration.
These threats cross borders, so cooperation among countries and international organisations is essential.

India's security strategy

India has strengthened its military capability, including nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998, while adopting a no-first-use nuclear policy.
It supports international institutions and norms, such as UN peacekeeping and disarmament efforts.
It addresses internal security challenges and works for economic development to reduce poverty and inequality.

Key terms

Security: freedom from threats to core values
Deterrence: preventing war by threatening unacceptable damage to the attacker
Balance of power: keeping power distributed so that no single state dominates
Human security: protection of people from violence, want and disease
Confidence-building measures: steps that reduce suspicion between rival countries

Important questions with answers

What is the difference between traditional and non-traditional security?2 marks

Traditional security focuses on military threats to a state's sovereignty and territory, while non-traditional security covers wider threats to human beings, such as terrorism, poverty, disease and environmental damage.

Explain the main components of India's security strategy.3 marks

India strengthens its military capabilities, including a nuclear deterrent with a no-first-use policy; supports international institutions and norms such as UN peacekeeping and disarmament; meets internal security challenges; and promotes economic development to reduce poverty and inequality.

Discuss traditional and non-traditional notions of security.5 marks

Security in general means freedom from threats to core values. In the traditional view, the greatest danger to a country is the use of military force by another state, which threatens its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. States respond through deterrence, which prevents war by threatening unacceptable damage; defence, which limits or ends a war; the balance of power, which prevents any single state from dominating; and alliances, in which states combine their strength. Arms control and confidence-building measures, such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and agreements to share military information, try to reduce the risk of war. The non-traditional view widens security to include threats to human beings and the planet. Human security emphasises protection of people from violence, hunger, disease and disasters. New threats include terrorism, which targets civilians; global poverty; health epidemics such as HIV/AIDS and COVID-19; climate change; and large-scale migration and refugee flows. These threats cross national borders, so no single state can deal with them alone, and they require cooperation among countries, international organisations and civil society. Thus modern security thinking combines military preparedness with cooperative global action and human development.

Quick revision

Traditional security: military threats to the state.
Deterrence, defence, balance of power, alliances.
Non-traditional: human security, terrorism, disease, climate.
India: military strength, institutions, internal security, development.

Exam tips

Make two columns: traditional threats and non-traditional threats.
Learn India's four broad security strategies.

Practice MCQs

Traditional security mainly deals with
1. poverty
2. military threats to a state
3. epidemics
4. climate change
Show answer
Answer: (b) military threats to a state. It focuses on external armed threats.
Preventing war by threatening heavy retaliation is called
1. defence
2. disarmament
3. deterrence
4. alliance
Show answer
Answer: (c) deterrence. It aims to stop an attack before it starts.
Human security focuses on
1. protecting people
2. protecting states only
3. expanding territory
4. building weapons
Show answer
Answer: (a) protecting people. People are at the centre.
India conducted nuclear tests in
1. 1974 and 1998
2. 1962 and 1971
3. 1965 and 1999
4. 1991 and 2001
Show answer
Answer: (a) 1974 and 1998. Both were at Pokhran.
Which is a non-traditional security threat
1. invasion by another army
2. naval blockade
3. border war
4. global terrorism
Show answer
Answer: (d) global terrorism. It crosses borders and targets people.
Steps that reduce suspicion between rival countries are called
1. arms race
2. confidence-building measures
3. deterrence
4. alliances
Show answer
Answer: (b) confidence-building measures. They include sharing information.
Why do non-traditional threats require cooperation
1. they cross borders and no single state can solve them
2. they affect one country alone
3. they are purely military
4. they do not affect people
Show answer
Answer: (a) they cross borders and no single state can solve them. Global problems need joint action.
India's nuclear doctrine includes
1. first use against all
2. no nuclear weapons at all
3. no first use
4. use in all conflicts
Show answer
Answer: (c) no first use. It emphasises restraint.

All chapters of Class 12 Political Science

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.