Democracy and Diversity

|                           Democracy and Diversity                                                                                            |                             |   |

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Question 1 (3.0 marks)
What do you understand by the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.A.?
Solution:
The Civil Rights Movement that started in the year 1954 in the U.S.A was a struggle by the African-Americans in America against the practice of racial discrimination, also known as apartheid. Martin Luther King Jr. led the movement based on the ideals of non-violence and civil-disobedience as laid down by Mahatma Gandhi. The plight of African-Americans, who were brought to America as slaves after the17th century, was pitiable. They were discriminated in all walks of life. The Civil Rights Movement sought to bring them on an equal footing with the white Americans who considered African-Americans inferior because of the colour of their skin. The movement continued till 1968 and gained substantial achievements. Later, Martin Luther King was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
Question 2 (3.0 marks)
What is racial discrimination? How is it harmful for a healthy society?
Solution:
Race is the classification of human beings into groups based on certain heritable traits. Racism or racial discrimination refers to the dislike or bias towards a particular race. Racial discrimination considers the people of particular race as inferior. Racial discrimination on the basis of skin colour has been practiced all over the world since time immemorial. In India, Aryans considered the original inhabitants of India, Dravidians, as inferior to them because Dravidians were dark-coloured. In America, the Africans are termed as ‘Negros because of the colour of their skin. The white people consider themselves as superior only...