MIND

Democracy and Diversity

Democracy Types of Social Division

Sees people as one without any discrimination

Overlapping Social Cross Cutting Social
Division Division
Social Difference When social differences When social differences
Difference on the basis of physical appearance, caste religion, gender etc. become more important cross cut each other
and other differences thereby weakening the
get added to it thereby differences e.g. Catholics
Outcome dividing communities and Protestants in
e.g. Blacks in Netherlands
US and Dalits in India
Positive Social Division
Social Inequality
Social differences When social
become deeper differences
Equality in Some Case become more
Politics of Social Division
Some countries are able and lead to social
inequality like prominent in
to manage the social society leading In a democracy political parties
differences inspite of Blacks in US and
to wide gap. compete against each other.
diversity e.g. Belgium. low caste in India
are generally poor.
Competition tends to divide the society furthur

Politics deepen the social divisions

Origin of Social differences
Parties compete on the basis of divisions

By Birth By Choice This leads to conflicts and violence

Physical appearance (skin colour),
gender, caste, community
Difference on the basis of skin colour
Divided US into blacks and whites
For e.g. Afro-American athletes stood
in protest in Mexico Olympics
Course of study, choice to
follow a religion, occupation, Even disintegration of the society
choose a game or
cultural activity migration
e.g. Yugoslavia disintegrated into six countries
Differences by choice create e.g. Northern Ireland where politics
social divisions even in led to greater social divisions
homogeneous society.

This symbolised black power

Outcome of Politics of Social Division
Led to Civil Rights Movement in U.S.

Three determinants

Perception About Identities Role of the Political Leaders Attitude of the Government

When people see When people relate their When leaders Otherwise for If the government Otherwise acts
their identity separate identity with national demands are within unconstitutional protects the interest of violence,
from their nation, identity then social divisions the Constitution demands, disintegration of the minorities agitation and
lead to disintegration do not divide the country then it can be or majoritarian then there is peace civil war.
e.g. India, Belgium accomodated takes place. in the country