Question

Give one example to show overlapping social differences create possibilities of deep social divisions and tensions.

CBSE Class X Social Science VSA (1 Mark)

Answer 1

One example to show overlapping social differences create possibilities of deep social divisions and tensions is the conflicts between the Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland. 

Situations of this kind often produce social divisions, that is when one kind of social difference becomes more important than the other and people start feeling that they belong to different communities. Racial or linguistic differences may lead to economic differences as well.

Answer 2

(1) When some social differences overlap with other differences. For example the difference between black and white becomes a social division in the US because the Blacks tend to be poor.

(2) If social differences cross cut one another, it is difficult to pick one group of people against other. It means that group sharing a common interest on one issues are likely to be on different side on different issues. For example both Northern Ireland and the Netherland are predominantly Christian but are divided into Catholic and Protestant.