How do Social Divisions affect Politics? Give two Examples.

Question. How do Social Divisions affect Politics? Give two examples.

Answer: A deadly combination of social divisions and politics can occur. In a democracy, several political parties compete for votes. Because competition tends to divide society, if they begin competing on the basis of existing social divisions, those divisions may be converted into political divisions, resulting in conflict, violence, and even country dissolution. The collapse of Yugoslavia into six autonomous countries is an example of this. The combination of social divisions and politics, on the other hand, is not always negative. The political expression of social differences enables marginalised and disadvantaged social groups to air their problems and request that the government address them.

Social divisions have a detrimental and positive impact on politics. If we look at the social divide and politics together at first glance, it appears that the combination of the two is extremely hazardous and combustible. Competition between numerous political units/parties is a feature of democracy. Their rivalry has a tendency to split society. If political parties begin to compete on the basis of common socioeconomic divisions, such as in Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland, it might lead to social conflict and fragmentation. For many years, Northern Ireland has been embroiled in a violent and vicious ethno-political struggle.

Similarly, political struggle along religious and ethnic lines resulted in Yugoslavia’s fragmentation into six independent republics. Politics reflects social divisions wherever they exist. Political parties are unavoidable in a democracy. They make various commitments to various communities. It ensures that various communities are properly represented. It creates policies to address the grievances of marginalised groups. In most nations, social divisions also influence voting. People from one community have a preference for one party over another. There are parties that focus solely on one community in several nations, such as the DMK, AIADMK, and BSP in India.