TEJAL KHANDELWAL STUDY CENTRE : PSIR, GS PII, ESSAY

The daily answer writing is a very effort taking exercise. We don't use AI. Neither we copy paste. Any student who feels like that has the choice to leave the channel. Every answer is curated with flow and research. My key focus has always been only on serious students who really want quality in approach towards answer writing and not crowded audiences. This poll is very key for any other free initiative. If you really feel the need, vote.

Hello everyone! In the voting polls, we observed non participation of students in answer writing. I will put a poll today. If it's a substantial number, we will continue the free answer writing. Or we will launch Paid programs for interested students only.

Question of the day: 2nd July 2026 What is the Marxist and liberal approach towards the state? On what grounds the theoretical differences between them are premised? Explain. (20M) Question Two: Examine the liberal theory of state in contemporary politics.(20M)

Question of the day: 1st July 2026 Provide a comparative analysis of behavioural and institutional approach to the study of Political theory (20M)

Apologies for the backlog. Please try to write for the missed four days. Will update approach of all these questions answers soon. Keep writing. We will be regular everyday tomorrow onwards. Best wishes, Tejal Khandelwal Study Centre

Question of the day: 27th June 2026 Human rights are a complex and contested social practice that organizes relations between individuals, society and the State. Comment. (15M) Question of the day: 28th June 2026 Do you think that legitimacy acquired by consent or manufactured by indoctrination is an essential element in the maintenance of political rule? Justify your answer with relevant examples. (15M) Question of the day: 29th June 2026 Legitimacy adds positive value to political authority and obligation. Discuss. (20M) Question of the day: 30th June 2026 Deliberative democracy seeks to promote democratic decision making about public issues among the citizens. Discuss.(15M)

This question is a PYQ. It is a interpretation based question and since students are used to copy pasting notes of institutions, they face highest challenges in such types of statements based questions. Here the key formula is to find the key concept amongst so many given concepts like democracy, citizenship, liberty and equality. However the emphasis in this question is on Equality in all these components. So we have to debate the other aspects keeping equality as core focus. There are many interpretations to this answer as well. However we tried to make a structured, flow based interpretation.

The nature of the relationship between equality of democratic citizenship and liberty of citizens is influenced by economic equality. Comment. (15M) Approach of answer The evolution of human society is the story of evolution of equality. Among all the normative ideals ,it stands apart because it is linked with human dignity. Unlike ancient notion of Aristotle that points " Treating Equals equally, unequals unequally" , modern political theorists debate notions of procedural vs substantive equality. It lies at the heart of normative political theory. The modern notion of citizenship in democracies seeks to strike a balance between freedom and equality.These guarantees of equal citizenship and liberty in democracies will be an empty claim if inequalities persist in society. Ambedkar argues that political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy. Classical liberals emphasize on equality in moral sense and human beings are equal in dignity. Locke advocates equal natural rights. However they give primacy to liberty over equality. Rousseau distinguishes between natural and conventional inequalities where privileges some men enjoy to the exclusion of others. For Rousseau, this inequality transforms the dynamic of social relations. Marxist critique pointed that political equality under capitalism is merely formal. Workers possess equal vote but not equal power. Capitalist system intensifies economic inequality and envisions communist society as classless society. Socialists give primacy to equality over liberty. Social Liberals accomodate concerns of socialists that there is a need for level playing field. In contemporary political philosophy, Rawls in his theory of Justice as fairness establishes that liberty is a precondition for equality. Inequality is justified only when it can be of use to least advantaged. According to Ronald Dworkin, the value of Equality is one of the most endangered value in contemporary liberal tradition. This is the reason that even prosperous democracies could not provide spdecent standards of life .Dworkin proposes equality of resources to help those who suffer from brute luck. T. H. Marshall argues that without social rights, political citizenship remains incomplete. Social rights reduce inequalities created by capitalism.Welfare state plays an important role in ensuring equal opportunities. Contemporary constitutional democracies therefore seek to reconcile liberty with equality recognising that economic equality is not the enemy of freedom but its essential precondition. The enduring challenge of political theory is to transform formal equality into substantive citizenship.

Question of the day: 26th June 2026 The nature of the relationship between equality of democratic citizenship and liberty of citizens is influenced by economic equality. Comment. (15M) Question two: The debate on human rights is caught between the limitations of both universalism and cultural relativism. Comment. (20M)

Explain how Rawls used the liberal and egalitarian perspective to develop his theory of Justice. (15M) Approach of answer Justice is the central and commanding concept of current mainstream normative political philosophy. Rawls theory of justice revived interest in political philosophy. It is a practical contribution to resolving the long standing tension between liberty and equality. Rawls theory of justice as fairness envisions a society of free citizens holding equal basic rights co operating within an egalitarian economic system. During his time, there were many social movements in USA. Thus, he sought to build a just society. Rawls principles of social justice are a corrective to the liberal utilitarian principle of greatest happiness of greatest number. According to him, utilitarianism is a morally flawed theory of justice. By drawing inspiration from Kant ,Rawls gives centrality to the moral principle of freedom and equality of every person. In his theory of justice, Justice is the first virtue of social institutions like truth is first virtue of any system of thought. Rawls retained core values of liberalism. He applies the social contract and goes for a thought experiment i.e. people in Original Position under veil of ignorance to arrive at rational principles of justice. The liberal emphasis in his first principle is equal right to most extensive liberty compatible with similar liberty of others. This freedom implies capacity to act according to principles of justice and pursue conception of good. Rawls egalitarianism can be emphasized is his other two principles of justice. He emphasized on Equality of opportunity for acquiring offices and positions and Difference principle. Difference principle permits inequalities only when they can be shown to benefit the least adapvantaged. Rawls establishes a chain connection to strengthen the weakest link on each occasion. He points that his principles of justice are in lexical priority and liberty will have preference over equality of opportunity. Rawls theory has been criticised on various grounds. C B Macpherson argues that Rawls theory of justice is rather an elegant defence of liberal democratic capitalist welfare state. Marxists argue that moral systems should be analysed in light of class relations and patterns of ownership of private property. Libertarians criticize that Rawls sacrificed liberty for the sake of equality. Samuel Gorowitz has significantly observed that Rawls is a redistributionist and emphasizes on distributive justice by placing the highest social value on the needs of neediest. Rawls has tried to combine different values systems in order to arrive at his theory of justice. He made justice a pluralistic concept.

Dear students, A small note for all of you. I do cross the word limit when I write. It is on intent to make sure you understand all aspects asked in the question and cover the theme. But when you write this, you must cut it shorter and reduce your word usage. My purpose is Structure- Flow - Coverage of theme underlying the question. With regards, Tejal khandelwal Study Centre

Question of the day: 24th June 2026 Explain how Rawls used the liberal and egalitarian perspective to develop his theory of Justice. (15M) Question Two: Write a note on the relation between Equality and Liberty from the multicultural perspective. (10M) (Note: Extra question is to cover topics not mentioned directly in syllabus but repeatedly asked by UPSC)

We are done with Western Political Thought and Political Ideologies. We will now move towards Concepts in Political Theory Justice, Equality, Rights, Democracy, Power.

It is important to link: Feminism- Context of Slogan of personal is political- Broader theme of Second Wave Feminism- Traditional meaning of Political-Key thinkers about the problem with the divide - Conclusion

This revolution seeks to address not merely economic, social and political issues but also opens up the prospect of personal development and sexual fulfilment. Socialist feminists like Juliet Mitchell adopted a modern Marxist perspective that allows for the interplay of economic, social, political and cultural forces in society and has warned that since patriarchy has cultural and ideological roots, it cannot be overthrown simply by replacing capitalism with socialism. She suggested that liberation requires that women achieve emancipation in personal sphere and not merely that capitalist system is replaced by socialism. Postmodern feminists like Judith Butler argues that personal choices of women are shaped by social power structures .Thus, personal remains deeply political. Thus ,by questioning the public -private divide ,the slogan personal is political transformed from a liberal assumptions of politico- legal equality to comprehensive critique of patriarchy and it's structures in every sphere of life.

Explain how the slogan ‘the personal is political’ addresses the issue of women’s oppression and discrimination? (15M) Approach of answer Feminism stands for the concern with the status and role of women in society in relation to men. As an ideology, it points to the bias within political thought by keeping role of women off the political agenda. The slogan "The Personal is Political" emerged as a defining idea of Second-Wave Feminism during the 1960s and 1970s. It challenged the traditional liberal distinction between the public sphere (politics) and the private sphere (family and personal life) by arguing that women's everyday experiences of oppression are not merely personal problems but manifestations of broader structures of power and patriarchy. Second-wave’ feminism acknowledged that the achievement of political and legal rights had not solved the ‘women's question’. It was characterized by more radical concern with women’s liberation especially in private sphere. The goal of ‘second-wave’ feminism was not merely political emancipation but ‘women's liberation’, reflected in the ideas of the growing Women's Liberation Movement during 1960’s - 70’s. Such a goal could not be achieved by political reforms or legal changes alone. Modern feminists argued there was need of a radical and revolutionary process of social change. Redefining the Political Traditionally politics as an activity takes place within a public sphere which comprises government institutions, political parties, pressure groups and public debate. Private sphere is considered as non-political comprising of family life and personal relationships. For Feminists, politics exist where there is social conflict. Modern Feminists like Kate Millet defined politics as power structured relationships whereby one group of persons is controlled by another. Thus, all relationships are political in nature. E.g. employers- workers, husbands-wives, parents-children. Feminists have sought to challenge the divide between public man and private woman and proclaims “The Personal is political” Personal is political The statement is given by Carole Hanish and seeks to provide a feminist explanation of politics. Susan Moller Okin in her book “ Gender , Justice and Family ” provides interpretation of the term personal is political. Personal is political means personal sphere is not free from power. Politics pervades family and personal relations which are generally considered as non-political. There is subordination and domination within family. State and politics infiltrates family by laws relating to marriage and personal laws. State made laws influence women’s status. State though appears neutral is rather an institution of patriarchy and State laws are just an eyewash. Patriarchal values of society come from patriarchal family. Family shapes the value system governing socio-political life. E.g. child observes subordinate status of mother at home and thus does not find it abnormal when same occurs outside home. There is spill over effect of gendered division of labour in family and public life. Women are under dual burden i.e. domestic and professional. Economic subordination results into social discrimination. Kate Millett in Sexual Politics (1970) portrays patriarchy as a ‘social constant’ running through all political, social and economic structures and grounded in a process of conditioning that operates largely through the family i.e ‘patriarchy’s chief institution’ The relationship between the sexes was based on power and further sustained by an ideology. It was similar to the relationship between classes and races. Hence, it should be treated as political relationship. Modern feminists insist that ‘the personal is the political’. The goal of liberation means a reexamination of traditional family roles and a redistribution of domestic and child-rearing responsibilities. Radical feminists may require the outright abolition of the family and a wholesale social revolution.

Question of the day: 23rd June 2026 Explain how the slogan ‘the personal is political’ addresses the issue of women’s oppression and discrimination? (15M)

The major mistake that students would do in this question is read parliamentary democracy in literal terms. But the question is deeper. It is debate of whether fascism and it's contradictory approach towards values of liberalism and its form of liberal democracy. You have to show this contest and link with present circumstances. Because fascist tendencies have taken shape in liberal democracies also today.