NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science (Civics – Social and Political Life – III)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 8 Social Science (Civics – Social and Political Life – III) Chapter – 10 (Law and Social Justice) has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Civics (Social and Political Life – III)
- Chapter – 1 — The Indian Constitution
- Chapter – 2 — Understanding Secularism
- Chapter – 3 — Why Do We Need A Parliament?
- Chapter – 4 — Understanding Laws
- Chapter – 5 — Judiciary
- Chapter – 6 — Understanding Our Criminal Justice System
- Chapter – 7 — Understanding Marginalisation
- Chapter – 8 — Confronting Marginalisation
- Chapter – 9 — Public Facilities
Chapter – 10 (Law and Social Justice)
1. Talk to two workers (For example, construction workers, farm workers, factory workers, workers at any shop) to find out if they are receiving the minimum wages laid down by law.
Answer –
- Farm workers are not getting minimum wages in villages.
- Women workers are not getting equal wages as that of the men which is not permitted by law.
2. What are the advantages to foreign companies in setting up production in India?
Answer – The advantages of foreign companies in setting up production in India are:
- Foreign companies get cheap labour. Wages that the companies pay to workers in the USA are far higher than what they have to pay to workers in India.
- Additional expenses such as for housing facilities for workers are also cheaper.
- Lower working conditions including lower safety measures are used as ways of cutting costs.
Thus, companies can save costs and earn high profits.
3. Do you think the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy got justice? Discuss.
Answer – No, the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy did not get justice. After 24 years, people are still fighting for justice for safe drinking water, for healthcare facilities, and jobs for the people poisoned by UC. Anderson, the UC chairman, who faces criminal charges, is not yet put behind the bars.
4. What do we mean when we speak of law enforcement? Who is responsible for enforcement? Why is enforcement so important?
Answer – Law enforcement implies the government’s responsibility as lawmaker and enforcer, to ensure obedience to its laws by everyone within the State that it governs. It is the responsibility of the government to ascertain that laws are not violated by anyone. Enforcement is important to maintain the democratic status of India; if foreign companies are allowed to maintain low working conditions, then this interferes with the Fundamental Right of the Right to Life, of a worker. Hence, enforcement is necessary to protect the people.
5. How can laws ensure that markets work in a manner that is fair? Give two examples to support your answer.
Answer – Laws can ensure that markets work in a fair manner. The frequently upgraded Minimum Wages Law ensures that workers are not exploited and over-worked by companies that hire them. Also, a law keeping checks on the quality of production makes sure that sub-standard goods do not enter the market.
6. Imagine yourself to be a worker working in a chemical factory, which has received orders from the government to move to a different site 100 kms away from the present location. Write about how your life would change? Read out your responses in the classroom.
Answer – I will have to adjust in the new environment. I will get admission in a new school where new friends and new teachers will come in contact with me. It may take much time to me to adjust in the new school because I am a little but introvert. I don’t like changes or shifting. This will definitely adversely affect my studies. But as there will be no alternatives, I will have to face the situation.
7. Write a paragraph on the various roles of the government that you have read about in this unit.
Answer – The government plays the following roles:
- Providing public facilities like healthcare, sanitation and water supply and ensures that these are not overtaken by the private enterprises.
- Enforcing law against child labour.
- Fixing minimum wages for workers and revising it from time to time.
- Enforcing laws regarding safety at the workplace.
- Enforcing laws regarding the safety of environment.
- Protecting the interests of consumers against overpricing and standard products.
- Punishing organisations who do not follow policies to protect the environment against pollution.
8. What are the sources of environmental pollution in your area? Discuss with respect to (a) air; (b) water and (c) soil. What are the steps being taken to reduce pollution? Can you suggest some other measures?
Answer – Causes of Pollution in our Area:
(a) Air pollution – Vehicles, thermal power station.
(b) Water pollution – Dry latrines, severe age water, water drawing industries, tanneries.
(c) Soil – Industrial effluents and ash of the thermal power station.
Steps being taken to reduce the pollution:
- Appropriate measures need to be taken by countries/regions of the world to stop misuse or overuse of resources.
- Corrective steps to improve the quality of degraded resources must be taken for the treatment of Sewage.
- Banning the use of certain dangerous pesticides like D.D.T.
- Safe disposal of wastes and garbage.
Other Measures:
- Check harmful emissions from automobiles, industries.
- Limiting the use of non-renewable resources.
9. How was environment treated earlier? What has been the change in perception? Discuss.
Answer – Earlier, the environment was treated with more respect and an effort was made to keep it clean and healthy. Nowadays, with the advent of globalization, we pay little or no attention to the environment we live in. In earlier times, life was less fast-paced and our ancestors and predecessors respected nature and the earth as life-giving entities. Factories, vehicles and pollution-causing things were lesser in number but today, with growing demand and technology we have ruined nature and its aspects. This has had a telling result on the environment, global warming being one of the most alarming consequences of the same. Hence, there is a need to sit up and take notice of the changes in the environment and implement modes to correct our wrongs before it gets too late.
