Question

What do you mean by social division?

Hint:

Use the pair: {overlapping divisions = high conflict risk}; {cross-cutting divisions = easier accommodation}.

Answer 1

Every society contains many identities. When people identify more with one group than another, society gets divided into segments—caste hierarchies, religious communities, linguistic regions, rural–urban classes, and gender lines. These differences influence access to power and resources. Divisions may be overlapping (e.g., same group also poor) or cross-cutting (members spread across classes), producing different political effects. Democratic politics seeks to manage diversity by constitutional rights, affirmative action, federalism and power-sharing. Parties, movements and civil society transform differences into demands that can be negotiated. Thus social division is not inherently harmful; it turns dangerous only when politicised with exclusion or hatred.