Question
See the cartoon given below and answer the questions that follow:
(i) How do the big powers react when new countries claim nuclear status ?
(ii) On what basis can we say that some countries can be trusted with nuclear weapons while others can’t be ?
Solution
(i)The reaction of big powers are violent way because new countries with nuclear weapons may threaten their supremacy in the world politics. They try to pressurise them in one way or the other. For example, when India conducted nuclear test in 1974 and then in 1998 that was followed by Pakistan, the international community was extremely critical of the tests in the subcontinent and sanctions were imposed on both India and Pakistan.
(ii) Countries with nuclear weapons can be trusted if it declares usage of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, while the countries which builds nuclear arsenal can not be trusted.
