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Difficulty: MediumAdvances in Technology and Exchange

"For a nation like India, nuclear energy is not a luxury; it is a necessity. If we are to achieve rapid economic development and overcome the poverty of our people, we cannot rely solely on traditional sources of power. By embracing atomic energy, we are bridging the scientific and technological gap that has historically separated us from industrialized nations. This power station is a symbol of our determination to utilize modern science for peaceful development, agricultural improvement, and industrial growth."

—Adapted from a speech by Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the dedication of the Tarapur Atomic Power Station, 1969

Which of the following historical processes in the late twentieth century is best illustrated by the passage?

  1. A
    The introduction of commercial nuclear power as the primary driver of the Second Industrial Revolution.
  2. B
    The rise of global environmentalist movements that successfully replaced fossil fuels with sustainable agricultural practices from the Green Revolution.
  3. The adoption of new energy technologies by developing states to foster economic development and narrow the gap with industrialized nations.Answer
  4. D
    The complete homogenization of global economic policies and cultural values through standardized energy infrastructure.

Answer

The correct answer is the option stating that developing states adopted new energy technologies to foster economic development and narrow the gap with industrialized nations.
The correct answer is correct because the speech by Indira Gandhi highlights India's deliberate choice to adopt nuclear power to build its domestic infrastructure, promote industrial and agricultural development, and catch up with industrialized nations. This reflects a broader global pattern in the late twentieth century where developing countries sought advanced energy technologies to bolster their economic independence and development.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document.
The document is a speech from 1969 by India's Prime Prime Minister arguing that atomic energy is necessary for India's economic development, industrialization, and to close the technological gap with industrialized countries.
This establishes that the core theme of the passage is the developmental use of nuclear energy in a non-Western country.
2
Link the document to Unit 9 topics on technology and exchange.
Unit 9 covers how new energy technologies (like nuclear power and petroleum) spread globally and transformed societies and economies in the late twentieth century.
This helps contextualize the adoption of nuclear power within global technological and economic developments.
3
Evaluate the options against the stimulus and historical context.
The option referring to the adoption of new energy technologies by developing states to foster economic growth matches the message of the speech, while the other options mischaracterize the Green Revolution, confuse the timeline of the Second Industrial Revolution, or exaggerate the level of global cultural homogenization.
This isolates the correct choice by identifying historical inaccuracies in the distractors.

Key Concept

The global spread and adoption of new energy technologies (such as nuclear power) after 1900 to support economic development and modernization in developing states.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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