Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Irredentism
GS2
"The political policy or movement aimed at reclaiming and incorporating into one country territories inhabited by peopl..."
Definition
The political policy or movement aimed at reclaiming and incorporating into one country territories inhabited by people of the same ethnicity or nationality but under foreign rule.
⭐ Significance for UPSC
Use in GS2 International Relations answers when discussing territorial disputes involving China (Tibet, Taiwan, South China Sea), Pakistan (PoK claims), or historical European conflicts. Essential for understanding the ideological basis of aggressive foreign policies.
Example / Context
China's irredentist claims over Taiwan, the South China Sea, and Aksai Chin are rooted in its 'century of humiliation' narrative and the Communist Party's conception of historical territorial rights.
Mains GS Relevance
GS Paper 2
Polity, Governance, IR, Social Justice
Subject