BharatNotes Fragmentation
nounUsage in a UPSC answer
The fragmentation of forest cover by linear infrastructure projects severs wildlife corridors and erodes ecological resilience, underscoring why environmental clearances must weigh cumulative landscape-level impacts rather than appraising each project in isolation.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
fragment (n/v), fragmentary (adj), fragmented (adj), fragmentise (v), fragmentary (adj)
Root
Latin fragmentum = a piece broken off; frangere = to break + -ation = process
Etymology
From fragment (from Latin fragmentum, from frangere, "to break") plus the suffix -ation (indicating a process); the noun form entered English in 1842.
Memory Hook
Think of a "fragment" of a shattered plate: FRAG- shares its root with frangere, "to break" (as in a "fragile" object or a "frangible" shell) — fragmentation is the breaking of a whole into many small fragments.
How This Word Works in UPSC Writing
The breaking of a unified polity into competing units. Applied to the eighteenth century the word needs qualification, because what emerged were of two distinct kinds. Successor states such as Hyderabad, Bengal and Awadh were founded by Mughal governors who never formally repudiated imperial authority, continued to strike coin and read the khutba in the emperor's name, and reproduced Mughal administrative forms, so they represent devolution rather than rebellion. Independent states such as the Marathas, the Sikhs, the Jats and Mysore arose in opposition to Mughal power and owed it nothing. Recognising this division is what allows the standard argument that the eighteenth century was less a dark age of anarchy than a period in which several regional economies and administrations grew stronger even as the centre weakened.
Don’t Confuse It With
Successor states such as Hyderabad, Bengal and Awadh broke away from Mughal control while retaining Mughal forms and nominal allegiance, whereas independent states such as the Maratha confederacy and the Sikh polity arose in opposition to it. Devolution is the transfer of authority downward within a structure, while secession is departure from it. Balkanisation implies fragmentation into weak and mutually hostile units, which is precisely the characterisation of eighteenth-century India that recent historiography disputes.
Hindi Meaning
विखंडन (vikhandan); उत्तरवर्ती राज्य for successor states.
Common Questions
- What is the difference between successor states and independent states?
- Successor states such as Bengal and Awadh were founded by Mughal governors who kept imperial forms and nominal allegiance, while independent states such as the Maratha and Sikh polities arose in opposition to Mughal authority.
- Was the eighteenth century a period of decline everywhere?
- Not necessarily. Several regional economies and administrations strengthened even as central authority weakened, which is why historians now describe the period as a reconfiguration of power rather than simple anarchy.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Prelims 2012 — Biodiversity
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Fragmentation” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
Tip: press Alt+S to hear pronunciation
