The crisis of Maasai pastoralists was not only a conflict between community and state but also what?

A crisis of environment, resources and social inequality

The difficulties faced by Maasai pastoralists had several connected causes. Restrictions on land and movement reduced access to resources, while drought and environmental change made pasture and water less reliable. At the same time, unequal ownership, unequal access to authority, and different effects on rich and poor families shaped people’s ability to cope. The crisis therefore cannot be explained only as a simple dispute between the community and the state.

Option A is correct because it combines environmental pressure, competition over resources, and social inequality. Options B, C, and D concern unrelated subjects and do not explain pastoralist change. A complete historical explanation looks at land, power, nature, livelihood, and differences within the community together rather than treating one cause as sufficient.

This is a Class 9 History question. Chapter: Pastoralists in the Modern World. Topic: Pastoralism in Africa.