STANDARD X Chapter - 6
POLITICAL PARTIES
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Q1. Why do we need many political parties?
• Political parties are the most visible institutions in a democracy.
• Parties have become identified with social and political divisions.
• For ordinary citizens democracy is equal to political parties.
• Parties have become identified with social and political divisions.
• Political parties contest elections.
• They put forward different policies and programmes.
• They play decisive role in making laws for the country and form and run government.
• The parties that lose elections form opposition and form public opinion.
• Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by governments.
Q2. Give the broader meaning of political parties and their functions.
Meaning:
• Political party is a group of people who come to contest elections and hold power in the government.
• Parties reflect fundamental political divisions in a society. Parties are a part of the society and thus involve partisanship.
• A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.
• They agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promote the collective good.
Functions:
• Parties contest elections.
• Parties put forward different policies and programmes and the voters chooses from them.
• Parties play a decisive role in making laws for a country.
• Parties form and run governments.
• Losing parties play the role of opposition.
• Parties shape public opinion.
• Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare scheme.
Q3. What are the 3 components of political parties?
The leaders, the active members and the followers.
Q4. What is the major difference in selecting candidates in USA and India?
USA: The members and supporters of a party choose its candidates.
India: Top party leaders choose candidates for contesting elections.
Q5. What kind of policies can the political parties formulate?
A government is expected to base its policies on the line taken by the ruling party.
Q6. How do political parties form and run government?
Parties recruit leaders, train them and then make them ministers to run the government in the way they want.
Q7. Describe the role of opposition parties.
• Those parties that lose in the elections play the role of opposition to the parties in power.
• They voice different views and criticize government for its failures or wrong policies.
• They also mobilize opposition to the government.
Q8. How do political parties form public opinion?
• Political parties rise and highlight issues.
• Parties some times launch movements for the resolution of problems faced by the people.
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Q9. How many parties do we have in India?
• More than 750 parties are registered with the Election Commission of India.
• But only a handful of parties are effective in the race to win elections and form the government.
Q10. Which system of political parties is better option for its people and country?
Single party system: The country that has only one political party is called single party system. But this is not a democratic option.
Double party system: Some countries like USA has two party systems. Power usually changes between the 2 parties. But the people’s choice become limited.
Multi party system: In a country like India there are so many political parties and they make manifestos, form public opinions. These parties give a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in alliance with others. This kind of system is called multiparty system.
Q11. What is coalition of political parties or what do you mean by alliance or front in multiparty
system?
When several parties in a multiparty system join hand for the purpose of contesting elections and winning power. It is called as a alliance or front.
Q12. Why do we have multiparty system in India?
India has evolved a multiparty system because the social and geographical diversity is too large that it can not be easily absorbed by two or even three parties.
Q13. Discuss the crisis faced by the political parties.
• Political parties do not enjoy much trust among the people in south Asia.
• Political parties are one of the least trusted institutions all over the world.
• The number of political members have increased steadily decreasing the quality.
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Q14. Mention 2 kinds of political parties in India and also name any three political parties of each kind.
In India we have 2 kinds of political parties.
1. National party and 2. Regional party
Major national parties are: (i) Indian National Congress (INC), (ii) Bharatiya Janta Party, (iii) Bahujan Samajwadi party (BSP)
Major regional or state parties are : (i) Akali Dal in Punjab, (ii) Telugu Desam in Andhra Pradesh, (iii) Asom Gana Parishad in Assam.
Q15. How is a political party recognized as a National party? Explain in 3 points.
• Every political party is recognized and registered with election commission.
• Then these parties get a unique symbol.
• A party that secures 6 percent of total votes in Lok Sabha elections or Assembly elections in four states and wins at least 4 seats in the Lok Sabha is recognised as a national party.
Q16. When is a political party recognized as state party?
A party that secures at least 6 percent of total votes polled in an election to the Vidhan Sabha of a state and wins at least two seats in the Legislative Assembly is recognised as a state party.
Q17. Explain 4 challenges to political parties.
a. Lack of internal democracy: There is a tendency to concentrate power in one or a few leaders at the top parties. They do not hold organizational elections at regular intervals. In modern democracies personal loyalty to the leader has become more important than loyalty to the party.
b. Dynastic successions: Leaders at the top positions favour people close to them or their family members. This is not good for democracy since sons and daughters of the leaders occupy positions of power without any experience.
c. Growing role of money and muscle power: Most of the parties are focused only on winning elections. In some cases parties even support criminals who can win elections.
d. Lack of meaningful choice to voters: In modern democracies, the parties do not offer meaningful choice to voters. In our country the differences among all the major parties on the economic policies have reduced. Under these circumstances voters have no meaningful choice.
Q18. Mention any 4 characteristics that define parties.
• Parties aim to exercise government power by winning political power.
• Parties are organized bodies with a formal membership.
• Parties focus on major areas of government policies.
• The parties are united by a general ideological identity.
{Note: State parties are commonly known as Regional Parties. Some parties like Samajwadi party, Samata party etc.. have national level political organization with units in several states. Some of the state parties like National conference Biju Janata Dal and Shiromani Akali Dal are active in only one state.}
Q19. How do state parties help in strengthening federalism?
The rise of state parties have made the Parliament of India politically more diverse. No national party is able to get majority in Lok Sabha. As a result national parties are under compulsion to form an alliance with state parties. Thus state parties have got an opportunity to be a part of Union government. This has contributed to the strengthening of federalism and democracy in our country.
Q20. Suggest any 4 measures to reform political parties.
1. The political parties need to be reformed. Elected representatives in order to become ministers or for profit indulge in defection therefore constitution should amend laws to prevent MLAs and MPs from malpractice and changing parties.
2. The elections should be state funded. The Government should give money to parties to support their election expenses.
3. It should be made mandatory for political parties to give a minimum number of tickets to women candidates.
4. All parties should have regular elections and submit income tax returns.
5. Elections on the basis of money and power should not be allowed.
{Note: symbols of political parties}
1. Indian national congress – hand
2. Bahujan samajwadi party - eleplant
3. Bharatiya Janta Party - lotus
4. CPI (M) - hammer, sickle and star.
5. CPI - ear of corn and sickle
6. National Congress party - water
Q21. Write the features of
a. Indian National Congress. (INC)
b. Bharatiya Janata party: (BJP)
c. Bahujan Samajwadi party: (BSP)
d. National Congress party: (NCP)
e. Communist party of India – Marxists (CPI – M)
f. Communist party of India (CPI )
Indian National Congress.
• It is the oldest party in India.
• It was founded in 1885. It has seen many splits.
• It was led by eminent national leaders such as Gopal Krishana Gokhle, Jawahar Lal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose.
• Congress party believes in socialism, secularism and democracy.
• It believes in non – alignment, which means that India should not blindly support any foreign or big power.
• It emerged as the largest single party with 145 members in the Lok Sabha elections held in 2004.
• Hand is the symbol of Indian national congress.
Bharatiya Janata party:
• This party was founded in 1980. It largely consists of erast while Jana sangh members.
• It wants to build a strong and modern India by drawing inspiration from India’s ancient cultural values.
• It wants full territorial and political integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India.
• It wants a common civil code for all people irrespective of religion and a ban on religious conversions.
• It came to power in 1998 as the leader of National Democratic Alliance.
• It advocates freedom of press and autonomy for radio and Doordarshan.
• Lotus is the election symbol of Bhartiya Janata Party.
Bahujan Samajwadi party:
• This party was founded in 1984. Under the leadership of late Sri Kanshi Ram.
• It seeks to secure power for the Bahujan Samaj which includes the dalits, adivasis OBCs and other religious minorities.
• It seeks the welfare of the dalits and other oppressed classes.
• It draws inspirations from the teachings of Sahu Maharaj, Mahatma phule and Baba sahib Ambedkar.
• It has its main base in Uttar Pradesh.
• It also has substantial presence in the states of Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, uttarakhand and Delhi.
• In the Lok Sabha elections held in 2004, it secured 19 seats.
• Elephant is the election symbol of BSP.
National Congress party:
• This patty was formed in 1999.
• The main policies are based on democracy, Gandhian secularism, equality, social justice and federalism.
• It wants that high offices in government be confined only to naturally born citizens of India. It is a major party in Maharashtra.
• It also has a significant presence in Assam, Meghalaya and Manipur.
• Its main leader is Sharad Pawar.
• Since 2004 it is a member of the United Progressive Alliance in the union government.
• Clock is its election symbol.
Communist party of India – Marxists (CPI – M):
• It was formed in 1964 as a result of split in Communist Party of India.
• It believes in Marxism and Leninism.
• It supports socialism, secularism and Democracy
• It is opposed to imperialism and communalism.
• It accepts democratic elections as it is a helpul means for securing its objective of socio economic justice in the country.
• It is opposed to the liberal policies that allow free flow of foreign capital and goods into India.
• In the 2004 elections to Lok Sabha it won 43 seats.
• Currently it is supporting the UPA government from outside.
• Hammer and star is its election symbol.
Communist party of India (CPI)
• It was founded in 1925.
• Like CPI – M it also believes in Marxism and Leninism.
• It supports secularism and democracy.
• It is opposed to the forces of imperialism and communalism.
• It accepts Parliamentary system as means of promoting the interests of the workers, peasants and weaker sections of society.
• It is in favour of right to work, social security and promotion of heavy industry.
• ‘sickle and ears of corn is its election symbol.
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