Notes And Questions For NCERT Class 10 Social Science Political Parties

Students can refer to Notes And Questions For NCERT Class 10 Social Science Political Parties below designed as per the latest syllabus and examination patter for CBSE Class 10 Social Science

Facts that Matter

1. A political party is a group of people who aim to attain power in the government through the elections. In other words, it is a group of people holding some policies and programmes, who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.

2. Political parties reflect fundamental political divisions in a society. Parties are a part of the society and involve partnership.

3. A political party has three components: the leader, the active members and the followers.

4. Political parties perform a series of functions, such as, contesting elections, putting forward different policies and programmes, making laws for the country, forming and running government.

5. Modern democracies cannot exist without political parties. In case there are no political parties every candidate in the elections will be independent and no leader will be able to make any promise to the people about any major policy change.

6. The emergence of political parties is linked to the emergence of representative democracies. Large societies need representative democracy. As societies became large and complex they also needed some agencies to gather different views on various issues and to present these to the government. They needed some ways to bring various representatives together so that a responsible government could be formed. They needed a mechanism to support or restrain the government, make policies, justify or oppose them. Political parties fulfill these needs that every representative government has. This is how political parties came into existence. Hence, we can say that parties are a necessary condition for a democracy.

7. Now the question arises how many major or effective parties are good for a democratic country. In some countries only one party is allowed to control and run the government. These are called one party systems. For example, in China, only the Communist Party is allowed to rule. In some countries power usually changes between two major parties. Such a party system is called two party system. The United States of America and the United Kingdom are examples of two-party system.

8. If several parties compete for power, more than two parties have a reasonable chance of winning and coming to power either on their own or through an alliance with others. This is called multi-party system. For example–India.

9. When several parties join hands for the purpose of contesting elections or winning power, it is called an alliance or a front. NDA—National Democratic Alliance, UPA-United Progressive Alliance and the Left Front were three major alliances in 2004 parliamentary elections in India.

10. Each country develops a party system that is conditioned by its special circumstances. For example, if India has evolved a multi-party system, it is because the social and geographical diversity in such a vast country is not easily absorbed by two or three parties.

11. National Political Parties are country-wide parties. These parties have their units in various states. These units follow the same policies, programmes and strategy that is decided at the national level. For example, Indian National Congress (INC).

12. State Political Parties like Samajwadi Party, Samta Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal have national political organisation with units in several states. Some of these parties like Biju Janata Dal, Sikkim Democratic Front and Mizo National Front are conscious about their state identity.

13. Over the last three decades the strength of state parties has expanded. No national party is able to secure on its own a majority in the Lok Sabha. As a result, national parties are compelled to form alliances with state parties.

14. Political parties in our country are facing several challenges, such as lack of internal democracy within parties etc.

15. In order to face these challenges, political parties need to be reformed. Some of the recent efforts and suggestions in our country to reform political parties and its leaders are:
— The Constitution was amended to prevent elected MLAs and MPs from changing parties. This was done because many elected representatives were indulging in defections in order to become ministers or for cash rewards. Now the law says that if any MLA or MP changes parties, he or she will lose the seat in the legislature. The new law has brought defection down and has made dissent even more difficult.
— The Supreme Court passed an order to reduce the influence of money and criminals. Now it is mandatory for every candidate who conducts elections to file an affidavit giving details of his property and criminal cases pending against him. The new system has made a lot of information available to the public.
— The Election Commission passed an order making it necessary for the political parties to hold their elections and file their income tax returns.

Words that Matter

1. Political party: A group of people with similar policies and programmes, who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.
2. Partisan: A person who is strongly committed to any party, group or factor.
3. Ruling Party: A political party that runs government.
4. One-party system: In some countries only one party is allowed to control and run the government. These are called one-party systems.
5. Two-party system: In some countries power usually changes between two major parties.
6. Multi-party system: If several parties compete for power, more than two parties have a reasonable chance of winning and coming to power either on their own or through an alliance with others.
7. Alliance/front: When several parties join hands for the purpose of contesting elections or winning power.
8. Regional party: A party that secures at least 6% of the total votes in an election to the Legislative Assembly of a state and wins at least 2 seats is recognised as a regional party/state party.
9. National party: Those parties which are country-wide parties are called national parties.
10. Defection: Moving of a person from one party to another party for some personal benefit.
11. Affidavit: An affidavit is a signed document submitted to an officer, where a person makes a sworn statement regarding his/her personal information.

NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

Question 1. State the various functions political parties perform in a democracy.
                            Or
Describe any five major functions of political parties.
Ans. Political parties perform the following functions in a democracy:
(i) Parties contest elections: In most of democratic countries, elections are fought mainly among the candidates put up by the political parties. Parties select their candidates in different ways. In India, top party leaders choose candidates for contesting elections.
(ii) Parties put forward different policies and programmes: Each one of us may have different opinions and views on what policies are suitable for the society. In democracy large number of similar opinions has to be grouped together to provide a direction in which policies can be formulated by the government. This is what the parties do. A party reduces a vast multitude of opinions into a few basic positions which it supports. The government is expected to base its policies on the line taken by the ruling party.
(iii) Parties make laws for the country: Those different views and criticise government for its failures or wrong policies. Opposition parties also mobilise opposition to the government.
(vi) Parties shape public opinion: They shape public opinion by raising and highlighting issues. They do these through pressure groups, which are the extensions of political parties and also launch movements for resolutions of problems faced by the people.
(vii) Parties provide people access to government welfare schemes: For an ordinary citizen it is easier to approach a local party leader than a government officer. They feel close to party even if they do not fully trust them. Even parties have to be responsive to the people’s needs and demands otherwise people can reject parties in the next elections.

Question 2. What are the various challenges faced by political parties?
Ans. The political parties face the following challenges.
(i) Lack of internal democracy within parties: There is a tendency in political parties towards concentration of power in one or a few leaders at the top. Parties do not keep membership registers, do not hold organisational meetings and conduct internal elections regularly. Ordinary members do not get sufficient information on what happens inside the party. Leaders make maximum decisions in the name of party.
(ii) Dynastic succession: Very few ordinary workers get chance to rise to the top in the party as parties do not practice open and transparent procedures. In many parties top positions are always controlled by members of one family. This is unfair to others and bad for democracy.
(iii) Growing role of money and muscle power: Since parties are focused only on winning elections, they tend to use short-cuts to win elections. They tend to nominate candidates, who have or can raise money. Rich people and companies who give funds to the parties tend to have influence on the policy decisions of the parties. In some cases, parties support criminals who can win elections.
(iv) Parties do not seem to offer a meaningful choice to the voters: In the recent years there has been a decline in the ideological differences among parties in most parts of the world. So people have no choices. Sometimes people cannot even elect very different leaders either, because the same set of leaders keeps shifting from one party to another.

Question 3. Suggest some reforms to strengthen parties so that they perform their functions well.
Ans. Some reforms which can strengthen political parties are:
(i) A law should be established to regulate the internal affairs of parties, thereby making them more transparent.
(ii) It should be made compulsory for political parties to maintain a register of its members, to follow its own constitution, to have an independent authority, to act as a judge in case of disputes, to hold open elections in case of disputes.
(iii) It should be made mandatory for the political parties to give a minimum number of tickets, about one-third, to women candidates.
(iv) The state should fund election campaigns, thereby eliminating lobbying groups and unfair competition. The government should give parties money to support their election expenses such as petrol, paper, telephone etc. or it could be given in cash on the basis of votes secured by a party in the last elections.
(v) People can put pressure on political parties and this can be done through petitions, publicity and agitations. Ordinary citizens, pressure groups and movements and media can play an important role in this. If political parties feel that they would lose public support by not taking up reforms they will become more serious about reforms.
The quality of democracy depends upon the degree of participation. It is difficult to reform politics if ordinary citizens do not take part in politics and simply criticise it from outside.

Question 4. What is a political party?
Ans. A political party is a group of people who aim to attain power in the government through the elections. In other words, it is a group of people with similar policies and programmes, who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government. Political parties have their own ideology and vision for the society. They formulate various policies and programmes for the society. They work for the collective public interest. They agree on some programmes and policies for the society with a view to promote collective good.

Question 5. What are the characteristics of a political party?
Ans. Characteristics of a political party are:
(i) Every party has a certain structure. The group of people is organised in a proper way. Every member is aware of his role and responsibilities in the party.
(ii) All the members agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promote the collective good. They seek to implement these policies by winning popular support through elections.
(iii) Political parties reflect fundamental political divisions in a society. Parties are about a part of the society and thus involve partnership.

Question 6. A group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government is called a ……… .
Ans. political party.

Question 7. Match List I (organisations and struggles) with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:

Ans. (c) C A D B

Question 8. Who among the following is the founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party?
A. Kanshi Ram
B. Sahu Maharaj
C. B.R. Ambedkar
D. Jotiba Phule
Ans. A. Kanshi Ram.

Question 9. What is the guiding philosophy of the Bharatiya Janata Party?
A. Bahujan Samaj
B. Revolutionary democracy
C. Integral humanism
D. Modernity
Ans. D. Modernity.

Quesrion 10. Consider the following statements on parties.
A. Political parties do not enjoy much trust among the people.
B. Parties are often rocked by scandals involving top party leaders.
C. Parties are not necessary to run governments.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) A, B and C
(b) A and B
(c) B and C
(d) A and B
Ans. (b) A and B.

Question 11. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below:

Muhammad Yunus is a famous economist of Bangladesh. He received several international honours for his efforts to promote economic and social development for the benefit of the poor. He and the Grameen Bank he started, jointly received the Noble Peace Prize for 2006. In February 2007, he decided to launch a political party and contest in the parliamentary elections. His objective was to foster proper leadership, good governance and build a new Bangladesh. He felt that only a political party different from the traditional ones would bring about new political culture. His party would be democratic from the grassroots level. The launching of the new party, called Nagarik Shakti (Citizens’ Power), has caused a stir among the Bangladeshis. While many welcomed his decisions, some did not like it. “Now I think Bangladesh will have a chance to choose between good and bad and eventually have a good government,” said Shahedul Islam, a government official. “That government, we hope, would not only keep itself away from corruption but also make fighting corruption and black money a top priority.” But leaders of traditional political parties who dominated the country’s politics for decades were apprehensive. “There was no debate (over him) winning the Nobel, but politics is different—very challenging and often controversial,” said a senior leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Some others were highly critical. They asked why he was rushing into politics. “Is he being planted in politics by mentors from outside the country,” asked one political observer.

Do you think Yunus made a right decision to float a new political party?
Do you agree with the statements and fears expressed by various people? How do you want this new party organised to make it different from other parties? If you were the one to begin this political party how would you defend it?
Ans. Yunus made a right decision to launch a political party and contest in the parliamentary elections. It’s a human tendency when a competitor comes in front of anybody, people look for excuses to quit the person out of the field. When there are more than one parties in the country people have a choice to make between good and bad. The new party should promote proper leadership, good governance and should be capable of bringing about new healthy political culture. Last but not least it should be democratic from the grassroots level.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
Choose the correct option:

1. The Indian National Congress was founded in the year
(a) 1800
(b) 1890
(c) 1899
(d) 1885

2. The opposition party is ……… .
(a) the party that loses the election and does not form the government
(b) the party that wins the election and forms the government.
(c) the party that opposes the ruling party
(d) the party that does not contest election

3. What does defection mean?
(a) Leaving all the parties
(b) Moving of a person from one party to another party for some personal benefit
(c) Moving of a person from opposition party to ruling party
(d) Moving of a person from ruling party to opposition party

4. How many parties are registered with the Election Commission in India?
(a) More than 750 parties
(b) Less than 750 parties
(c) More than 800 parties
(d) Less than 750 parties

5. Which is the most visible institution of democracy?
(a) Elections
(b) Political parties
(c) Adult Franchise
(d) Seats reservation

6. Which political party supports the concept of Hindutva?
(a) Communist Party of India (Marxist)
(b) Congress Party
(c) Bharatiya Janata Party
(d) Telugu Desam party

7. One of the following countries has single-party system ……… .
(a) India
(b) The United Kingdom
(c) The United States of America
(d) China

8. A political party is composed of ……… .
(a) leaders
(b) active members
(c) followers
(d) all of the above

9. The institution that banned wall writing by parties during elections is ……… .
(a) The Election Commission
(b) The Judiciary
(c) The Parliament
(d) The Press

10. Which one of the following regional parties is associated with West Bengal?
(a) Lok Jan Shakti Party
(b) Janata Dal
(c) Forward Bloc
(d) Democratic Front

11. The symbol of Bahujan Samaj Party is ……… .
(a) Hand
(b) Elephant
(c) Bicycle
(d) Hand

12. One of the following political parties is a state party ……… .
(a) Bharatiya Janata Party
(b) Nationalist Congress Party
(c) Samata Party
(d) Bahujan Samaj Party

13. One of the following political parties is a national party ……… .
(a) Bharatiya Janata Party
(b) Samata Party
(c) Samajwadi Party
(d) Rashtriya Janata Dal

II. VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1. If all the decision of a political party are made by a single family and all other members are neglected, than what challenge is being faced by that party?
Ans. That political party will face the challenge of lack of internal democracy within parties.

Question 2. What is political party?
Ans. 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.

Question 3. What is partisanship?
Ans. Partisanship is marked by a tendency to take a side and inability to take a balanced view on an issue.

Question 4. Name the three components of a political party.
Ans. (i) Leaders
(ii) Active members
(iii) Followers

Question 5. What is expected form a government?
Ans. A government is expected to base its policies on the line taken by the ruling party.

Question 6. Mention any two functions of a political party.
Ans. (i) It contests elections.
(ii) It puts forward different policies and programmes and the voters choose from then.

Question 7. Why do parties sometimes launch movements?
Ans. Parties sometimes launch movements for the resolution of problems faced by people.

Question 8. Under which do people usually reject some particular parties in the next elections?
Ans. People usually reject some particular parties in the next elections if they (parties) are not responsive to their (people’s) needs and demands.

Question 9. How are political parties viewed in a democracy?
Ans. Political parties are a necessary condition for a democracy.

Question 10. How many parties are registered with the Election Commission of India?
Ans. More than 750 parties are registered with the Election Commission of India.

Question 11. Which party is allowed to rule in China?
Ans. The communist party is allowed to rule in China.

Question 12. Although people in China are legally free to form political parties, it does not happen. Why?
Ans. It is because the electoral system does not permit free competition for power.

Question 13. Why is one party system not considered a good option?
Ans. One party system is not considered a good option because this is not a democratic option.

Question 14. Why do we need at least two parties in a democratic system?
Ans. It gives a fair chance to the two parties to compete in elections to come to power.

Question 15. Name the two countries where we see two party system.
Ans. (i) The United States of America
(ii) The United Kingdom

Question 16. How is the government formed in a multi-party system?
Ans. In a multi-party system, the government is formed by various parties coming together in a coalition.

Question 17. What is called an alliance or a front?
Ans. When several parties in a multi-party system join hands for the purpose of contesting elections and winning power it is called an alliance or a front.

Question 18. What is a major drawback of the multi-party system?
Ans. The multi-party system often appears very messy and leads to political instability.

Question 19. India has evolved a multi-party system. What is the reason behind it?
Ans. It is because the social and geographical diversity in such a large country is not easily absorbed by two or even three parties.

Question 20. Democracies that follows a federal system all over the world tend to have two kinds of political parties. Which are they?
Ans. (i) Parties that are present in only one of the federal units.
(ii) Parties that are present in several or all units of the federation.

Question 21. What are called ‘national parties’?
Ans. There are some countrywide parties, which are called national parties. These parties have their units in various states. These units follow the same policies, programmes and strategy that are decided at the national level.

Question 22. What are called ‘recognised political parties’?
Ans. Parties that get some special facilities from the Election Commission are called ‘recognised political parties’.

Question 23. Which party is recognised as a state party?
Ans. A party that secures at least six per cent of the total votes in an election to the Legislative Assembly of a state and wins at least two seats is recognised as a state party.

Question 24. Which party is recognised as a national party?
Ans. A party that secures at least six per cent of the total votes in Lok Sabha elections or Assembly elections in four states and wins at least four seats in the Lok Sabha is recognised as a national party.

Question 25. When was Bahujan Samaj Party formed and under whose leadership?
Ans. Bahujan Samaj Party was formed in 1984 under the leadership of Kansi Ram.

Question 26. Who are personalities from whom BSP draws inspiration?
Ans. BSP draws inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Sahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Periyar Ramaswami Naicker and Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar.

Question 27. What is the principal concern of Bahujan Samaj Party?
Ans. This party’s principal concern is to secure the interest and welfare of the dalits and oppressed people.

Question . What is the chief objective of Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPI-M)?
Ans. The chief objective of CPI–M is to secure socio-economic justice in India.

Question 29. Name the states where one can notice significant presence of Communist Party of India (CPI).
Ans. Kerala, West Bengal, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Question 30. Name any two challenges to political parties?
Ans. (i) Lack of internal democracy
(ii) Growing role of money and muscle power in parties, especially during elections.

Question 31. What will happen if any MLA or MP changes parties?
Ans. He or she will lose the seat in the legislature.

Question 32. What has the supreme court done to reduce the influence of money and criminals in politics?
Ans. The Supreme Court has made it mandatory for every candidate who contests elections to file affidavit giving details of his property and criminal cases pending against him/her.

Question 33. How can people put pressure on political parties?
Ans. They can do this through petitions, publicity and agitations.

Question 34. When is it difficult to reform politics?
Ans. It is difficult to reform politics if ordinary citizens do not take part in it and simply criticise it from the outside.

III. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1. What is a multi-party system? Why has India adopted a multi-party system? Explain.
Ans. If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in alliance with others, we call it a multi-party system.
In India, we have a multi-party system. It is because the social and geographical diversity in such a large country is not easily absorbed by two or even three parties. No system is ideal for all countries and all situations.

Question 2. “Lack of internal democracy within parties is the major challenge to political parties all over the world.” Analyse the statement.
Ans. All over the world there is a tendency in polticial parties towards the concentration of power in one or few leaders at the top. Parties do not keep membership registers, do not hold organisational meetings, and do not conduct internal elections regularly. Ordinary members of the party do not get sufficient information on what happens inside the party. They do not have the means or the concessions needed to influence the decisions. As a result the leaders assume greater power to make decisions in the name of the party. Since one or few leaders exercise paramount power in the party, those who disagree with the leadership find it difficult to continue in the party. More than loyalty to party principles and policies, personal loyalty to the leader becomes more important.

Question 3. “Political parties play a major role in democracy.” Give three viewpoints to justify this statement.
Ans. (i) Political parties reduce a vast multitude of opinions into a few basic positions which it supports. The government is expected to base its policies on the line taken by the ruling party.
(ii) Those parties, that lose the elections, play role of the opposition. They voice different views and criticise government for its failures or wrong policies. Opposition parties also mobilise opposition to the government.
(iii) Political parties shape public opinion by raising and highlighting issues. The political parties put before various problems of the country and try to explain them in an easy way through magazines, booklets and meetings.

Question 4. Write a short note on Indian National Congress (INC).
Ans. Indian National Congress is popularly known as the Congress Party. It is one of the oldest parties of the world. It was founded in 1885. It played an important role in Indian politics at the national and state levels after the independence. Under Nehru the party tried to build a modern secular democratic republic in India. It remained in power till 1977 and then from 1980-1989 but after that its support declined. The party supports secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities. It supports new economic reforms with a human face. It emerged as a single largest party with 145 seats in 2004 elections and is currently leading the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition government at the centre.

Question 5. Differentiate between a national party and a state party.
Ans. Differences between a national party and a regional/state party.

Question 6. What is a multi-party system? Write a note on multi-party system in the context of India.
Ans. If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in an alliance with others, it is known as a multi-party system.
In India, we have a multi-party system. In this system, the government is formed by various parties coming together in a coalition. When several parties in a multiparty system join hands for the purpose of contesting elections and winning power, it is called an alliance or a front. For example, in India there were three such major alliances in 2004 parliamentary elections—the National Democratic Alliance, the United Progressive Alliance and the Left Front.

Question 7. Write a short note on one-party system.
Ans. In some countries only one party is allowed to control and run the government. These are called one party system. For example, China has a single party—Communist Party. One-party system is not a good option because it is not a democratic option. In the countries having one party system, the liberty of the individual is lost because people are deprived of the right of electing representatives. There is one candidate in whose favour all the citizens have to vote. It cannot be called as elections in real sense.

Question 8. Give an assessment of two-party system with examples.
Ans. In some countries power usually changes between two major parties. Several other parties exist, contest elections and win a few seats in the legislature. But only two main parties have a serious chance of winning and forming government. For example, countries like U.K., Canada, England and U.S. follow two-party system. In this type of party system the winning party forms the government and the other party forms the opposition.

Question 9. Give the symbols of all the six national political parties in India.
Ans. Name of National Party                                                             Symbols
         (i) Indian National Congress (INC)                                                Hand
         (ii) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)                                                    Lotus
         (iii) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)                                                     Elephant
         (iv) Communist Party of India–Marxist (CPI–M)                           Hammer, sickle and star
         (v) Communist Party of India (CPI)                                               Ears of corn and sickle
         (vi) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)                                             Clock

Question 10. What do you mean by the term ‘defection’? What measures were adopted to prevent this practice?
Ans. ‘Defection’ in politics means moving of a person from one party to another party for some personal benefit. It means changing party allegiance from the party on which a person got elected to a different party. It happens when a legislature, after having been elected from a particular party leaves it and joins in other party.
Measures adopted to prevent this practice:
(i) The Constitution was amended to prevent elected MLAs and MPs from changing parties. This was done because many elected representatives were indulging in defection, in order to become ministers or for cash rewards.
(ii) Now, the law says that if any MLA or MP changes parties, he or she will lose seat in the legislature.
(iii) The new law has brought defection down and has made dissent even more difficult. Now MLAs and MPs have to accept whatever party leaders say.

Question 11. Why can’t modern democracies exist without political parties? Explain any three reason.
Ans. (i) We cannot think modern democracies without political parties. In case there are no political parties every candidate in the elections will be independent, no one will be able to make any promises to the people about any major policy changes. The government may be formed, but its utility will remain ever uncertain.
(ii) Elected representatives will be accountable to their constituency for what they do in the locality. But, no one will be responsible for how the country will run. Just look at the non-party based elections to the Panchayats in many states. Although, the parties do not contest formally, it is generally noticed that the village gets split into more than one faction, each of which puts up a ‘panel’ of its candidates. This is why we find political parties in almost all countries of the world.
(iii) Political parties agree on policies and programmes to promote collective good and influence people to know why their policy is better than others. They try to implement the policies by winning popular support through elections. They reflect fundamental division in a society.

Question 12. Explain the three steps taken by the different authorities to reform political parties and their leaders in India.
Ans. (i) A law should be established to regulate the internal affairs of parties, thereby making them more transparent.
(ii) It should be made compulsory for political parties to maintain a register of its members, to follow its own constitution, to have an independent authority, to act as a judge in case of disputes, to hold open elections in case of disputes.
(iii) It should be made mandatory for the political parties to give a minimum number of tickets, about one-third, to women candidates.

Question 13. How do state or regional political parties contribute in strengthening federalism and democracy in India? Explain with examples.
Ans. State parties are commonly referred to as regional parties such parties play a significant role in strengthening federalism and democracy in India—
(i) Over the last three decades, the number and strength of these parties has expanded. This made the Parliament of India politically more and more diverse.
(ii) In the present political scenario no one national party is able to secure on its own a majority in the Lok Sabha. In such circumstances, state political parties come forward to join hands with the national resulting in the formation of alliances.
(iii) Since 1996, nearly every one of the state party has got an opportunity to be a part of one or the other national level coalition government. This has contributed to the strengthening of federalism and democracy in our country.

Question 14. “Lack of internal democracy is a challenge to the efficient functioning of India political parties”. Support the statement with examples.
Ans. There is lack of internal democracy within parties since power tends to get concentrated in the hands of one or few leaders at the top.
(i) Ordinary members of the party do not get sufficient information on what happens inside the party. They do not have the means or the connections needed to influence the decisions. As a result, the leaders assume greater power to make decisions in the name of the party.
(ii) Since one or few leaders exercise paramount power in the party, those who disagree with the leadership find it difficult to continue in the party.
(iii) More than loyalty to party principles and policies, personal loyalty to the leaders becomes more important.

Question 15. How do political parties shape the public opinion? Explain with three examples.
Ans. The three ways in which political parties shape the public opinion:
(i) They raise and highlight issues.
(ii) Parties have lakhs of members and activists spread all over the country. Many of the pressure groups are the extensions of political parties among different sections of the society.
(iii) Parties sometimes also launch movements for the resolution of problems faced by people.

Question 16. (i) What is one party or single party system? Give one example.
(ii) What is be party or two party system? Give example.
(iii) What is a multi party system?
Ans. (i) The system in which only one party is allowed to control and run the government is called one-party system. For example, China.
(ii) In some countries, power usually changes between two main parties. Several other parties may exist, contest elections and win a few seats in the national legislatures. But only two main parties have a serious chance of winning majority of seats to form government. Such a party system is called bi-party or two party system. For example, the United States of America, The United Kingdom.
(iii) If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in an alliance with others, it is known as a multi-party system.

Question 17. What is the reason behind the evolution of a multi-party system in India? Give one advantage and one disadvantage of this system.
Ans. India is a large country which is characterised by its social and geographical diversities. These diversions are not easily absorbed by two or even three parties. It is therefore, we have a multi-party system.
One Advantage of Multi Party System
This system allows a variety of interest and opinions to enjoy political representation.
One Disadvantage of Multi Party System
This system appears very messy and leads to political instability.

Question 18. Why do we have a multi-party system in India? What are the advantages of a multi-party system?
Ans. If several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either on their own strength or in an alliance with others, it is known as a multi-party system.
In India, we have a multi-party system. In this system, the government is formed by various parties coming together in a coalition. When several parties in a multiparty system join hands for the purpose of contesting elections and winning power, it is called an alliance or a front. For example, in India there were three such major alliances in 2004 parliamentary elections—the National Democratic Alliance, the United Progressive Alliance and the Left Front.
Advantage of Multi Party System
This system allows a variety of interest and opinions to enjoy political representation.

Question 19. How do political parties help in the formation of public opinion?
Ans. The three ways in which political parties shape the public opinion:
(i) They raise and highlight issues.
(ii) Parties have lakhs of members and activists spread all over the country. Many of the pressure groups are the extensions of political parties among different sections of the society.
(iii) Parties sometimes also launch movements for the resolution of problems faced by people.

Question 20. Name the national political party which draws inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Sahu Maharaj. Mention the features of that party.
Ans. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), formed in 1984 under the leadership of Kanshi Ram, draws inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Sahu Maharaj.
Features of BSP:
(i) It stands for the cause of securing the interests and welfare of the dalits and oppressed people.
(ii) It has its main base in the state of Uttar Pradesh and substantial presence in neighbouring states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Punjab.
(iii) It formed government in Uttar Pradesh several times by taking support of different parties at different times.

Question 21. (i) What is defection?
(ii) Mention the source of inspiration for:
• BJP • Congress • BSP
(iii) Mention one step taken by the supreme court of India in order to reduce the influence of money and criminals in politics.
Ans. (i) Defection is changing party allegiance from the party on which a person got elected (to a legislative body) to a different party.
(ii) • BJP draws inspiration from India’s ancient culture and values.
• Congress draws inspiration from secularism.
• BSP draws inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Sahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Periyar Ramaswami Naicker and Babasaheb, Bhimrao Ambekdar.
(iii) The supreme court of India has made it mandatory for every candidate who contests elections to file affidavit giving details of his property and criminal cases pending against him/her.

III. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1. What is the need of the political parties? How would its absence affect any country?
                              Or
What is the necessity of political parties in a democratic set-up? Explain any four points.
Ans. (i) We cannot think modern democracies without political parties. In case there are no political parties every candidate in the elections will be independent, no one will be able to make any promises to the people about any major policy changes. The government may be formed, but its utility will remain ever uncertain.
(ii) Elected representatives will be accountable to their constituency for what they do in the locality. But, no one will be responsible for how the country will run. Just look at the non-party based elections to the Panchayats in many states. Although, the parties do not contest formally, it is generally noticed that the village gets split into more than one faction, each of which puts up a ‘panel’ of its candidates. This is why we find political parties in almost all countries of the world.
(iii) Political parties agree on policies and programmes to promote collective good and influence people to know why their policy is better than others. They try to implement the policies by winning popular support through elections. They reflect fundamental division in a society.
(iv) The absense of political parties would affect a democracy badly. The interest of all the people would not reach the parliament and therefore some sections of people would remain behind the mainstream. They won’t get all the welfare measures.

Question 2. Write briefly about the six major national parties of India.
Ans. In India we have six national parties:
(a) Indian National Congress (INC): Originally the Congress Party, was founded in 1885. It played an important role in Indian politics at the national and state levels after the independence. Under Nehru the party tried to build a modern secular democratic republic in India. The party supports secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities.
(b) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): Originally the Jansangh, was founded in 1980. The party wants to build a strong and modern India by drawing inspiration from India’s culture and values. Cultural nationalism is its important element. It wants a uniform civil code for all people living in India irrespective of the religion, and bans on religious conversions.
(c) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was formed in 1984, under the leadership of Kanshi Ram. The party seeks to represent and secure the power for Bahujan Samaj which includes dalits, adivasis, OBCs and religious minorities. It draws inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Sahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Periyar Ramaswami Naicker and Babasaheb Ambedkar. It stands for the cause of securing interest and welfare of dalits and oppressed people.
(d) Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) was founded in 1964. The party believes in Marxism and Leninism. It supports socialism, secularism and democracy and opposes imperialism and communalism. It accepts democratic elections as useful means to secure the objective of socio-economic justice in India.
(e) Communist Party of India (CPI) was formed in 1925. The party believes in Marxism and Leninism, secularism and democracy and is opposed to the forces of secessionism and communalism. It accepts parliamentary democracy as the means of promoting the interest of working class, farmers and the poor.
(f ) National Congress Party (NCP) was formed in 1999 following a split in Congress Party. The party supports democracy, Gandhian secularism, equity, social justice and federalism. It wants high offices in the government to be confined to the natural born citizens.

Question 3. What are the major functions of political parties? Explain.
                           Or
“Political parties are necessary for a democracy”. In the light of this statement explain any four functions of the political parties in India.
                           Or
Describe any five functions of political parties.
Ans. Political parties perform the following functions in a democracy:
(i) Parties contest elections: In most of democratic countries, elections are fought mainly among the candidates put up by the political parties. Parties select their candidates in different ways. In India, top party leaders choose candidates for contesting elections.
(ii) Parties put forward different policies and programmes: Each one of us may have different opinions and views on what policies are suitable for the society. In democracy large number of similar opinions has to be grouped together to provide a direction in which policies can be formulated by the government. This is what the parties do. A party reduces a vast multitude of opinions into a few basic positions which it supports. The government is expected to base its policies on the line taken by the ruling party.
(iii) Parties make laws for the country: Those different views and criticise government for its failures or wrong policies. Opposition parties also mobilise opposition to the government.
(vi) Parties shape public opinion: They shape public opinion by raising and highlighting issues. They do these through pressure groups, which are the extensions of political parties and also launch movements for resolutions of problems faced by the people.
(vii) Parties provide people access to government welfare schemes: For an ordinary citizen it is easier to approach a local party leader than a government officer. They feel close to party even if they do not fully trust them. Even parties have to be responsive to the people’s needs and demands otherwise people can reject parties in the next elections.

Question 4. Explain some reforms to strengthen the working of political parties.
                           Or
How can political parties be reformed? Explain.
Ans. Some reforms to strengthen the working of political parties—
(i) The Constitution was amended to prevent elected MLAs and MPs from changing parties. Now, the law syas that if any MLA or MP changes parties, he or she will lose the seat in the legislature. This new law has helped bring defection down. At the same time this has made any dissent even more difficult.
(ii) The Supreme Court of India has made it mandatory for every candidate who contests elections to file an affidavit giving details of his property and criminal case pending against him. The new system has made a lot of information available to the public.
(iii) The Election Commission passed an order making it necessary for political parties to hold their organisational election and file their income tax returns.

Question 5. Why is there a lack of internal democracy within political parties in India? Explain with examples.
                                Or
What are the major challenges which the political parties face in the present era? Explain.
Ans. The political parties face the following challenges.
(i) Lack of internal democracy within parties: There is a tendency in political parties towards concentration of power in one or a few leaders at the top. Parties do not keep membership registers, do not hold organisational meetings and conduct internal elections regularly. Ordinary members do not get sufficient information on what happens inside the party. Leaders make maximum decisions in the name of party.
(ii) Dynastic succession: Very few ordinary workers get chance to rise to the top in the party as parties do not practice open and transparent procedures. In many parties top positions are always controlled by members of one family. This is unfair to others and bad for democracy.
(iii) Growing role of money and muscle power: Since parties are focused only on winning elections, they tend to use short-cuts to win elections. They tend to nominate candidates, who have or can raise money. Rich people and companies who give funds to the parties tend to have influence on the policy decisions of the parties. In some cases, parties support criminals who can win elections.
(iv) Parties do not seem to offer a meaningful choice to the voters: In the recent years there has been a decline in the ideological differences among parties in most parts of the world. So people have no choices. Sometimes people cannot even elect very different leaders either, because the same set of leaders keeps shifting from one party to another.

IV. VALUE BASED QUESTIONS

Question 1. What values are associated with a political party?
Ans. A political party is a group of people with similar policies and programmes, who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.
The values associated with a political party are:
(i) It has a certain structure. The group of people who form a political party is organised in a proper way.
(ii) Every political party works for the collective public interest. Since there can be different views on what is good for all, parties try to persuade people why their policies are better than others.
(iii) Parties reflect fundamental political divisions in a society. They are a part of the society and this involves partisanship.

Question 2. Suggest some ways to reform political parties.
Ans. Some reforms which can strengthen political parties are:
(i) A law should be established to regulate the internal affairs of parties, thereby making them more transparent.
(ii) It should be made compulsory for political parties to maintain a register of its members, to follow its own constitution, to have an independent authority, to act as a judge in case of disputes, to hold open elections in case of disputes.
(iii) It should be made mandatory for the political parties to give a minimum number of tickets, about one-third, to women candidates.
(iv) The state should fund election campaigns, thereby eliminating lobbying groups and unfair competition. The government should give parties money to support their election expenses such as petrol, paper, telephone etc. or it could be given in cash on the basis of votes secured by a party in the last elections.
(v) People can put pressure on political parties and this can be done through petitions, publicity and agitations. Ordinary citizens, pressure groups, movements and media can play an important role in this. If political parties feel that they would lose public support by not taking up reforms they will become more serious about reforms.
The quality of democracy depends upon the degree of participation. It is difficult to reform politics if ordinary citizens do not take part in politics and simply criticise it from outside.

Question 3. What is the major drawback of the multi-party system? Why does it suit to India?
Ans. The multi-party system often appears very messy and leads to political instability. India has evolved this system because it is a vast country. The social and geographical diversity in such a large country is not easily absorbed by two or even three parties. A multi-party system allows a variety of interests and opinions to enjoy political representation.