Notes And Questions For NCERT Class 10 Social Science Popular Struggles and Movements

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

Facts that Matter

1. Democracy almost invariably involves conflict of interests and viewpoints. These differences are often expressed in organised ways. Those who are in power are required to balance these conflicting demands and pressures. Let’s see how struggles around conflicting demands and pressures shape democracy.

2. Pressure groups and movements are indirect ways of influencing politics.

3. Nepal won democracy in 1990. The king formally remained the head of the state and the real power was exercised by the elected representatives. But when King Gyanendra became the new king of Nepal in 2001 he did not accept democratic rule. In February 2005, he dismissed the Prime Minister and dissolved the popularly elected Parliament. People revolted and started a movement in April 2006 to regain popular control over the government from the king. Finally, the king granted the demands. As a result, the parliament was restored and laws were passed to take away most of the powers of the king.

4. Bolivia’s Water War is worth mentioning here. Bolivia is a small and poor country in Latin America. The World Bank pressurised the government to give up its control of municipal water supply. The government sold off these rights to an MNC. The company immediately increased the prices four times. This led to serious agitation. Finally, the contract with MNC was cancelled and water supply was resorted to municipality at old rates. This was known as Bolivia’s water war.

5. The popular struggle in Bolivia was about one specific policy, while the struggle in Nepal was about the foundations of the country’s politics. But both these are instances of political conflict that led to popular struggles. In both cases the struggle involved mass mobilisation.

6. Democratic conflicts are resolved through mass mobilisation. Sometimes it is possible that the conflicts are resolved by the existing institutions like parliament or judiciary but when there is a deep dispute then it is resolved by the people.

7. The conflicts and mobilisations are based on new political organisations. These include—political parties, pressure groups and movement groups.

8. Organisations played an important role in making these struggles successful. In Nepal SPA or Seven Party Alliance organised the mass upsurge. Besides SPA other organisations were also there such as Nepalese Communist Party (Maoist), etc. Other organisations like organisation of indigenous people, teachers, lawyers and human rights groups extended their support to the movement.

9. In Bolivia, the protest against water privatisation was not led by any political party. It was led by an organisation called FEDECOR. This organisation comprised local professionals,
including engineers and environmentalists.

10. The organisations play their role in two ways—Direct and Indirect
— Direct: One way of influencing the decision in democracy is direct participation in competitive politics. This is done by creating parties, contesting elections and forming governments. Citizens participate through voting.
— Indirect: There are many indirect ways in which people can get government to listen to their demands or their point of view. This can be done by forming an organisation and undertaking activities to promote their interest or their viewpoints. These are called Interest or Pressure groups.

11. Pressure groups are organisations that attempt to influence government policies.

12. They do not directly control or share political power. These organisations are formed when people with common occupation, interest, aspirations and opinions come together in order to achieve a common objective.

13. People’s movement involves collective action. We can cite here the examples of Narmada Bachao Andolan, Movement for Right to Information, Anti-liquor Movement, Women’s
Movement, Environmental Movement.

14. Sectional interest groups seek to promote the interest of a particular section/group of society. For instance, trade unions, business associations and professional (lawyers doctors, teachers etc).

15. They are sectional because they represent a particular section of a society like workers, employees, businessmen etc. Their principal concern is the betterment of their members
and not society in general.

16. Public interest groups represent some common or general interest that needs to be defended. The members of the organisation may not benefit from the cause that the organisation represents. For example, the Bolivian organisation FEDECOR.

17. They are also called promotional groups as they promote collective and not selective good. They aim to help groups other than their own members. In some cases, the members of a public interest group may undertake activity that benefits them as well as others too.

18. BAMCEF (Backward and Minorities Community Employees Federation) is such an organisation that campaigns against caste discrimination. It addresses the problem of its members who suffer discrimination and its principal concern is with social justice and social equality for the entire society.

19. There are two types of movement groups:
(i) Specific movements/short term movements are formed to achieve single objective. For instance, the Nepalese movement for democracy.
(ii) General/generic movements/long term movements came into existence to achieve a broad goal in the long run. For instance, the environmental movement and women’s
movement.

20. These movements share a broad objective and have a similar approach. Sometimes these broad movements have a loose umbrella organisation. For example: NAPM (National Alliance for People’s Movement) is an organisation of organisations. Various movement groups struggling on specific issues are constituents of this loose organisation which coordinates the activities of a large number of people’s movements in our country.

21. Pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics in a variety of ways. They try to obtain media attention and public support through activities like carrying out information campaigns, organising meetings, filing petition etc. They organise activities like strikes or disrupting government programmes to compel the government to listen to their demands.

22. Interest groups and movements seek to exert influence on political parties. Most of the movement groups take a political stance without being a party.

23. Relationship between political parties and pressure groups can take different forms, some direct and others indirect.

24. Pressure groups are often formed and led by politicians and political parties. Most trade unions and students’ organisations in India are either established by, or affiliated to one or the other major political party.

25. Sometimes political parties grow out of movements. For instance, when the Assam movement led by students against the ‘foreigners’ came to an end, it led to the formation of Asom Gana Parishad.

26. Interest or movement groups often take positions that are opposed to each other. Yet they are in dialogue and negotiation. They often raise new issues which are taken up by the political parties.

27. It may initially appear that it is not healthy for the groups that promote interest of one section to have influence in democracy.

28. A democracy must look after the interest of all, not just one section. Political parties have to face the people in elections, but these groups are not accountable to the people.

29. But it is a fact that pressure groups and movements have deepened democracy. Putting pressure on rulers is not an unhealthy activity in a democracy as long as everyone gets this opportunity.

30. Even sectional interest groups play a valuable role. When different groups function actively, no single group can achieve dominance over society.

31. If one group brings pressure on the government the other will counter pressure. The government ultimately hears about what people want. This brings a rough balance of power and accommodation of conflicting interests.

Words that Matter

1. Pressure groups: Organisations that attempt to influence government policies but do not directly control or share political power.
2. Sectional interest groups: These groups are formed by those who seek to promote the interest of a particular section/group of society.
3. Public interest groups: These groups are formed by those who represent some common or general interest that needs to be defended. They are also called promotional group as they promote collective and not selective good.
4. Political Party: A group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.
5. Maoists: The communists who believe in the ideology of Mao, the leader of the Chinese revolution.
6. Constitutional monarchy: The type of government in which the King or Queen remains the head of the state accepted by the Constitution and an elected parliament, e.g. United Kingdom, Spain etc.
7. ‘Third wave’ countries: Countries that changed into democratic government from either monarchy, dictatorship or from colonial rule, e.g. Nepal.
8. Absolute monarchy: The system of governance in which the head of the state has absolute power. The monarch runs the country with total powers.

NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED

Question 1. In what ways do pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics?
Ans. Pressure groups and movements exert influence in a variety of ways.
(i) They try to win public support and sympathy for their goals and activities by carrying out information campaigns, organising meetings, filing petitions etc. They also make use of media.
(ii) They often organise protest activities like strikes or disrupting government programmes. Workers ‘organisations, employees’ associations etc. often resort to these tactics in order to force the government to take note of their demands.
(iii) Business groups often employ professional lobbyists or sponsor expensive advertisements. Some persons from pressure groups or movement groups may participate in official bodies and communities that offer advice to the government.
(iv) Sometimes political parties grow out of movements. For example, when the Assam movement led by students against the ‘Foreignness’ came to an end, it led to the formation of the Asom Gana Parishad. The roots of the parties like the DMK and the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu can be traced to a long drawn social reform movement during the 1930s and 1940s.

Question 2. Describe the forms of relationship between pressure groups and political parties.
Ans. Relationship between political parties and pressure groups can take different forms, some direct and others indirect
Direct: Pressure groups are often formed and led by leaders of political parties or act as extended arms of political parties. Most trade unions and students’ organisations in India are either established by, or affiliated to one or the other major political party.
(i) Sometimes political parties grow out of movements. For instance, when the Assam movement led by students against the ‘foreigners’ came to an end, it led to the formation of Asom Gana Parishad and the roots of DMK and AIDMK in Tamil Nadu can also be traced to the social reform movements during the 1930s and 1940s.
Indirect:
(i) In most cases the relationship between parties and interest or movement groups is indirect.
(ii) They often take positions that are opposed to each other. Yet they are in dialogue and negotiation.
(iii) They often raise new issues which are taken up by the political parties.

Question 3. Explain how the activities of pressure groups are useful in the functioning of a democratic government?
Ans. (i) Pressure groups are organisations that attempt to influence government policies. They do not directly control or share political power.
(ii) These organisations are formed when people with common occupation, interest, aspirations or opinions come together in order to achieve a common objective.
(iii) Pressure groups are important in the functioning of a democratic government as they provide an opportunity for marginalised people to voice their opinions.
(iv) In some cases, the government’s opinion might be biased by a small group of rich and powerful people. It is here that pressure groups step in and force the government to make policies which will benefit certain other sections of society as well. For example: Narmada Bachao Andolan, Movement for Right to Information, Anti-liquor Movement, Women’s Movement, Environmental Movement.

Question 4. What is a pressure group? Give a few examples.
Ans. A pressure group is an organisation which attempts to influence government policies through protests and demonstrations. Pressure groups are formed when people with similar opinions get together for similar objectives. Examples of pressure groups are FEDECOR and BAMCEF.

Question 5. What is the difference between a pressure group and a political party?
Ans. Differences between a pressure group and a political party:

Question 6. Organisations that undertake activities to promote the interests of specific social sections such as workers, employees, teachers, and lawyers are called ……… groups.
Ans. Sectional interest.

Question 7. Which among the following is the special feature that distinguishes a pressure group from a political party?
(a) Parties take political stances, while pressure groups do not bother about political issues.
(b) Pressure groups are confined to a few people, while parties involve larger number of people.
(c) Pressure groups do not seek to get into power, while political parties do.
(d) Pressure groups do not seek to mobilise people, while parties do.
Ans. (c) Pressure groups do not seek to get into power, while political parties do.

Question 8. Match List I (organisations and struggles) with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:

Ans. (b) C D A B

Question 9. Match List I with list II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists

Ans. (a) D C A B

Question 10. Consider the following statements about pressure groups and parties.
A. Pressure groups are the organised expression of the interests and views of specific social sections.
B. Pressure groups take positions on political issues.
C. All pressure groups are political parties.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a) A, B and C
(b) A and B
(c) B and C
(d) A and C
Ans. (b) A and B

Question 11. Mewat is one of the most backward areas in Haryana. It used to be a part of two districts, Gurgaon and Faridabad. The people of Mewat felt that the area will get better attention if it were to become a separate district. But political parties were indifferent to this sentiment. The demand for a separate district was raised by Mewat Educational and Social Organisation and Mewat Saksharta Samiti in 1996. Later, Mewat Vikas Sabha was founded in 2000 and carried out a series of public awareness campaigns. This forced both the major parties, Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal, to announce their support for the new district before the assembly elections held in February 2005. The new district came into existence in July 2005.
In this example what is the relationship that you observe among movement, political parties and the government? Can you think of an example that shows a relationship different from this one?
Ans. From the example of Mewat, we can conclude that movements take up issues which are sometimes ignored by political parties and try to influence them. The six-year long Assam movement (1979-1985), led by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), was aimed against the infiltration of foreigners from Bangladesh into Assam. At the end of this movement, the State Assembly was dissolved, the government was dismissed, and fresh elections were held. The Asom Gana Parishad, formed out of the AASU, contested and won the elections, forming the Government of Assam. In this example, we see a political party being formed out of a pressure group, which ultimately formed the government.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

I. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
Choose the correct option:

1. FEDECOR is a/an ……… .
(a) Indian organisation
(b) Bolivian organisation
(c) American organisation
(d) Japanese organisation.

2. Name the type of government adopted in Nepal in the year 1990.
(a) Monarchy
(b) Dictatorship
(c) Colonial rule
(d) Democracy.

3. Bolivian struggle of 2000 was against what?
(a) Privatisation of water
(b) Regaining popular control over the government from the king
(c) Establishment of democracy
(d) None of the above.

4. The aim of the Nepalese popular movement of April, 2006 was to ……… .
(a) overthrow democracy
(b) regain control over the government from the king
(c) establish dictatorship
(d) none of the above.

5. The full form of NAPM is ……… .
(a) National Alliance of Public Movement
(b) National Authority of People’s Movement
(c) National Alliance of People’s Movement
(d) National Agency of Public Movement.

6. The Green Belt Movement of Kenya was led by ……… .
(a) Wangari Maathai
(b) Nelson Mandela
(c) Binni Mandela
(d) Desmond Tutu.

7. Which one is an example of single issue movement?
(a) Women’s movement
(b) Environment movement
(c) Narmada Bachao Andolan
(d) People’s movement.

8. The aim of BAMCEF is to campaign against ……… .
(a) untouchability
(b) smoking
(c) moral devaluation
(d) caste discrimination.

9. The movement called Kittiko-Hachchiko started in Karnataka in 1987. What does Kittiko-Hachchiko mean?
(a) Catch and save
(b) Sow and harvest
(c) Pluck and plant
(d) Pluck and throw

10. What is FEDECOR?
(a) Political party
(b) Health institution
(c) Educational institution
(d) Organisation.

II. VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1. Who dissolved the popularly elected parliament in February 2005, in Nepal?
Ans. King Gyanendra dissolved the popularly elected parliament in February 2005, in Nepal.

Question 2. What was the main role of ‘FEDECOR’ organisation in Bolivia?
Ans. The protest against water privatisation in Bolivia was led by ‘FEDECOR’ organisation.

Question 3. What did the world Bank ask the Bolivian government?
Ans. The world Bank asked the Bolivian government to give up its control of municipal water supply.

Question 4. Water did the government of Bolivia do then?
Ans. It sold the rights of water supply for the city of Cochabamba to a multinational company.

Question 5. What was the immediate step taken by the company?
Ans. The company immediately increased the price of water by four times.

Question 6. How is democratic conflict resolved?
Ans. Democratic conflict is resolved through mass mobilisation.

Question 7. What was FEDECOR comprised of?
Ans. FEDECOR organisation was compensed of local professionals, including engineers and environmentalists.

Question 8. Which party supported the movement led by FEDECOR?
Ans. The movement led by FEDECOR was supported by the socialist party.

Question 9. What are called interest groups?
Ans. Sometimes people from an organisation and undertake activities to promote their interests or their view points. These are called interest groups.

Question 10. What are pressure groups?
Ans. Pressure groups are organisation that attempt to influence government policies.

Question 11. How are pressure groups different from political parties?
Ans. Unlike political parties, pressure groups do not aim to directly control or share political power.

Question 12. Name some people’s movement which have become very popular.
Ans. Narmada Bachao Andolan, movement for right to information. Anti-liquor movement, women’s movement, environmental movement.

Question 13. How is a movement similar to an interest group?
Ans. Like an interest group, a movement also attempts to influence politics rather than directly take part in electoral competition.

Question 14. How is a movement different from an interest group?
Ans. Unlike an interest group, a movement has a loose organisation. Its division making is more informal and flexible.

Question 15. What are sectional interest groups? Give examples.
Ans. The interest group that seek to promote the interests of a particular section or a group of society are called sectional interest groups. For example — trade unions, business associations etc.

Question 16. What is the principal concern of the sectional interest groups?
Ans. Their principal concern is the betterment and well-being of their members, not society in general.

Question 17. What is the principal concern of the promotional groups?
Ans. Their principal concern is to promote collective rather than selective good.

Question 18. What is BAMCEF?
Ans. BAMCEF (Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation) is an organisation largely made up of government employees that campaigns against caste discrimination.

Question 19. What is the principal concern of BAMCEF?
Ans. Its principal concern is bring social justice and social equality in the entire society.

Question 20. Give an example of the issue specific – movement.
Ans. Narmada Bachao Andolan is a good example of an the issue–specific movement.

Question 21. What was the objective of Narmada Bachao Andolan?
Ans. Its objective was to stop the dam from being constructed on the Narmada river.

Question 22. Give two examples of movements that are long term and involve more than one issue.
Ans. Two examples of such movements:
(i) Environmental movement
(ii) Women’s movement

Question 23. Name one movement that gave birth to a political party. What is the name of this party?
Ans. The Assam movement led by students against the ‘foreigners’ It led to the formation of the Asom Gana Parishad.

Question 24. Which financial agency pressurised the government of Bolivia to give an MNC, control over water supply arrangements in the city of Cochabamba?
Ans. The World Bank pressurised the government of Bolivia to give an MNC, control over water supply arrangements in the city of Cochabamba.

Question 25. In which two ways, the public interest groups achieve their arms?
Ans. (i) They can raise slogans.
(ii) They can disrupt the public.

II. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1. “The struggle of the Nepali people is a source of inspiration to democrats all over the world.” Support the statement.
Ans. Nepal witnessed an extraordinary popular movement in April, 2006. The movement was aimed at restoring democracy. Nepal had won democracy in 1990. Although the king formally remained the head of the state, the real power was exercised by popularly elected representatives. After the mysterious massacre of the royal family in 2001, King Gyanendra, the new King of Nepal, showed his unwillingness to accept democratic rule. In February 2005, he dissolved the popularly elected parliament. This caused a movement in April 2006 to regain control over the government from the King. All the major political parties in the parliament formed a Seven Party Alliance (SPA) and started protest. They served an ultimatum to the King, with their demands. On 24 April 2006, the last day of the ultimatum, the King was forced to concede all the three demands. The SPA chose Girija Prasad Koirala as the new Prime Minister of the interim government. The restored parliament passed laws taking away most of the powers of the King. In this way, the struggle of the Nepali people is a source of inspiration to democrats all over the world.

Question 2. Name the two types of movement groups and give one example of each.
Ans. There are two types of movement groups:
1. Specific movements/short term movements: They are formed to achieve single objective. They work in limited time frame and thus have usually short active life.
Examples:
(i) The Nepalese movement for democracy arose with specific objective of reversing the king’s order that led to suspension of democracy.
(ii) In India, Narmada Bachao Andolan is also an example of this. This movement started with a specific issue of people displaced by the creation of Sardar Sarovar dam on the river Narmada. Its objective was to stop the dam from being constructed. Gradually it became a wider movement that questioned all such big dams.
2. General/Generic movements/long term movements: These movements come into existence to achieve a broad goal in the long run. These involve more than one issues. There is no single organisation that controls or guides such movements.
Examples: The Environmental movement and women’s movement.

Question 3. Compare and contrast the popular struggles of Nepal and Bolivia.
Ans. Similarities
(i) The popular struggles of Nepal and Bolivia are instances of political conflicts led to the popular struggles. In both cases the struggle involved mass mobilisation.
(ii) Both instances involved critical role of political organisations.
Differences
(i) The movement in Nepal was to establish democracy while in Bolivia the struggle involved claims on an elected democratic government.
(ii) In Bolivia, struggle was about one specific policy, while struggle in Nepal was about the foundations of the country’s politics.
(iii) Both these struggles were successful but their impact was at different levels.

Question 4. What are pressure groups? Why are they formed?
Ans. Pressure groups are organisations that attempt to influence government policies. They do not directly control or share political power.
These organisations are formed when people with common occupation, interest, aspirations and opinions come together in order to achieve a common objective. In some cases, the government’s opinion might be biased by a small group of rich and powerful people. It is here that pressure groups step in and force the government to make policies which will benefit certain other sections of society as well.

Question 5. What events led to the restoration of democracy in Nepal?
Ans. (i) All the political parties in the Parliament formed an alliance—Seven Party Alliance (SPA)—and called for four day strike in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
(ii) The protests turned into indefinite strike in which Maoist and various organisations also joined hands.
(iii) People defied curfew and came to streets. More than lakhs of people gathered almost every day to demand restoration of democracy.
(iv) On 21 April, they served an ultimatum to the king and the leaders of the movement rejected the half-hearted concessions given by the king and stuck to their demand for restoration of parliament, power to all party government and a new constituent assembly.
(v) 24th April 2006 was the last day of the ultimatum; the king was forced to grant all the demands.

Question 6. Write a short note on Bolivia’s water war.
Ans. Bolivia is a small and poor country in Latin America. The World Bank pressurised the government to give up its control of municipal water supply. The government sold these rights to an MNC. The company immediately increased the price of water four times. This led to a spontaneous popular protest. In January, 2000 a new alliance of labour, human rights and community leaders organised a successful strike for four days in the city and the government agreed to negotiate but nothing happened. Police resorted to brutal repression when the agitation was started again in Feburary. Another strike was there in April and government imposed martial law. But the power of people forced the officials of MNC to leave their city and made government to grant all demands of the protesters. The contract with MNC was cancelled and water supply was resorted to municipality at old rates. This is known as Bolivia’s water war.

Question 7. Which groups were involved in Bolivian Water War?
Ans. (i) The dissent against water privatisation in Bolivia was not guided by any political party but by an organisation named FEDECOR though Socialist party supported it.
(ii) That organisation consisted of local professionals, including engineers and environmentalists.
(iii) They got support from federation of farmers, the confederation of factory worker’s unions, students of university of Cochabamba and city’s homeless street children.

Question 8. Write the full form of NAPM. What do you know about it?
Ans. The National Alliance for Peoples’ Movements (NAPM) is an organisation of organisations. Various movement groups struggling on specific issues are constituents of this loose organisation which coordinates the activities of a large number of peoples’ movements in our country.

Question 9. Write a short note on promotional groups.
Ans. Public interest groups are also called promotional groups. These are the groups that promote collective and not selective good. They represent some common or general interest that needs to be defended. The members of the organisation may not benefit from the cause that the organisation represents. They aim to help groups other than their own members. In some cases the members of a public interest group may undertake activity that benefits them as well as others too. For example, in Nepal Human Rights Organisations, and in Bolivia FEDECOR. In India also we have BAMCEF (Backward and Minorities Community Employees Federation) which is an organisation that campaigns against caste discrimination. It addresses the problem of its members who suffer discrimination but its principal concern is with social justice and social equality for the entire society.

Question 10. How is a democratic conflict resolved?
Ans. A democratic conflict is resolved through mass mobilisation. Sometimes it is possible that the conflict is resolved by using the existing institutions like the parliament or the judiciary. But when there is a deep dispute, very often these institutions themselves get involved in the dispute. In such a situation the resolution comes from outside, from the people.

Question 11. Why did the people of Bolivia protest in 2000?
Ans. Bolivia is a small and poor country in Latin America. The World Bank pressurised the government to give up its control of municipal water supply. The government sold these rights to an MNC. The company immediately increased the price of water four times. This led to a spontaneous popular protest. In January, 2000 a new alliance of labour, human rights and community leaders organised a successful strike for four days in the city and the government agreed to negotiate but nothing happened. Police resorted to brutal repression when the agitation was started again in Feburary. Another strike was there in April and government imposed martial law. But the power of people forced the officials of MNC to leave their city and made government to grant all demands of the protesters. The contract with MNC was cancelled and water supply was resorted to municipality at old rates. This is known as Bolivia’s water war.

Question 12. Describe the movement for democracy in Nepal, April 2006.
Ans. (i) Nepal witnessed an extraordinary popular movement in April 2006. The movement was aimed at restoring democracy.
(ii) In February 2005, the king of Nepal dismissed the then prime minister and dissolved the popularly elected parliament.
(iii) The movement of April 2006 was aimed at regaining popular control over the government from the king.
(iv) All the political parties in the Parliament formed an alliance—Seven Party Alliance (SPA)—and called for four day strike in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
(v) The protests turned into indefinite strike in which Maoist and various organisations also joined hands.
(vi) People defied curfew and came to streets. More than lakhs of people gathered almost every day to demand restoration of democracy.
(vii) On 21 April, they served an ultimatum to the king and the leaders of the movement rejected the half-hearted concessions given by the king and stuck to their demand for restoration of parliament, power to all party government and a new constituent assembly.
(viii) 24th April 2006 was the last day of the ultimatum; the king was forced to grant all the demands.

Question 13. How do pressure groups and movements exert pressure on politics? Explain with an example.
Ans. Pressure groups and movements exert influence in a variety of ways.
(i) They try to win public support and sympathy for their goals and activities by carrying out information campaigns, organising meetings, filing petitions etc. They also make use of media.
(ii) They often organise protest activities like strikes or disrupting government programmes. Workers ‘organisations, employees’ associations etc. often resort to these tactics in order to force the government to take note of their demands.
(iii) Business groups often employ professional lobbyists or sponsor expensive advertisements. Some persons from pressure groups or movement groups may participate in official bodies and communities that offer advice to the government.
(iv) Sometimes political parties grow out of movements. For example, when the Assam movement led by students against the ‘Foreignness’ came to an end, it led to the formation of the Asom Gana Parishad. The roots of the parties like the DMK and the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu can be traced to a long drawn social reform movement during the 1930s and 1940s.

Question 14. Distinguish between ‘pressure groups’ and ‘movement groups’ with examples.
Ans.

Question 15. What are the differences between the ‘pressure groups’ and ‘political parties’?
Ans.

Question 16. Distinguish between ‘issue–specific movements’ and ‘long term movements’.
Ans.

Question 17. Explain common features of the popular struggle in Nepal and Bolivia.
Ans. (i) The popular struggles of Nepal and Bolivia are instances of political conflicts led to the popular struggles. In both cases the struggle involved mass mobilisation.
(ii) Both instances involved critical role of political organisations.

Question 18. What are the differences between ‘sectional interest groups’ and ‘public interest groups’.
Ans.

Question 19. Justify with three points that democracy evolves through popular struggles.
Ans. (i) Nepal witnessed an extraordinary movement in April 2006. The movement was aimed at restoring democracy. This movement finally got success and democracy was established in the country on 24 April 2006.
(ii) People’s struggle against privatisation of water in Bolivia reminds us that popular struggles are integral to the working of democracy.
(iii) The Green Belt Movement in Kenya also justifies that democracy evolves through popular struggles.

III. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1. How do pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics? Explain with examples.
Ans. Pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics in a variety of ways:
(i) They try to gain public support and sympathy for their goals and their activities by carrying out information campaigns, organising meetings, filing petitions, etc.
(ii) They often organise protest activity like strikes or disrupting government programmes. Workers’ organisations, employees’ associations and most of the movement groups often resort to these tactics in order to force the government to take note of their demands.
(iii) Most of the movement groups take a political stance without being a party. They have political ideology and political positions on major issues.
(iv) In some instances, the pressure groups are either formed or led by the leaders of political parties or act as extended arms of political parties. For example, most trade unions and students’ organisations in India are either established by, or affiliated to one or the other major political party.
(v) Sometimes political parties grow out of movements. For example, when the Assam movement led by students against the ‘foreigners’ came to an end, it led to the formation of the Asom Gana Parishad.

Question 2. How far are pressure groups good for democracy?
Ans. (i) It may appear that it is not healthy for the groups that promote interest of one section to have influence in democracy. A democracy must look after the interest of all, not just one section. Also, it may seem that these groups wield power without responsibility.
(ii) Political parties have to face the people in elections, but these groups are not accountable to the people. Pressure groups and movements may not get their funds and support from people. Sometimes pressure groups with small public support but lots of money can hijack public discussion in favour of their narrow agenda.
(iii) But pressure groups and movements have deepened democracy. Putting pressure on rulers is not an unhealthy activity in democracy as long as everyone gets this opportunity.
(iv) Governments can often come under the pressure of rich and powerful group but these public interest groups and movements perform a useful role of countering this undue influence and reminding government of needs and concerns of ordinary citizens.
(v) Even social interest groups play a valuable role. Where different groups function actively no single group can achieve dominance over society. If one group brings pressure on the government the other will bring counter pressure not to make policies in the way the first group desires. The government hears about what people want. This brings a rough balance of power and accomodation of conflicting interests.

Question 3. In what ways do the Environmental Movement and Women’s Movement differ from the Narmada Bachao Andolan?
Ans. The Environmental Movement and Women’s Movement target a broad goal in the very long run. They involve more than one issues. The Environmental Movement is a label for a large number of organisations and issue-specific movements. All of these have separate organisations, independent leadership and often different views on policy related matters. Yet all of these share a broad objective and have a similar approach. That is why they are called a movement. On the other hand, movements like the Narmada Bachao Andolan are issue-specific movements that seek to achieve a single objective within a limited time frame. This movement started with the specific issue of the people displaced by the creation of Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada river. Its objective was to stop the dam from being constructed. Gradually it became a wider movement that questioned all such big dams.

Question 4. Distinguish between sectional interest groups and public interest groups.
Ans.

Question 5. Describe, in brief, any four features of movement for democracy in Nepal.
Ans. (i) Nepal was one of the ‘third wave’ countries that had won democracy in 1990. Although the King formally remained the head of the state, the real power was exercised by popularly elected representatives.
(ii) King Birendra, who has accepted this transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy, was killed in 2001.
(iii) King Gyanendra, the new king of Nepal, was not prepared to accept democratic rule. He took advantage of the weakness and unpopularity of the democratically elected government.
(iv) In February 2005, the king dismissed the then Prime Minister and dissolved the popularly elected Parliament. The movement of April 2006 was aimed at regaining popular control over the government from the king.
(v) Finally, the king was forced to bow. As a result, the parliament was restored and laws were passed to take away most of the powers of the king.

Question 6. “Pressure groups and movement exert influence on polities in a variety of ways.” Explain any four ways.
Ans. Pressure groups and movements exert influence in a variety of ways.
(i) They try to win public support and sympathy for their goals and activities by carrying out information campaigns, organising meetings, filing petitions etc. They also make use of media.
(ii) They often organise protest activities like strikes or disrupting government programmes. Workers ‘organisations, employees’ associations etc. often resort to these tactics in order to force the government to take note of their demands.
(iii) Business groups often employ professional lobbyists or sponsor expensive advertisements. Some persons from pressure groups or movement groups may participate in official bodies and communities that offer advice to the government.
(iv) Sometimes political parties grow out of movements. For example, when the Assam movement led by students against the ‘Foreignness’ came to an end, it led to the formation of the Asom Gana Parishad. The roots of the parties like the DMK and the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu can be traced to a long drawn social reform movement during the 1930s and 1940s.

Question 7. How did the struggle of the Nepali people become a source of inspiration to democrats all over the world? Explain.
Ans. (i) Nepal witnessed an extraordinary popular movement in April 2006. The movement was aimed at restoring democracy.
(ii) In February 2005, the king of Nepal dismissed the then prime minister and dissolved the popularly elected parliament.
(iii) The movement of April 2006 was aimed at regaining popular control over the government from the king.
(iv) All the political parties in the Parliament formed an alliance—Seven Party Alliance (SPA)—and called for four day strike in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
(v) The protests turned into indefinite strike in which Maoist and various organisations also joined hands.
(vi) People defied curfew and came to streets. More than lakhs of people gathered almost every day to demand restoration of democracy.
(vii) On 21 April, they served an ultimatum to the king and the leaders of the movement rejected the half-hearted concessions given by the king and stuck to their demand for restoration of parliament, power to all party government and a new constituent assembly.
(viii) 24th April 2006 was the last day of the ultimatum; the king was forced to grant all the demands.

Question 8. How was Nepal movement different from Bolivia’s movement?
Ans.

Question 9. What are public interest groups?
                            Or
How do they look after the public interest? Explain.
Ans. (i) Public interest groups or promotional groups represent some common or general interest that need to be defended.
(ii) They promote collective rather than selective good. They aim to help group other than their own members. For example, a group fighting against bonded labour fights not for itself but for those who are suffering under such bondage.
(iii) The member of a public interest group may undertake activity that benefits them as well as other too. For example, BAMCEF (backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation) is an organisation largely made up of government employees that campaigns against caste discrimination.
(iv) Public interest group perform a useful role of countering the undue pressure put on the government by a small group of rich and powerful people and reminding the government of the needs and concerns of ordinary citizens.

Question 10. Describe the ‘second popular movement for democracy’ of Nepal.
Ans. (i) Nepal witnessed an extraordinary popular movement in April 2006. The movement was aimed at restoring democracy.
(ii) In February 2005, the king of Nepal dismissed the then prime minister and dissolved the popularly elected parliament.
(iii) The movement of April 2006 was aimed at regaining popular control over the government from the king.
(iv) All the political parties in the Parliament formed an alliance—Seven Party Alliance (SPA)—and called for four day strike in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
(v) The protests turned into indefinite strike in which Maoist and various organisations also joined hands.
(vi) People defied curfew and came to streets. More than lakhs of people gathered almost every day to demand restoration of democracy.
(vii) On 21 April, they served an ultimatum to the king and the leaders of the movement rejected the half-hearted concessions given by the king and stuck to their demand for restoration of parliament, power to all party government and a new constituent assembly.
(viii) 24th April 2006 was the last day of the ultimatum; the king was forced to grant all the demands.

IV. VALUE BASED QUESTIONS

Question 1. “Social movements and pressure groups try to mobilise citizens in many ways.” Read the above statement carefully and then answer the questions that follow:
(i) Identify the Fundamental Right which is related to the above statement.
(ii) How are pressure groups different from political parties?
(iii) Which value is associated with social movements? Give one example of this statement.
Ans. (i) The Right to Freedom.
(ii) Unlike political parties, pressure groups do not aim to directly control or share political power.
(iii) The value associated with social movements is collective goal. An example of this type of movement is anti-liquor movement.

Question 2. What is BAMCEF? What problems does it deal with? What is its principal concern?
Ans. BAMCEF stands for Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation. This is an organisation largely made up of government employees that campaigns against caste discrimination. It addresses the problems of its members who suffer discrimination.
Its principal concern is with social justice and social equality for the entire society.