Important Questions for Chapter 6 Political Parties Class 10 Political Science
Important Questions1
What is meant by ‘Political Party’?
Answer
A political party is a group of people come together to contest elections to hold power in the government.
VSAQ
2
What is an important function of a political party in India?
Answer
To contest elections.
VSAQ
3
Why is one party political system not considered a good democratic system?
Answer
Because one party system has no democratic option.
VSAQ
4
Name a country that has one-party system.
Answer
China.
VSAQ
5
Name the alliance formed by the Congress Party.
Answer
United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
VSAQ
6
Which party was the principal opposition party in Lok Sabha in 2004?
Answer
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
VSAQ
7
What is the requirement laid down by the Election Commission for a political party to be recognized as a ‘State Party‘?
Answer
A party that secures at least six percent of the total votes in an election to the Legislative Assembly of a state and wins at least two seats is recognized as a state party.
VSAQ
8
Name any one political party that has national level political organization but not recognized as the national political party.
Answer
Samajwadi Party or Rashtriya Janata Dal.
VSAQ
9
Name a regional party of West Bengal.
Answer
All India Forward Bloc.
VSAQ
10
Which party was the principal opposition party in Lok Sabha in 2004?
Answer
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
VSAQ
11
What is the guiding philosophy of Bharatiya Janata Party?
Answer
Cultural nationalism.
VSAQ
12
The Bahujan Samaj Party stands for what cause?
Answer
Securing the interest of the oppressed people.
VSAQ
13
If all the decisions of a political party are made by a single family and all other members are neglected, then what challenge is being faced by that party?
Answer
Challenge of dynastic succession.
VSAQ
14
Why do political parties involve partisanship?
Answer
Because the parties are a part of the society.
VSAQ
15
What is an 'alliance' or a 'front'?
Answer
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.
VSAQ
16
What is 'defection'?
Answer
Changing party allegiance from the party on which a person got elected to a different party.
VSAQ
17
How many registered political parties are in India?
Answer
There are more than 750 registered political parties in India.
VSAQ
18
What do you mean by Partisan?
Answer
A person who is strongly committed to a party.
VSAQ
1
What are the components of a political party?
Answer
A political party has three components –
• Its leaders
• Its active members and
• Its followers.
SAQ
2
Describe any three main features of Two-Party system.
Answer
Main features of two-party system:
• Power usually changes between two parties, several other parties may exist.
• In such system, people get clear choice.
• The party that wins majority forms the government and the other sits in opposition.
SAQ
3
What is a multi-party system? Why has India adopted a multi-party system? Explain.
Answer
Multi-party system: 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.
India adopted a Multi party system because:
• There is social and geographical diversity in India.
• India is such a large country which is not easily absorbed by two or three parties.
SAQ
4
What is a political party? State any two points of the ideology of Bharatiya Janta Party?
Answer
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 programmers for the society with a view to promote the collective good.
Ideology of BJP:
• Wants full territorial and political integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India.
• A uniform civil code for all people living in the country irrespective of religion.
• Cultural nationalism.
SAQ
5
What is meant by ‘regional political party’? State the conditions required to be recognized as a ‘regional political party’.
Answer
A regional party is a party that is present in only some states.
Conditions required for a party to be recognized as a regional political party are:
• A party that secures at least six percent of the total votes in an election to the Legislative Assembly of a state.
• Wins at least two seats in the Legislative Assembly.
SAQ
6
What is meant by a ‘national political party’? State the conditions required to be a national political party.
Answer
National political party have units in the various states, they follow the same policies, programmes and strategy that is decided at the national level.
Conditions required:
• A party that secures at least 6% of the total votes in general elections of Lok Sabha or assembly elections in four states.
• Wins at least 4 seats in Lok Sabha.
SAQ
7
Name the national political party which espouses secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities. Mention any four features of that party.
Answer
The national political party which espouses secularism and welfare of weaker sections and minorities is the Indian National Congress.
Four features of this party are listed below:
• Founded in 1885.
• Dominated Indian politics, both at the national and state levels, for several decades after India’s independence.
• Ruling party at the centre till 1977 and then from 1980 to 1989. After 1989, its support declined.
• A centrist party (neither rightist nor leftist) in its ideological orientation.
SAQ
8
“Nearly every one of the state parties wants to get an opportunity to be a part of one or the other national level coalition.” Support the statement with arguments.
Answer
Before general election of 2014, in three general elections no one national party was able to secure on its own a majority in Lok Sabha. With the result, the national parties were compelled to form alliances with state or regional parties. Since 1996, nearly every one of the state parties 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.
SAQ
9
State the conditions as laid down by the Election Commission to recognize a ‘state party’ and ‘national party’.
Answer
The difference between a state and a national party can be identified as follows:
• In a state party, the party members aim to highlight the regional interests. On the other hand, a national party gives due importance to national interests.
• A state party can contest in elections only in a particular state, whereas a national party can contest in elections all across the country.
• Example: BJP and Congress are national parties, whereas Akali Dal and Trinamool Congress are state level parties.
SAQ
10
What is meant by ‘defection’ in democracy? Explain.
Answer
• 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.
• The Constitution was amended to prevent elected MLA’s and MP’s from changing parties. Now the law says that if any MLA and MP changes parties, he or she will lose seat in the legislature.
• The new law has brought defection down and has made dissent even more difficult.
SAQ
11
Which three challenges do you feel are being faced by political parties in India? Give your opinion.
Answer
The three challenges faced by political parties in India are:
• Lack of internal democracy.
• Challenge of dynastic succession
• Growing role of money and muscle power.
• Often parties do not seem to offer a meaningful choice to the voters.
SAQ
12
“Serious efforts were made by the legal organizations to reform political parties in India.” Support the statement.
Answer
Efforts made by the legal organizations to reform political parties in India:
• To check defection, the Constitution was amended to prevent elected MLA’s and MPS’s from changing parties.
• The Supreme Court passed an order to reduce the influence of money and criminal, by making it mandatory to produce an affidavit giving details of property and criminal cases pending.
• The Election Commission passed an order making it necessary for political parties to hold their organizational election and file their income tax returns.
SAQ
1
Describe any five major functions of political parties.
Answer
Functions of political parties:
• Parties contest elections.
• They put forward policies and programmes.
• Parties play a decisive role in making laws.
• Parties form and run government.
• Defeated parties in the election play its role of opposition to the parties in power.
LAQ
2
How do money and muscle power play an important role in elections? Explain.
Answer
Money and muscle power play an important role in elections because:
• Role of money and muscle power in parties especially during elections is growing.
• Parties tend to nominate those candidates who have or can raise lots of money.
• Rich people and companies who give funds to the parties tend to have influence on the policies and decisions of the party.
• In some cases, parties support criminals who can win election.
• Democrats all over the world are worried over the increasing role of rich people and big companies in democratic politics.
LAQ
3
Explain two functions each of the ruling party as well of the opposition parties.
Answer
Functions of the ruling parties:
• They play a major role in making laws for the country.
• They form the government and run the country.
• They recruit leaders, train them and then make ministers to run the government.
Functions of the opposition parties:
• They oppose the government by voicing different views.
• They criticize government for its failure and wrong policies.
• They mobilize opposition to the government.
LAQ
4
What do you understand by the bi-party system? Write its one merit and one demerit.
Answer
Bi-party system:
• In some countries, power usually changes between two main parties. It is also known as two party system.
• In this system, the government is formed by one party and the other plays the role of opposition.
Merit: This system allows stability of government as no coalition is there.
Demerit: In this system, only two main parties have a serious chance of winning majority seats to form the government.
LAQ
5
Name the national political party which gets inspiration from India’s ancient culture and values. Mention four features of that party.
Answer
‘Bharatiya Janata Party’ (BJP) gets inspiration from India’s ancient culture and values.
Four important features:
• Cultural nationalism or ‘Hindutva’ is an important element in its conception of Indian nationhood and politics.
• The party wants full territorial and political integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India.
• A uniform civil code for all people living in the country irrespective of religion and ban on religious conversions.
• Its support base increased substantially in the 1990s.
LAQ
6
Suggest and explain any five measures to reform political parties.
Answer
Effective measures to reform political parties are:
• A law should be made to regulate the internal affairs of political parties.
• It should be made compulsory for political parties to maintain a register of its members.
• It should be made mandatory for political parties to give a minimum number of tickets; about 1/3rd to its women candidates.
• There should be a quota for women in the decision making bodies of the party.
• There should be state funding of elections.
• The government should give parties money to support their election expenses in kind. For example petrol, paper, telephone, etc., or in cash.
LAQ
7
Explain any four problem areas in the working of political parties.
Answer
• Lack of internal democracy: The first challenge is lack of internal democracy within parties. Concentration of power in one or few leaders at the top.
• Dynastic succession: Favour people close to them or even their family members. In many parties, the top positions are always controlled by members of one family.
• Money and muscle power: The third challenge is about growing role of money and muscle power in parties, especially during elections.
• Meaningful choice: The fourth challenge is that very often parties do not seem to offer a meaningful choice to the voters.
LAQ
1
“Political parties are a necessary condition for a democracy”. Analyse the statement with examples.
Answer
“Political parties are necessary condition for a democracy” because:
• Without political parties, democracies cannot exist.
• If we do not have political parties; in such a situation every candidate in 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 uncertain.
• Elected representatives will be accountable to their constituency for what they do in their locality.
• But no one will be responsible for how the country will run.
HOTS
2
“Dynastic succession is one of the most serious challenges before the political parties”. Analyse the statement.
Answer
Dynastic succession is one of the most serious challenges before the political parties because:
• Most political parties do not practice open and transparent procedures for their functioning.
• There are few ways for an ordinary worker to rise to the top in a party.
• In many parties, the top positions are always controlled by members of one family.
• This practice is unfair to other members of that party and is also bad for a democracy.
• People who do not have adequate experience or popular support come to occupy position of power.
HOTS