Political Parties

NCERT Exercise

Question 1: Match List I (organisations and struggles) with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:

Answer:

List I	List II
Congress Party	United Progressive Alliance
Bharatiya Janata Party	National Democratic Alliance
Communist Party of India (Marxist)	Left Front
Telugu Desam Party	State Party

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Answer the following questions:

Question 1: State the various functions political parties perform in a democracy

Answer: Functions of political parties are as follows:

1. Political parties contest elections
2. They form and run governments
3. A party which loses the election plays the role of the opposition
4. Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by the government.
5. Parties shape public opinion, formulate laws and make policies

Question 2: What are the various challenges faced by political parties?

Answer: The various challenges faced by political parties are as follows:

1. Lack of internal democracy
2. Dynastic succession
3. Money and muscle power
4. Being a meaningful choice

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Question 3: Suggest some reforms to strengthen parties so that they perform their functions well?

Answer: Some suggestions for future reforms of political parties are as follows:

• A law should be made to regulate the internal affairs of political parties.
• It should be made mandatory for political parties to give a minimum number of tickets, about one-third, to women candidates.
• There should be state funding of elections. The government should give parties money to support their election expenses. This support could be given in kind: petrol, paper, telephone etc. Or it could be given in cash on the basis of the votes secured by the party in the last election.

Question 4: What is a political party?

Answer: A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government.

Question 5: What are the characteristics of a political party?

Answer: Parties reflect fundamental political divisions in a society. Parties are about a part of the society and thus involve PARTISANSHIP. Thus a party is known by which part it stands for, which policies it supports and whose interests it upholds. A political party has three components, viz. leaders, active members and followers.

Question 6: A group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government is called a _____________________.

Answer: Political Party

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Question 7: Who among the following is the founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party?

1. Kanshi Ram
2. Sahu Maharaj
3. B.R. Ambedker
4. Jotiba Phule

Answer: (a) Kanshi Ram

Question 8: What is the guiding philosophy of the Bharatiya Janata Party?

1. Bahujan Samaj
2. Revolutionary democracy
3. Integral humanism
4. Modernity

Answer: (d) Modernity

Question 9: Consider the following statements on parties.

1. Political parties do not enjoy much trust among the people.
2. Parties are often rocked by scandals involving top party leaders.
3. Parties are not necessary to run governments.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

1. a, b, and c
2. a and b
3. b and c
4. a and c

Answer: (ii) a and b

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