NCERT Solutions For Class 10 Political Science: Political Parties

Summary of the Chapter

The chapter "Political Parties" explains the role and importance of political parties in a democracy. It begins by defining what political parties are and why they are necessary in democratic systems. The chapter discusses the functions of political parties, including contesting elections, making policies, forming governments, and playing the role of opposition. It covers different types of party systems - one-party, two-party, and multi-party systems - with examples from various countries.

The chapter then focuses on the national and state political parties in India, their recognition criteria, and their roles. It examines the challenges faced by political parties, such as lack of internal democracy, dynastic succession, money power, and lack of meaningful choice. Finally, the chapter suggests various reforms to make political parties more democratic and responsive to people's needs.

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NCERT Textbook Questions and Answers

Exercises (Page 87)

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

Answer-
Political parties perform various important functions in a democracy:

1.Contest elections: Parties nominate their candidates to contest elections.

2.Make policies: Parties put forward different policies and programmes for voters to choose from.

3.Make laws: Parties play a decisive role in making laws for the country.

4.Form and run government: Parties form the government and run it according to their policies.

5.Play opposition role: Parties that lose elections form the opposition and voice different views.

6.Shape public opinion: Parties raise and highlight issues of public importance.

7.Provide access to government machinery: Parties help people access government welfare schemes.

8.Represent social groups: Parties represent different social groups and communities.

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

Answer-
Political parties face several challenges:

1.Lack of internal democracy: Power is concentrated in the hands of a few leaders.

2.Dynastic succession: Top positions are often held by members of one family.

3.Growing role of money and muscle power: Parties use money and force to win elections.

4.No meaningful choice: Parties do not offer significantly different policies to voters.

5.Corruption: Many parties are involved in corrupt practices.

6.Criminalization: Candidates with criminal background get party tickets.

7.Defection: Elected representatives change parties for personal benefits.

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

Answer-
Some suggested reforms to strengthen political parties:

1.Law to regulate internal affairs: Parties should maintain membership registers and hold organizational elections.

2.Quota for women candidates: Parties should give one-third tickets to women candidates.

3.State funding: Government should fund elections to reduce money power.

4.People's participation: People should put pressure on parties to reform themselves.

5.Transparency in funding: Parties should disclose sources of funding.

6.Anti-defection law: The law should be strengthened to prevent defections.

7.Proportional representation: This system can ensure better representation.

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. They agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promote collective good. A political party has three components:

• The leaders
• The active members
• The followers

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

Answer-
The characteristics of a political party are:

1.Seeking power: Parties aim to secure political power through elections.

2.Policy formulation: Parties have their own policies and programmes.

3.Organization: Parties have their own organizational structure.

4.Party ideology: Parties have certain basic ideological positions.

5.Public support: Parties seek public support through elections.

6.Constitutional means: Parties use constitutional means to achieve their objectives.

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

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

Codes:
(a) 1-C, 2-A, 3-D, 4-B
(b) 1-C, 2-A, 3-B, 4-D
(c) 1-C, 2-B, 3-D, 4-A
(d) 1-D, 2-C, 3-A, 4-B

Answer-
(a) 1-C, 2-A, 3-D, 4-B

1. Congress Party - C. United Progressive Alliance
2. Bharatiya Janata Party - A. National Democratic Alliance
3. Communist Party of India (Marxist) - D. Left Front
4. Telugu Desam Party - B. State party

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

Answer-
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

Answer-
C. Integral humanism

Question 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 C

Answer-
(b) A and B
A. Political parties do not enjoy much trust among the people - CORRECT
B. Parties are often rocked by scandals involving top party leaders - CORRECT
C. Parties are not necessary to run governments - INCORRECT

Question 11: Read the following passage and answer the questions given below:
"Political parties are a necessary condition for a democracy". Analyse the statement.

Answer-
The statement "Political parties are a necessary condition for a democracy" is absolutely correct because:

1.Representative democracy: In large democracies, it's impossible to have direct democracy. Parties represent people's interests.

2.Policy formulation: Parties put forward different policies and programmes for people to choose from.

3.Government formation: Parties form governments and implement their policies.

4.Opposition role: Parties that lose elections play the role of opposition and keep check on government.

5.Political education: Parties educate people about national issues and political processes.

6.Aggregation of interests: Parties aggregate various interests and demands of different groups.

Without political parties, democracy cannot function effectively as there would be no organized way to form governments, make policies, or provide political leadership.

Question 12: Match the following:

Answer-

1. Indian National Congress - B. A.O. Hume
2. Bharatiya Janata Party - C. Syama Prasad Mukherjee
3. Bahujan Samaj Party - A. Kanshi Ram
4. Communist Party of India - D. M.N. Roy

Additional Questions

Question 13: Explain the different types of party systems with examples.

Answer-

Question 14: What are the criteria for a party to be recognized as a national party?

Answer-
A party is recognized as a national party if it satisfies any of the following conditions:

1.Election performance: It wins 2% of seats in Lok Sabha from at least three different states.

2.Vote share: In a general election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly, the party polls 6% of votes in four states and wins 4 Lok Sabha seats.

3.State party status: It is recognized as a state party in at least four states.

4.Seat share: It wins at least 2% of total Lok Sabha seats and these seats are from at least three states.

Question 15: Compare the characteristics of national and state parties.

Answer-

Question 16: Explain the role of opposition parties in a democracy.

Answer-
Opposition parties play crucial roles in a democracy:

1.Check on government: They keep check on the ruling party and prevent misuse of power.

2.Alternative policies: They provide alternative policies and programmes.

3.Criticism: They criticize government policies and expose shortcomings.

4.Public voice: They voice people's grievances and demands.

5.Parliamentary control: They participate in parliamentary committees and debates.

6.Prepare for government: They prepare themselves to form the next government.

7.Protect democracy: They protect democratic principles and constitutional values.

Question 17: What are the major national political parties in India? Mention their main ideologies.

Answer-

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Important Keywords from the Chapter

• Political Party: A group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power
• Ruling Party: The political party that runs the government
• Opposition Party: Political parties that are not part of the ruling coalition
• One-party System: A system where only one party is allowed to control and run the government
• Two-party System: A system where power usually changes between two main parties
• Multi-party System: A system where more than two parties compete for power
• National Party: A party that is recognized in four or more states
• State Party: A party that is recognized in a particular state only
• Alliance: When several parties join hands for contesting elections
• Front: A group of parties working together in elections
• Defection: Changing party allegiance from the party on which a person got elected
• Affidavit: A signed document submitted to officer where person makes sworn statement
• Partisan: A person who is strongly committed to a party, group or faction
• Ideology: A system of ideas and ideals forming the basis of economic or political theory
• Election Symbol: A standard symbol allocated to a political party