Question 27.
Explain how the relationship between political parties and pressure groups can take different forms?
Year of Question :(2011)

Answer: The relationship between political parties and pressure groups can take different forms, some direct and others very indirect. 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 organizations in India are either established by or affiliated to one or the other major political party

Sometimes political parties grow out of movements. For example, the Assam Movement led by students against the foreigners led to the formation of the Asom Gana Parishad. The roots of parties like the DMK and the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu can be traced to social reform movement during the 1930s and 1940s. When the relationship between parties and interest groups is not so direct they often take positions opposed to each other. Yet they are in dialogue and negotiation. New issues raised by movements have been taken up by political parties

Question 28.
"The struggle of the Nepali people is a source of inspiration to democrats all over the world." Support the statement.?
Year of Question :(2015)

Answer:

• The Nepalese movement for democracy arose with the specific objective of reversing the kings order that led to suspension of democracy
• The movement of 2006 was aimed at regaining popular control over the government from the king
• The popular struggle in Nepal involved many organisations other than political parties like the SPA or the Nepalese Communist Party
• All major political parties in the Parliament formed a Seven Party Alliance (SPA) and called a four day strike in Kathmandu. This strike turned into an indefinite strike in which the Maoists and other insurgent groups joined hands
• All the major labour unions and their federations joined the movement. Many other organisations of the indigenous people, teachers, lawyers and human rights groups extended support to the movement
• The movement put forward three demands
• Restoration of Parliament
• Power to an all-party government
• A new Constituent Assembly
• The number of protesters reached between three to five lakhs. They stuck to their demands and the king was forced to concede to all three demands. On 24th April, the SPA chose Girija Prasad Koirala as the new Prime Minister of the interim government

Question 29.
What are sectional interest groups? Describe their functioning.?
Year of Question :(2016)

Answer: Sectional interest groups are the groups that seek to promote the interests of a particular section or a group of society. For example, FEDECOR (Bolivian organisation). Functioning

• They perform a meaningful role in countering the undue influence of other groups
• They create awareness about the needs and concerns of their own society

Question 30.
What is the difference between pressure group and a political party?
Year of Question :(2011)

Answer: Pressure groups Political parties

Question 31.
What are public interest pressure groups? Describe their functioning. ?
Year of Question :(2011)

Answer: Public Interest Groups are those that promote collective rather than selective interests. Their functioning is as follows

• It aims to help groups other than their own members
• They represent some common interest that needs to be defended
• The members of the organization may not benefit from the cause that the organization represents. For example, a group fighting against bonded labour fights not for itself but for those who are suffering under such bondage. E.g., BAMCEF

Question 32.
What was common to the democratic struggles in Poland, Nepal and Bolivia?
Year of Question :(2011)

Answer: The struggles in all the three countries relate to establishing and restoring democracy. The success of peoples struggle is a reminder that popular struggles are integral to the working of democracy. The democratic struggle in Poland, Nepal and Bolivia share some elements

• The popular struggle in the form of protest turned into indefinite strike
• Struggle involved mass mobilisation
• Political conflict led to popular struggle
• Political organisations played a critical role

Long Answer Questions (LA)

Question 33.
Explain how the activities of pressure groups are useful in the functioning of a democratic government?
Year of Question :(2011)

Answer: Pressure groups and movements have deepened democracy. A democracy must look after the interest of all, not just one section. Putting pressure on the government is a healthy activity in a democracy so long as everyone gets this opportunity. Public interest groups or pressure groups perform a useful role of countering the undue influence of the rich and powerful people on the government and reminding the government of the needs and concerns of ordinary citizens. Where different groups function actively, no single group can achieve dominance over society. The government listens to what different sections of the population want. These activities of pressure groups lead to a rough balance of power and accommodation of conflicting interests in a democracy. In a democracy, conflict is resolved through mass mobilisation and it is these pressure groups who make spontaneous public participation effective

Question 34.
The movement in Nepal and the struggle in Bolivia have some elements relevant to the study of democracy. Explain these elements?
Year of Question :(2011)

Answer: The movement in Nepal was to establish democracy, while the struggle in Bolivia involved claims on an elected democratic government. Despite the differences, both these struggles share some elements relevant to study of democracies

• Both these are instances of political conflict that led to popular struggles. The Nepalese movement arose with the specific objective of reversing the Kings order that led to the dismissal of the Prime Minister and the dissolution of the popularly elected Parliament. In Bolivia, the struggle was against the privatization and increase in prices of water after the government sold these rights to an MNC
• In both cases, the struggle involved mass mobilization. The popular struggle in the form of a protest turned into an indefinite strike. In Nepal, all major political parties in Parliament formed a Seven Party Alliance and called a four-day strike which turned into an indefinite strike in which the Maoists and insurgent groups joined hands
• In the Bolivian struggle against privatization of water, an alliance of labour human rights and community leaders organized a successful four-day general strike

Question 35.
How do pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics? Explain with examples?
Year of Question :(2015)

Answer: Interest groups and movements do not directly engage in party politics but they seek to exert influence on political parties. They have a political position on major issues and take political stance without being a party. Pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics in the following ways

• They try to gain public support and sympathy for their goals through campaigns, organising meetings, filing petitions and influencing the media for attention
• They organise protest activities like strikes, in order to force the government to take note of their demand
• Business groups employ professionals/lobbyists or sponsor expensive advertisements. Some members from pressure groups participate in official bodies that offer advice to the government
• In some cases 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 such as NSUI, ABVP in India are either established or affiliated to one or the other major political party
• Sometimes political parties grow out of movements. For example, the roots of 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 36.
"The democracy has been evolved through struggles and movements all over the world." Support the statement with examples?
Year of Question :(2015)

Answer:

• Democracy has evolved through struggles and movements all over the world. The struggles in Poland, Nepal and Bolivia all relate to establishing and restoring democracy. The struggled in these countries is a reminder that popular struggles are integral to the working of democracy
• The role of popular struggle does not come to an end with the establishment of democracy. Democracy involves conflict of interests and viewpoints. These views are expressed in organised ways through which ordinary citizens can play a role in democracy
• In a democracy, several different kinds of organisations work behind any big struggle. These organisations influence the decisions in a democracy either by creating parties, contesting elections and forming government. They promote the interest and viewpoints of citizens in a democracy through interest groups or pressure groups
• Democracy evolves through popular struggle. Some major decisions may take place through consensus. But some decisions involve conflict between the groups who have exercised power and those who aspire to share power. Here the popular struggle helps in the expansion of democracy

Question 37.
What is the difference between movements and interest groups?
Year of Question :(2011)

Answer: Difference between Movements and Interest groups

Question 38.
Describe the popular struggle against privatization of water in Bolivia.?
Year of Question :(2011)

Answer: Bolivia, a poor country in Latin America, witnessed popular struggle against privatization of water

• The World Bank had pressurised the elected democratic government to give up its control of municipal water supply. The government sold these rights for the city of Cochambamba to a multinational company (MNC)
• The MNC immediately increased the price of water by four times. This led to a spontaneous popular protest. The mass struggle was not led by any political party
• A new alliance of labour human rights and community leaders organized a successful four-day general strike in the city in January 2000
• Ultimately the government agreed to negotiate and the strike was called off. But yet nothing happened
• Later on, an organization comprising local professionals, engineers, environmentalists, farmers, confederation of factory workers union, middle class students and street children formed the FEDECOR. They called another strike in April and the government imposed martial law
• But the power of the people forced the officials of the MNC to free the city and made the government concede to the demands of the protesters
• Lastly, the contract with the MNC was cancelled and water supply was restored to the municipality at old rates. This came to be known as Bolivias Water War