EXERCISE

GIVE VERY SHORT ANSWER

1. Give the name of a country having one party rule
Answer: The document mentions that communist countries like China have a one-party system.

2. What is the party system that is found in the United States Of America?
Answer: A bi-party system is found in countries like the U.S.A. and England.

3. Mention the two characteristics of political party.
Answer: Two essential characteristics of a political party are:

1. Organization
2. Principle, ideals, and planning

4. Mention a chief function of political party.
Answer: A chief function of a political party is to educate the public by providing political instructions.

5. Mention the name of a regional party of Assam.
Answer: The Asom Gana Parishad is a significant regional political party in Assam.

6. What is the name of the chief regional party of Jharkhand?
Answer: The chief regional party of Jharkhand mentioned is the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.

7. Give the full term of UPA.
Answer: The full term for UPA is United Progressive Alliance.

8. Which is the first political party of India?
Answer: The first political party of India was the Indian National Congress, which was established in 1885.

9. Under whose leadership the Indian Association was formed?
Answer: The Indian Association was formed under the leadership of Surendranath Banerjee in 1876.

10. Who was the first President of the Indian National Congress?
Answer: The first president of the Indian National Congress was Woomesh Chandra Banerjee.

GIVE SHORT ANSWER

1. What is the chief characteristic of the Indian political system?
Answer: The chief characteristic of the Indian political system is the multi-party system. The document states that the multi-party system that exists in India is considered the actual democratic system.

2. Which party system is particularly useful for a democratic state?
Answer: The document mentions that the multi-party system, which exists in many countries like India, is considered the actual democratic system. It is also stated that democracy is more stable and strong in a state with a bi-party system compared to a multi-party system.

3. Mention four chief characteristics of political party.
Answer: Four chief characteristics of a political party in a democratic state are:

1. Organization
2. Principle, ideals, and planning
3. Aspiration for capturing power
4. Regards for national interest

4. Give the name of five regional political parties of India.
Answer: Five regional political parties of India mentioned in the document are:

1. DMK (Tamilnadu)
2. Telugu Desam (Andhra Pradesh)
3. Akalidal (Punjab)
4. Asom Gana Parishad (Assam)
5. Mizo National Front (Mizoram)

5. What is meant by the term Alliance government?
Answer: An Alliance or Coalition government is formed when a single political party fails to get an absolute majority in a general election. In such a situation, a few like-minded political parties come together to form a government. These parties might have different ideals but they make compromises and adjustments to a common program to capture power and form the government.

GIVE LONG ANSWER

1. What is meant by Alliance government?
Answer: An Alliance or Coalition government is formed when a single political party fails to secure an absolute majority in a general election. In such a scenario, several like-minded political parties join forces to form a government. While these parties may have different ideals, they agree to a common program to form the government. The concept of an alliance government is not old in India. The first one was formed in 1977 under the Prime Ministership of Morarji Desai, and since 1989, it has been a frequent feature in Indian politics.

2. Discuss two merits and two demerits of the Coalition or the Alliance government.
Answer: Merits of Alliance Government are :

1. Situational necessity: An alliance government becomes necessary when no single party gets an absolute majority. It helps to maintain political stability and avoids frequent elections, thus saving time and money.
2. Checks autocracy: Unlike single-party governments, alliance governments are less likely to become autocratic. Decisions are taken collectively after discussion with all parties, which prevents misuse of power.

Demerits of Alliance Government are :

1. Instability: Alliance governments are often unstable because parties may withdraw their support at any time if their demands are not met. This can lead to the fall of the government before completing its term.
2. Weak decision-making: Such governments are usually weak and slow in decision-making, as they have to satisfy the interests of all coalition partners. This often prevents bold or long-term policies from being implemented.

3. Discuss the role of the opposition in democracy.
Answer: The role of the opposition is very significant for a successful democracy. Without a strong opposition, a democratic state cannot succeed or protect the interests of its people. The main functions of the opposition in a democratic state are:

1. To keep a sharp watch on the government’s activities to ensure the ruling party does not act against national interest.
2. To inspect government schemes and programs, and offer constructive criticism in Parliament to rectify any flaws.
3. To present the hopes and aspirations, as well as the needs of the people, to the government for due consideration.
4. To increase political awareness by providing political education.
5. To hold the government accountable to public opinion.

4. Discuss the main reasons for the birth of the regional parties.
Answer:

Discuss the main reasons for the birth of the regional parties.
Answer: The birth of regional political parties in India is a significant aspect of the political system. The main reasons for their emergence are:

1. Linguistic and religious diversity: India is a country with diverse languages, religions, and cultures. People tend to preserve their own interests and indigenous identity, leading to the formation of regional parties.
2. Insecurity among minorities: A feeling of insecurity among minorities also contributes to the formation of these parties.
3. Centralization of power: The Union government’s policy of centralizing power and gaining sole rights over state resources has led to dissatisfaction and the rise of regional parties.
4. Lack of equal justification: A lack of equal treatment by the Union government towards all states is another reason.

5. Write about the necessity of political parties in a democratic state.
Answer: Political parties are very important for a democratic state to function effectively. They act as a link between the rulers and the people, helping citizens take part in governance. Parties ensure that public opinion is represented in decision-making and policies. Without political parties, democracy cannot work properly, and without democracy, parties lose their purpose. Every democratic state, whether it has two major parties or many, depends on political parties to maintain a strong, fair, and healthy democracy.

6. Mention the characteristics and the functions of the political party.
Answer: The main characteristics of a political party in a democratic state are:

1. Organization
2. Principle, ideals, and planning
3. Aspiration for capturing power
4. Regard for national interest

The main functions of a political party are:

1. To politically educate the masses.
2. To develop political awareness among the people.
3. To transform public opinion into reality.
4. To ensure a conducive atmosphere for people to participate in government formation.

7. Discuss the reasons for getting special significance by the system of the Alliance government at present.
Answer: The Alliance or Coalition government system is gaining importance due to the following reasons:

1. Increase in the number of political parties makes it difficult for a single party to get an absolute majority.
2. Decrease in the significance of a single party makes alliances necessary to form a government.
3. Helps avoid repeated elections, saving large amounts of public money.
4. Ensures proper representation of different regions and communities in the government.