CBSE Class 10 - Political Science - CH6 Political Parties

Q & As

Q1: What is a political party?

Answer: A political party is a group of people who come together and participate in political campaigns, contest elections, form and run governments by holding power in the government.


Q2: What are the components of a political party?

Answer: A political party has following three components:

1. the leader
2. active members 
3. followers

Q3: State the various functions political parties perform in a democracy?

Answer: Main functions performed by a political party are:

1. It agrees collectively on various social policies and promote its programmes.
2. It seeks to implement these policies by winning public support through political campaigns.
3. It participates and contest elections.
4. It plays a decisive role in law making.
5. It plays a role of opposition and exercise check on the government (or ruling party).

Q4: Why don't parties give enough tickets to women? Is that due to lack of internal democracy?

Answer: Following are the main reasons parties don't give enough tickets to women:

• It reflects the patriarchal mentality of the Indian society. Most of the political parties think women  should do household chores and they can't contest elections.
• Due to patriarchal Indian society, many political parties fear that they will lose elections if women are given tickets to contest.
• A many male members of the political parties believe if tickets are given to women, steadily the power will go in hands of these women.

Yes the above said points truly say it is due to the lack of internal democracy.

Q5: What are the various challenges faced by political parties?

Answer: Challenges faced by political parties are:

1. Lack of Internal democracy: The decision making authority is concentrated to few top leaders of the political party. The parties do not conduct elections for top level positions. The parties lack internal democracy due to which many prospective leaders are deprived of their rights. 
2. Dynasty Succession: In many parties, the top position or leadership are managed by members of a family. To contest general elections, tickets are given to the relatives and family members. There have been dynastic successions in the political parties. This keeps the parties deprived of apt leadership.
3. Muscle power and Criminalization: The parties sometimes, indulge in the use of money and muscle power to win elections at any cost. Tickets are given to history sheeters. No doubt it is against the spirit of democracy.
4. Lack of Ideological Differences and Political Values: There are not much ideological differences among the various parties. So, there is a lack of meaningful choices before the voters. Many a times the political leaders keep on shifting from one party to another.
5. Lack of Political Socialization: There is lack of learning process among the political parties due to which polarization of social and political issues occur. For example many regional parties confine to local issues for their vested interests. It hampers the smooth functioning of political system.  

(In progress...)