Political Parties Class 10 Notes Civics Chapter 6

In our country, there exist various political parties participating in elections. This diversity is beneficial for our nation as it allows citizens to make informed decisions. Furthermore, it encourages political parties to improve their strategies and policies to gain public support and govern effectively. Thus, political parties play a crucial role in the democratic process. Now, let’s delve deeper into understanding what exactly a political party is and why it holds significance in our society.

A party that secures at least 6 percent of the total votes in Lok Sabha elections or Assembly Elections in four States and wins at least four seats in the Lok Sabha, is recognized as a ‘National party’.

Also Check: NCERT Solutions for Class 10 History Chapter 2 – Nationalism in India

Functions of a Political Party

1. In a democratic setup, political parties participate in elections by nominating candidates. In some countries like the USA, these candidates are chosen by party members and supporters, while in others like India, they are selected by top party leaders.
2. Each party has its own set of policies and programs, and voters decide which party aligns with their preferences. When people with similar opinions come together to form a party, they collectively influence government policies.
3. After elections, the winning party forms the government, while the losing parties become the opposition. The opposition provides a different perspective and critiques the government’s actions.
4. Political parties play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and often collaborate with pressure groups to address people’s issues through movements.
5. Moreover, parties facilitate access to government resources and welfare programs. Local party leaders act as intermediaries between citizens and government officials, ensuring effective communication and resolution of local concerns.

Also Check: Social Science Class 10 Important Questions Economics Chapter 2

Importance of Political Parties

• In an upcoming election, each contender would be an independent candidate. However, an individual candidate lacks the capability to guarantee significant policy alterations to the populace. Consequently, in such a situation, no single person would be held accountable for governing the nation.
• Over time, only a representative democracy can endure. Political parties serve as entities that collect diverse perspectives on different matters and convey them to the government.

Party System

• One-Party System: In a one-party system, there exists no competition. Instead, a single party selects the candidates, leaving voters with limited options:

1. They can choose not to vote at all.
2. Or they can express their opinion by writing ‘yes’ or ‘no’ against the candidates chosen by the party.

This type of political setup is often seen in authoritarian regimes and communist nations like China, North Korea, and Cuba. Before the fall of communism, similar systems were also seen in the USSR.

Also Check: CBSE Class 10 Print Culture and Modern World Social Sciences

• Two-Party System: In a two-party system, the control moves between two main parties that are most powerful. To win elections, a candidate needs to get the most votes. However, it’s important to understand that getting the most votes doesn’t necessarily mean getting the majority of votes.As a result, smaller parties often join forces with larger parties or decide not to participate in the elections at all. This type of political system is seen in countries like Canada and Great Britain, where two parties hold the most seats in the parliament.
• Multi-Party System: The third and most common type of government is known as the multi-party system. In this system, there are three or more political parties that have the potential to take charge of the government either on their own or by forming alliances.When no single party secures a clear majority of seats in the legislative body, multiple parties may come together to create a coalition government. For instance, India operates under a multi-party system. However, some argue that having multiple parties often results in political instability within a country.This form of government is a crucial topic of study for students, especially at the class 10 level, as it helps them understand how political systems function and the potential challenges they may face.

Tabulate four national parties and four regional parties of India

National Parties

1. Indian National Congress
2. BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)
3. CPI (Communist Party of India)
4. CPI (M) (Communist Party of India —Marxist)

Regional Parties

1. Akali Dal (Punjab)
2. DMK (Tamil Nadu)
3. RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) (Bihar)
4. Shiv Sena (Maharashtra)

Also Check: Social Science Class 10 Important Questions Geography Chapter 1

Components of a political party are:

• The leaders,
• active members and
• the followers.

Partisanship

A partisan is a person who is strongly committed to a party, group or faction. As parties (political) are about a part of the society, they involve ‘partisanship’.

NCERT Class 10 Social Science: Political Science

Role of an opposition party

Opposition parties mobilize opposition to the government. It puts forward its own views in Parliament and criticizes the government for its failures. By doing this, it keeps a check on the ruling party.

Source of inspiration of Bharatiya Janata Party

The source of inspiration of Bharatiya Janata Party is the ancient Indian culture and values. Cultural nationalism (Hindutva) is an important element in its conception of Indian nationhood and politics.

The Bahujan Samaj Party draws inspiration from the ideas and teachings of Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Periyar Ramaswami Naicker and Babasaheb Ambedkar. It stands for the interest and welfare of the dalits and other oppressed people.

Ideology of Indian National Congress

Under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, the Indian National Congress sought to build a modem secular democratic republic in India. The party propagates secularism and welfare of the weaker sections and minorities of society. It supports new economic reforms but with a human face.

There are three kinds of party systems as given below:

1. One-party system. In some countries only one party is allowed to control and run the government. For example, in China only the Communist Party is allowed to rule.
2. Two-party system. In this system, several parties may exist, contest the elections and win a few seats in the national legislatures. But only two main parties have a serious chance of winning majority of seats to form government. For example, The USA and the UK.
3. Multi-party system. In this system, the government is formed by various parties coming together in a coalition. When several parties in a multi-party system join hands for the purpose of contesting elections and winning power, it is called an alliance or a front.

For example, in India there were three major alliances in 2004 parliamentary elections—the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Left Front. This system on one hand leads to political instability but at the same time, allows for a variety of interests and opinions to enjoy political representation.

NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science Chapter 6 Political Parties

How to reform political parties?

1. The Constitution has been amended to prevent elected MLAs and MPs from changing parties. Now if any elected MLA or MP changes his party, he/she will lose his/her seat in the Legislative Assembly or Parliament. This amended law has helped to bring down the number of defections.
2. The Supreme Court has passed an order to reduce the influence of money and criminals. Now it has become mandatory for every candidate, who contests election, to file an affidavit giving details of his assets and criminal cases pending against him. This has helped in making this information available to the public.
3. The Election Commission has passed an order making it necessary for political parties to hold their organisational elections and file their Income-tax Returns.

Role of money and muscle power grows during elections

Since focus of the parties is on winning elections, they use shortcuts to win the elections. They nominate candidates who have or can raise lot of money. In some cases, parties support criminals who can win elections. Thus the role of rich people and big companies in the democratic process has been a cause of worry.

Dynastic succession

Most political parties do not practice open and transparent procedures for their functioning. So there are very few ways for an ordinary worker to rise to the top in a party. Those who happen to be the leaders are in a position of unfair advantage as they favor people close to them or even their family members.

In many parties, the top positions are always controlled by members of a particular family, which is unfair to other members of the party, and bad for democracy.

Functions of Political Party

• Contesting Elections. Political parties contest elections.
• Policies. Political parties put forward different policies and programmes so that the voters can choose from them. The policies and programmes of the Ruling Party are expected to be followed by . the government.
• Making Law. Political parties play a decisive role in making laws for the country.
• Formation of Government. Political parties form and run governments. The executive body is formed by people from the ruling party.
• Playing Opposition. A party which does not get majority or come under the majority coalition, needs to play the role of opposition.
• Shaping Public Opinion. Political parties shape public opinion. They do so by raising and highlighting issues in the legislature and in the media.
• Providing Access to Government Machinery. Political parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by governments.

Also Check: Class 10 History Social Science Chapter 5 : Print Culture and the Modern World

Political Parties Class 10 FAQs

What are Political Parties?

Political parties are organized groups of people with similar political ideologies and goals, working together to influence government policies and gain political power.

Why are Political Parties important?

Political parties play a crucial role in democratic systems as they provide a platform for citizens to participate in the political process, express their views, and choose their representatives.

How do Political Parties function in a democracy?

Political parties function by nominating candidates, contesting elections, formulating policies, and seeking public support to win elections and form the government.

What is the difference between National and Regional Political Parties?

National political parties operate at the national level and contest elections across different states, while regional parties focus on specific states and address regional issues.

How do Political Parties influence public opinion?

Political parties use various strategies like rallies, campaigns, media, and social media to influence public opinion and gain support for their policies and candidates.

What are the challenges faced by Political Parties in a democracy?

Some challenges faced by political parties include corruption, lack of internal democracy, and the need to represent diverse interests while maintaining party unity.

How can students benefit from studying Class 10 Civics Notes on Political Parties?

Studying Class 10 Civics Notes on Political Parties helps students understand the importance of political participation and the functioning of democratic institutions in a country.