Chapter-21 Political Parties and Pressure Groups

Political party

• A Political party can be described as an

organized group of people

who share common principles and goals

in a political system.

Need for Political parties

• 1. Democracies can function only when there is a competitive political party system.

• 2. Political parties help in making the institution of the government democratic.

• 3. They educate people and encourage them to participate in the process of election and

• 4. Teach them to make the correct decisions.

Characteristics of a political party

• 1. A political party is an organized group of people.

• 2. They share common principles and goals.

• 3. Their members share same views on matters of public matters.

• 4. They try to seek control of the government through the process of election.

• 5. They try to fulfil their promises to the people through government actions.

Functions and roles of a political party• 1. They nominate a candidate for elections.• 2. They campaign to get support for their candidate in the elections.• 3. If they are able to get the majority in the election they form the

government.• 4. They try to fulfil their promises to the people through

government actions.• 5. If they have not able to get the majority in the election they form

the opposition in the legislature and put pressure on the government.

• 6. They help in the law making process the rough debates with the members of the legislative.

• 7. They put the people’s demands in front of the government for action.

• 8. They act as a link between the government and the people.

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Type of political party system in India

• The Indian party system is not

• a one –party system

• nor a bi-party system or

• a multiparty system

– because the national political parties depend upon the regional political parties to stay in power at the Centre.

Features of India’s party system• 1. The party system has a multiplicity of political

parties competing to attain powers at the centre and the state.

• 2. The regional parties have come to play an important role in the formations of the government in the centre.

• 3. Coalition government has become a feature of our party system because no single party wins the majority at the elections.

• 4. Due to coalition government the ideas of the parties clash sometimes.

The kinds of political parties in India

• There are two kinds of political parties:-• 1. National party: - Parties that have influence over the whole

country are called National Parties They have got 4% votes in at least four states.

• For e.g.:- Bhartiya Janata party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Nationalist Congress Party(NCP), Communist party of India (CPI) etc.

• 2. Regional party: - Parties that are popular in a state and have received certain amount of votes in a state are called regional parties.

• For eg:- Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, Telegu Desam in Andhra Pradesh, Akali Dal in Punjab etc.

1. The Indian National congress:

• Founded in Bombay in 1885.

• The Indian National Congress played a leading role in India’s freedom struggle.

• It plays an important role in the centre as well as the state.

• The congress party is committed to

– democracy, secularism and socialism.

• It is open to

– privatization, liberalization and globalization

It works for the welfare of the weaker section of the society.

2. The Bharatiya Janata Party:

• Founded in 1980.

• It plays an important role in the centre as well as the state.

• The Party stands for

– nationalism and national integration,

– democracy, secularism,

– Gandhian socialism, and value based politics.

3. The Communist Parties:

• The major communist parties in India are – the communist Party of India (CPI), founded in

Kanpur in 1925

– and the Marxist (CPI M) 1964.

• The Communist parties have been workers and peasant parities.

• They are based on Marxism and Leninism.

• They stand for Socialism, Socialist ownership of industries, agrarian reforms, rural upliftment and self-reliant economy.

• They are opposed to capiltalism, imperialism and globalization.

4. The Bahujan Samaj Party :

• It was founded in 1984.

• It claims to be the party of the deprived sections of the Indian society :

– the poor, landless, the unemployed and the Dalit’s.

• It draws its ideas from the teachings of

– Sahu Maharaj,

– Jyotiba Phule, and

– Dr. Ambedkar.

• It works on the principle of – Sarvajan Hitay,

– Sarvajan Sukhay.

• Kanshi Ram was the leader in the start.

5. Regional Political Parties :

• Regional political parties rise to fulfil regional requirements.

• They were popular in their own states.

• They helped national political parties to form coalition governments at the centre.

• This has led to the centre trying to solve the problems at the state also.

All India Trinamool Congress:Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

Interest group

An interest group

• Interest groups are organized groups of people who :

• 1. Are well organized

• 2. Have common interests

• 3. They seek to attain, protest and promote their interests.

A pressure group

• A Pressure group is an interest group which exerts pressure on the government for the fulfilment of their interests.

• 1. Pressure groups are not political in nature.

• 2. They do not seek direct power.

• 3. They do not contest elections.

• 4. Their interest is specific and particular and not national and international like the political parties.

Pressure group

Difference between pressure groups and interest groups

• A Pressure group is an interest group which exerts pressure on the government for the fulfilment of their interests.

• Pressure groups are different from interest groups as interest groups may exist without even exerting pressure on the government.

Techniques used by the Pressure groups

• Three ways used by the pressure groups to exert pressure are: – appeals,

– petitions and

– demonstrations.

• They also write in the media and publications.

• They carry out non-violent protests.

• At times they also resort to strikes and boycott.

Roles of the Pressure groups

• The Pressure groups play an important role in a democracy.

• 1. They help promote, discuss and debate public opinion and public issues.

• 2. They educate people and widen their vision.• 3. They help in bringing changes in public policies.• 4. They research on issues and collect required

data’s.• 5. They reach out to the people and provide a

channel to express their view.

few pressure groups in India.

• Traditional groups : E.g. Anglo-Indian Christian Association

• Caste groups : E.g. Brahmin Sabha, Nair Sabha.

• Language groups : Tamil Sangh

• Institutional groups: E.g. Civil Service Association

• Civil Society organisations: E.g. Mazdoor KisanShakti Sanghathan.

• Leaders Organisation• Aruna Roy Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghathan• Got the government to bring the law on • ‘Right to information’• Ela Bhatt Self employed Women’s Association(SEWA)• Has influence the government to improve its

policies on the rights of women workers• Anna Hazare India against corruption• Medha Patkar Narmada Bachao Andolan.• Apunba Lup North East state of Manipur – Students

organisation• Meira Paibis North East state of Manipur – women’s group• Irom Sharmila Wants the government to stop violence in her

state• She has not eaten for 11 years she is forced-fed

through a tube.