Download NCERT/CBSE Book: Class 10: SocialScience: DemocraticPolitics

How Does Pressure Group Influence Politics?

Pressure groups influence Politics in the following ways:
They indirectly help the candidate.
To create the pressure on government they organized the strike and demonstration.
To get support and sympathy of public they organize various functions.

 

What Is Pressure Groups?

Pressure groups are organisations that attempt to influence government policies.

 

What Do You Know About Public Interest Groups?

They promote collective goods as opposed to selective good. They support or help groups other than their own members.

 

What Do You Understand By Pressure Group? Explain With Example?

Pressure groups are organisations that attempt to influence government policies. Example:
All India Teacher’s Association.
All India Student Union.
All India Trade Association.

 

Who Are Maoist?

The communists who believed in the ideology of Mao, the great leader of the Chinese Revolution were called Maoist.

 

Significance Of The Election Manifesto

It provides the details of programs, policies and objectives of Political Parties.
It shows the Internal and External policies of any party.
It provides the information about post-election operations.
Public can create pressure to government to work accordingly their manifesto.

Pressure Groups & Movements

Pressure groups and movements have deepened democracy.
It reminds the government of the needs and concern of ordinary citizens.
Put pressure on the rulers for the unhealthy activities,
It performs a useful role of the countering undue influence of the rich and powerful people.
One Single group cannot achieve dominance over society.
The government gets to hear about what different sections of the population want.
This leads to a rough balance of power and accommodation of conflicting interests.

One Mark Questions With Answers

1. Give some examples of Movements?
2. Explain the main reason for “Bolivia’s water war’?
3. Name any one political party of India which grew out of a movement.
4. Who are Sectional Interest groups?
5. What is the role of “BAMCEF”?

Answers of 1 Mark Questions

1. Narmada Bachao Andolan, Anti-liquor Movement, Women’s Movement.
2. The Government of Bolivia sold the rights of water supply to a multinational company.
3. Aam Aadmi Party, AIADMK, DMK.
4. They seek to promote the interests of a particular sections of group of society.
5. It is an organization largely made up of government employees that campaigns against caste discrimination.

 

Important Questions On Class 10 Civics Chapter 5

Describe the forms of relationship between pressure groups and political parties?
The relationship between political parties and pressure groups can take different forms.
(i) Pressure groups are often formed and led by politicians and political parties. Most trade unions and students’ organisations in India are either established by, or affiliated to one or the other major political party.
(ii) Political parties sometimes grow out of movements. Parties like DMK and AIADMK were formed this way.
(iii) Many a times, the issues raised by pressure or movement groups are taken up by political parties, leading to a change in the policies of the parties.
 
 
In what ways do pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics?
Pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics in a variety of ways.
(i) They try to gain public support and sympathy for their cause by carrying out information campaigns, organising meetings, filing petitions, etc.
(ii) By organising strikes and disruptions, they seek to make the government take note of their demands.
(iii) They also influence decision-making by lobbying.
(iv) The issues raised by them often influence the policies of political parties.
 
What is a pressure group? Give a few examples.
A pressure group is an organisation which attempts to influence government policies through protests and demonstrations. Pressure groups are formed when people with similar opinions get together for similar objectives. Examples of pressure groups are FEDECOR and BAMCEF.
 
 
What is the difference between a pressure group and a political party?
The major difference between pressure groups and political parties is that unlike political parties, pressure groups do not aim to directly control or share political power.
 
Explain how the activities of pressure groups are useful in the functioning of a democratic government.
Pressure groups are important in the functioning of a democratic government as they provide an opportunity for marginalised people to voice their opinions. In some cases, the government’s opinion might be biased by a small group of rich and powerful people. It is here that pressure groups step in and force the government to make policies which will benefit certain other sections of society as well.
 
 
Fill in the blank: Organisations that undertake activities to promote the interests of specific social sections such as workers, employees, teachers, and lawyers are called _____________ groups.
Organisations that undertake activities to promote the interests of specific social sections such as workers, employees, teachers, and lawyers are called sectional interest groups.
 
What Is The Reason For The Formation By Seven Party Alliance?

All the major political parties in the parliament formed a Seven Party Alliance (SPA) and called for a four-day strike in Kathmandu, the country’s capital. This protest soon turned into an indefinite strike in which MAOIST insurgents and various other organisations joined hands. People defied curfew and took to the streets. The security forces found themselves unable to take on more than a lakh people who gathered almost every day to demand restoration of democracy. The number of protesters reached between three and five lakhs on 21 April and they served an ultimatum to the king. The leaders of the movement rejected the half- hearted concessions made by the king. They stuck to their demands for restoration of parliament, power to an all-party government and a new constituent assembly.

 

What Happen On 24 April 2006, The Last Day In Nepal?

On 24 April 2006, the last day of the ultimatum, the king was forced to concede all the three demands. The SPA chose Girija Prasad Koirala as the new Prime Minister of the interim government. The restored parliament met and passed laws taking away most of the powers of the king. The SPA and the Maoists came to an understanding about how the new Constituent Assembly was going to be elected. In 2008, the monarchy was abolished and Nepal became a federal democratic republic. In 2015, it adopted a new constitution. The struggle of the Nepali people is a source of inspiration to democrats.

 

Who Was Maoists?

Those communists who believe in the ideology of Mao, the leader of the Chinese Revolution. They seek to overthrow the government through an armed revolution so as to establish the rule of the peasants and workers.

 

The Movement For Democracy In Nepal

Nepal witnessed an extraordinary popular movement in April 2006. The movement was aimed at restoring democracy. Nepal, you might recall, was one of the ‘third wave’ countries that had won democracy in 1990. Although the king formally remained the head of the state, the real power was exercised by popularly elected representatives. King Birendra, who has accepted this transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy, was killed in a mysterious massacre of the royal family in 2001. King Gyanendra, the new king of Nepal, was not prepared to accept democratic rule. He took advantage of the weakness and unpopularity of the democratically elected government. In February 2005, the king dismissed the then Prime Minister and dissolved the popularly elected Parliament. The movement of April2006 was aimed at regaining popular control over the government from the king.

 

What Was Conclusion For The Bolivia’s Water War?

In January 2000, a new alliance of labour, human rights and community leaders organised a successful four-day general strike in the city. The government agreed to negotiate and the strike was called off. Yet nothing happened. again in February. Another strike followed in April and the government imposed martial law. But the power of the people forced the officials of the MNC to flee the city and made the government concede to all the demands of the protesters. The contract with the MNC was cancelled and water supply was restored to the municipality at old rates. This came to be known as Bolivia’s water war.

 

What Do You Understand By The Democracy And Popular Struggles?

Democracy evolves through popular struggles. It is possible that some significant decisions may take place through consensus and may not involve any conflict at all. But that would be an exception. Defining moments of democracy usually involve conflict between those groups who have exercised power and those who aspire for a share in power. Democratic conflict is resolved through mass mobilisation. Sometimes it is possible that the conflict is resolved by using the existing institutions like the parliament or the judiciary. But when there is a deep dispute, very often these institutions themselves get involved in the dispute. These conflicts and mobilisations are based on new political organisations True, there is an element of spontaneity in all such historic moments. But the spontaneous public participation becomes effective with the help of organised politics

 

What Are The Reason For Made This Struggles Successful?

The call for indefinite strike was given by the SPA or the Seven Party Alliance in Nepal. This alliance included some big parties that had some members in the Parliament. But the SPA was not the only organisation behind this mass upsurge. The protest was joined by the Nepalese Communist Party (Maoist) which did not believe in parliamentary democracy. This party was involved in an armed struggle against the Nepali government and had established its control over large parts of Nepal. The struggle involved many organisations other than political parties. All the major labour unions and their federations joined this movement. Many other organisations like the organisation of the indigenous people, teachers, lawyers and human rights groups extended support to the movement.

 

The Bolivia’s Water War

 

What Are The Reason For The Success Of Bolivia’s War?

The protest against water privatization in Bolivia was not led by any political party. It was led by an organisation called FEDECOR. This organisation comprised local professionals, including engineers and environmentalists. They were supported by a federation of farmers who relied on irrigation, the confederation of factory workers’ unions, middle class students from the the University of Cochabamba and the city’s growing population of homeless street children. The movement was supported by the Socialist Party. In 2006, this party came to power in Bolivia

 

Which Is Known As Organization Work Behind Any Big Struggle?

One obvious way of influencing the decisions in a democracy is direct participation in competitive politics. This is done by creating parties, contesting elections and forming governments. But every citizen does not participate so directly. They may not have the desire, the need or the skills to take part in direct political activity other than voting. There are many indirect ways in which people can get governments to listen to their demands or their points of view. They could do so by forming an organisation and undertaking activities to promote their interests or their viewpoints. These are called interest groups or pressure groups. Sometimes people decide to act together without forming organisations.

 

Which Struggle Was Called A Movement For Democracy?

We often hear the word people’s movement to describe many forms of collective action: Narmada Bachao Andolan, Movement for Right to Information, Anti-liquor Movement, Women’s Movement, Environmental Movement. Like an interest group, a movement also attempts to influence politics rather than directly take part in electoral competition. But unlike the interest groups, movements have a loose organisation. Their decision making is more informal and flexible.

 

The Pressure Groups And Movements

Pressure groups are organisations that attempt to influence government policies. But unlike political parties, pressure groups do not aim to directly control or share political power. These organisations are formed when people with common occupation, interest, aspirations or opinions come together in order to achieve a common objective.

 

What Was Sectional Interest Groups And Public Interest Groups?

The interests of a particular section or group of society. Trade unions, business associations and professional (lawyers, doctors, teachers, etc.) bodies are some examples of this type. They are sectional because they represent a section of society: workers, employees, business- persons, industrialists, followers of a religion, caste group, etc. Their principal concern is the betterment and well-being of their members, not society in general. Sometimes these organisations are not about representing the interest of one section of society. They represent some common or general interest that needs to be defended. The members of the organisation may not benefit from the cause that the organisation represents. The Bolivian organisation, FEDECOR is an example of that kind of an organization.

Women And Environmental Is Example Of What Type Of Movements?

These single-issue movements can be contrasted with movements that are long term and involve more than one issue. The environmental movement and the women’s movement are examples of such movements. There is no single organisation that controls or guides such movements. Environmental movement is a label for a large number of organisations and issue-specific movements.

 

How Do Pressure Groups And Movement Exert Influence On Politics?

Pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics in a variety of ways:
They try to gain public support and sympathy for their goals and their activities by carrying out information campaigns, organising meetings, filing petitions, etc. Most of these groups try to influence the media into giving more attention to these issues. They often organise protest activity like strikes or disrupting government programmes. Workers’ organisations, employees’ associations and most of the movement groups often resort to these tactics in order to force the government Business groups often employ professional lobbyists or sponsor expensive advertisements. Some persons from pressure groups or movement groups may participate in official bodies and committees. While interest groups and movements do not directly engage in party politics, they seek to exert influence on political parties. Most of the movement groups take a political stance without being a party. 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’ organisations 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, when the Assam movement led by students against the ‘foreigners’ came to an end, it led to the formation of the Asom Gana Parishad. The roots of parties like the DMK and the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. In most cases the relationship between parties and interest or movement groups is not so direct. They often take positions that are opposed to each other. Yet they are in dialogue and negotiation.

 

The Movements Groups

The Nepalese movement for democracy arose with the specific objective of reversing the king’s orders that led to suspension of democracy. In India, Narmada Bachao Andolan is a good example of this kind of movement. The movement started with the specific issue of the people displaced by the creation of Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada river. Its objective was to stop the dam from being constructed. Gradually it became a wider movement that questioned all such big dams and the model of development that required such dams.

 

Is The Effect Of Pressure Group Influence Healthy?

It may initially appear that it is not healthy for groups that promote interest of one section to have influence in democracy. A democracy must look after the interests of all, not just one section. Also, it may seem that these groups wield power without responsibility. Political parties have to face the people in elections, but these groups are not accountable to the people.

 

What Happen When Pressure Group And Movement May Not Get Their Funds And Support?

Pressure groups and movements may not get their funds and support from the people. Sometimes, pressure groups with small public support but lots of money can hijack public discussion in favour of their narrow agenda.

 

How The Pressure Group And Movements Have Dependent On Democracy?

On balance, however, pressure groups and movements have deepened democracy. Putting pressure on the rulers is not an unhealthy activity in a democracy as long as everyone gets this opportunity. Governments can often come under undue pressure from a small group of rich and powerful people. Public interest groups and movements perform a useful role of countering this undue influence and reminding the government of the needs and concerns of ordinary citizens.

 

The Role Of Sectional Interest Group

The sectional interest groups play a valuable role. Where different groups function actively, no one single group can achieve dominance over society. If one group brings pressure on government to make policies in its favor, another will bring counter pressure not to make policies in the way the first group desires. The government gets to hear about what different sections of the population want.