Political Parties Class 10 Notes: CBSE 10th Social Science Chapter 4 Political Science, Download PDF

Why do we need political parties?

Meaning: A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government. They agree on some policies and programmes for the society with a view to promote the collective good. 

They seek to implement these policies by winning popular support through elections.

Parties are about a part of the society and thus, involve partisanship. Thus, a party is known by which part it stands for, which policies it supports and whose interests it upholds.

A political party has three components: the leaders, the active members and the followers.

Functions

• 1 Parties contest elections. In most democracies, elections are fought mainly among the candidates put
• up by political parties.
• 2 Parties put forward different policies and programmes and the voters choose from them.
• 3 Parties play a decisive role in making laws for a country.
• 4 Parties form and run governments. As we noted last year, the big policy decisions are taken by political executive that comes from the political parties.
• 5 Those parties that lose in the elections play the role of opposition to the parties in power, by voicing
• different views and criticising government for its failures or wrong policies.
• 6 Parties shape public opinion. They raise and highlight issues.
• 7 Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by governments.

Necessity

The rise of political parties is directly linked to the emergence of representative democracies. Political parties play a vital role in the functioning of representative governments, serving multiple essential functions. Notably, they represent diverse perspectives on various issues to the government, enabling a broad range of voices to be heard. By bringing together representatives from different backgrounds, parties facilitate the formation of a responsible and accountable government. They function as mechanisms to both support and restrain the government, participating in policy-making and offering justifications or opposition when necessary. In essence, political parties fulfill the fundamental needs of every representative government, ensuring a robust democratic system that caters to the interests and aspirations of its citizens.

How many parties should we have?

In a democracy, citizens have the freedom to form political parties, and currently, more than 750 parties are registered with the Election Commission of India. However, not all of these parties are significant contenders in elections. The question arises: how many major or effective parties are ideal for a thriving democracy?

In some countries, a one-party system prevails, where only one party controls and governs the country. This system is not considered favourable for democracy as it lacks diversity and checks on power.

On the other hand, some countries follow a two-party system, where power typically alternates between the two main parties. Examples include the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

India exemplifies a multiparty system, where several parties compete for power, and more than two parties have a reasonable chance of coming to power either independently or through alliances with others.

In a multi-party system, when multiple parties unite for the purpose of contesting elections and gaining power, it is referred to as an alliance or a front. This allows for the consolidation of interests and increases the chances of winning elections collectively.

National parties

There are some country-wide parties, which are called ‘national parties’. These parties have their\ units in various states.

Every party in the country has to register with the Election Commission. While the Commission treats all parties equally, it offers some special facilities to large and established parties. 

The Election Commission has laid down detailed criteria of the proportion of votes and seats that a party must get in order to be a recognised party. 

A party that secures at least 6% of the total votes in an election to the Legislative Assembly of a State and wins at least two seats is recognised as a State party. A party that secures at least six per cent 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 recognised as a national party.

As of 2019, there were 7 recognised national parties in India. However, recently Aam Aadmi party (AAP)has also become a recognised national party.

1) All India Trinamool Congress (AITC):

• Established in 1 January 1998 under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee.
• Recognized as a national party in 2016, symbolized by flowers and grass.
• Committed to secularism and federalism.
• Holds power in West Bengal since 2011 and has a presence in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Tripura.
• In the 2014 General Elections, secured 3.84% of votes and won 34 seats, making it the fourth-largest party in the Lok Sabha.

2) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP):

• Formed in 1984 under the leadership of Kanshi Ram.
• Represents and seeks power for the Bahujan samaj, including Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, and religious minorities.
• Advocates for the interests and welfare of Dalits and oppressed people.
• Strongest base in Uttar Pradesh and significant presence in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Punjab.
• Formed government in UP several times with support from different parties.

3) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP):

• Established in 1980, inspired by Syama Prasad Mukherjee's 1951 initiative.
• Aims to build a strong and modern India, drawing from ancient culture, Deendayal Upadhyaya's integral humanism, and 'Hindutva.'
• Initially limited to north and west regions and urban areas, expanded support in south, east, northeast, and rural areas.
• Became the largest party with 282 members in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

4) Communist Party of India (CPI):

• Founded in 1925, upholds Marxism-Leninism, secularism, and democracy.
• Opposed to secessionism and communalism.
• Accepts parliamentary democracy to promote the interests of the working class, farmers, and the poor.
• Notably present in Kerala, West Bengal, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
• Secured less than 1% of votes and 1 seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

5) Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPI-M):

• Established in 1964, follows Marxism-Leninism, supporting socialism, secularism, and democracy while opposing imperialism and communalism.
• Embraces democratic elections to achieve socio-economic justice in India.
• Holds significant support in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tripura.
• Governed West Bengal continuously for 34 years.
• Won about 3% of votes and 9 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

6) Indian National Congress (INC):

• Known as the Congress Party, one of the oldest parties globally, founded in 1885 with several splits.
• Led by Jawaharlal Nehru, it aimed to build a modern, secular, democratic republic in India.
• Ruled at the center until 1977 and from 1980 to 1989; support declined after 1989 but maintains a nationwide presence.
• Primarily focused on promoting secularism and welfare for weaker sections and minorities.

7) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP):

• Formed in 1999 after a split in the Congress party.
• Supports democracy, Gandhian secularism, equity, social justice, and federalism.
• A major party in Maharashtra with a significant presence in Meghalaya, Manipur, and Assam.
• A coalition partner in Maharashtra in alliance with the Congress and a member of the United Progressive Alliance since 2004.

State parties

The 'state parties' or regional parties, such as Biju Janata Dal, Sikkim Democratic Front, Mizo National Front, and Telangana Rashtra Samithi, focus on representing the interests and aspirations of their respective states or regions, contributing significantly to the political landscape in their areas of operation.

Challenges to political parties

- lack of internal democracy

- dynastic succession

- growing role of money and muscle power in parties, especially during elections

- very often parties do not seem to offer a meaningful choice to the voters

How can parties be reformed?

• The Constitution was amended to prevent elected MLAs and MPs from changing parties i.e Defection.
• Supreme Court has made it mandatory for every candidate who contests elections to file an affidavit giving details of his property and criminal cases pending against him.
• The Election Commission has made it necessary for political parties to hold their organisational elections and file their income tax returns.
• It should be made compulsory for political parties to maintain a register of its members, to follow its own constitution, to have an independent authority, to act as a judge in case of party disputes, to hold open elections to the highest posts
• It should be made mandatory for political parties to give a minimum
• number of tickets, about one-third, to women candidates.
• There should be state funding of elections. The government should give parties money to support their election expenses.

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