CIVICS

CHAPTER : 1

POWER SHARING
POWER SHARING : Strategy

Important Topics :

● Majoritarianism in Sri lanka - How

● Accommodation in Belgium - How
● Forms of Power sharing - Types
● Reasons for power sharing - 2 reasons

Time on theory - 30 mins

Time of questions - 30 - 45 mins

Resources - One shot videos / Notes + Questions

 COMPOSITION OF
POPULATION IN
BELGIUM

59% Dutch speaking; live in Flemish region.

40% French speaking; live in Wallonia.

1% German speaking.

Brussels- Capital of Belgium.

 Ethnic Composition of Sri Lanka

74% : Sinhala Speakers

18% : Tamil Speakers

Indian Tamils : whose

13% : ‘Sri Lankan forefathers came from
Tamils’ India as plantation
: Native Tamils of workers.
Sri lanka
 Majoritarianism in Sri Lanka
1. 1956 : an act
was passed to
recognise
Sinhala as the ● MAJORITARIANISM : A belief
only official
that the majority community
language, thus
disregarding should be able to rule a
Tamil. country in whichever way it
wants.
3. New
2. Sinhalese were
constitution
given priority in ● After independence, 1948 :
stipulated that
government jobs,
the state shall democratically elected govt.
universities
protect and adopted a series of
position.
foster majoritarian measures to
Buddhism.
establish Sinhala supremacy.
 Reaction of Sri Lankan Tamils By 1980s several political organisations
formed demanding an independent
Tamil Eelam (state) in northern &
They felt alienated eastern parts of Sri Lanka

Launched parties & struggles The distrust between the two

for: communities turned into a Civil war.

➔ Recognizing Tamil as an
Result- 1000s were
official language, killed, & many
became refugees.
➔ Regional autonomy, &

➔ Equal opportunity. It ended in 2009.

In 1976- Liberation Tiger of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE), a guerilla organ
was formed, to establish an
independent Tamil State Eelam.
 ELEMENTS OF BELGIAN MODEL

Constitution prescribes - equal no. of Dutch &

French-speaking ministers in the central govt.

Subordination of the State Govt - Many powers

of the central govt. have been given to state
governments.

Separate Govt. in Brussels - Where both the

communities have equal representation.

Community Government - This government has

the power regarding cultural, educational and
language-related issues.
WHY POWER SHARING IS DESIRABLE ?

Prudential & Moral : reasons in favour

of power sharing

MORAL REASON - Emphasise the very act

of power sharing as valuable.
 Forms of Power Sharing

1. Horizontal
(between
organs)

4. Among
different 2. Vertical or
FORMS Federal
social
groups

3. Pressure
groups &
movement
 Forms of Power Sharing

1. Horizontal
(between
organs)

4. Among
different 2. Vertical or
FORMS Federal
social
groups

3. Pressure
groups &
movement
Ques : What is the full form of LTTE?

(a) Liberate Today Tamil Eelam

(b) Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(c) Liberate Tamil Today Eelam
(d) None of the above

Ques : Which city was chosen as its headquarters when the

European Union was formed?

(a) Belgium
(b) New York
(c) Washington
(d) Brussels
Ques : Which types of social diversity do we find
in Belgium ?

(a) Religious
(b) Gender
(c) Regional
(d) Linguistic

Ques : What is the percentage of Sri Lankan

Tamils out of the total population of Sri Lanka?

(a) 10 percent
(b) 19 percent
(c) 13 percent
(d) 25 percent
‘Sharing of powers makes a country more
powerful and united’. Justify the
statement.
1. Power sharing ensures that all people
have stake in government.

2. Power sharing ensures maximum

participation. It upholds the concept of
people’s rule. It always brings better
outcomes in democracy. It ensures the
political stability in democracy.

3. Power sharing accommodates diverse

groups. It helps to reduce the possibility
of conflict between social groups.
Describe any three ‘majoritarian measures’
taken by the Sri Lankan Government to
establish Sinhala supremacy.

● In the year 1956, Sri Lankan government

passed an act and made Sinhala as the
official language to be used in Sri Lanka
disregarding the minority group of
Tamils.

● The government then started adopting

and formulating government policies that
favoured the Sinhala people in
government jobs and for university
positions, which made the Sri Lankan
Tamils feel ousted.

● The Sri Lankan Government further

proclaimed that they shall foster and
protect only Buddhism as their State
religion.
Explain two reasons as to why power
sharing is desirable.

There are many reason as to why power sharing is

important in a democracy. The following are the
two main sets in which the reasons can be broadly
divided.

Prudential reason:

● Power sharing helps to reduce the

possibility of conflict between social groups.

● It is a good way to ensure the stability of

political order as social conflict often leads
to violence and political stability.

MORAL REASON: Power sharing is the true spirit

of democracy.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
ALLIANCE AND COALITION?

Alliance, implies a union or association

between two or more parties, for a mutual
gain, shared interest or to achieve a
common goal.

On the contrary, Coalition refers to the

collaboration of the two or more political
parties or groups, to constitute the
government if no political party won
majority votes in the elections.
CHAPTER : 2

FEDERALISM
 FEDERAL UNITARY

2 or more levels of Only one level of the

government. government or
subunits are
subordinate to the
central government.

State govt. has its own National govt. has all

powers for which it is the power.
not answerable to
centre.

The Central govt Central govt can pass

cannot order the State on orders to the local
govt. to do something. govt.

Govt. at any level are Govt. at any level are

answerable to people. not answerable to the
people.

i.e: India, USA. i.e: Sri Lanka, China

The fundamental provisions of the Features of Federalism
constitution cannot be unilaterally
changed
There are two or more levels (or tiers) of
government.
Courts have the power to interpret the
constitution
Different tiers of government has its own
JURISDICTION

Financial Autonomy is ensured

The jurisdictions of each level are specified in the

constitution.
Dual objectives:
- To safeguard and promote unity
of the country;
- To accommodate regional
diversity.
 Coming Together Holding Together
Federation Federation

Independent States Large country decides to

coming together on their divide its power between
own to form a bigger the constituent States &
unit. the national government.

All the constituent States The central government

usually have equal tends to be more
power. powerful vis-à-vis the
States.

The main aim of this In this type of

federation is to pool their federation, there is an
sovereignty & maintain absence of pooling
their separate identity to sovereignty &
increase their security. maintaining identity.

i.e : USA, Australia. i.e : India, Belgium

What makes India a
federal country ?
What makes India a
federal country ?

Vertical
division of
power : India
has a 3 tier
system.
Constitution
clearly lays
Different tier down
enjoy separate three-fold
jurisdiction. distribution of
legislative
powers.
 3 Fold Distribution of
Legislative Power

UNION LIST
CONCURRENT LIST

STATE LIST

RESIDUARY
POWER
 INDIA IS QUASI FEDERAL :

Assam, Nagaland, States enjoying special

Arunachal Pradesh and powers
Mizoram enjoy special
powers under Article 371
The central govt. Has special
power in running union territories.
 Process of Changing the power
sharing arrangement

There are 2 steps to make changes:

1. Needs at 2. Then it has to

least two-thirds be ratified by
majority in the legislatures
both Houses of with at least
Parliament. half of the total
States.
● LINGUISTIC STATE

● LANGUAGE POLICY OF INDIA

● CENTRE STATE RELATIONS

 DECENTRALISATION

1992 : Constitution was

amended to make third-tier

Definition : When power is

taken away from central &
state govt. and given to local
government.
 UNION GOVERNMENT

STATE GOVERNMENT

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Urban Areas Rural Areas

ZILLA PARISHAD
● Municipal Corporation

● Municipal Council BLOCK SAMITI

● Nagar Panchayat
Village Panchayat
 Key Features of Decentralisation

1. Constitutionally mandatory to hold regular elections to local govt. bodies.

2. Seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes & Other Backward
Classes.

3. At least one-third of all positions are reserved for women.

4. An independent institution called the State Election Commission has been created
in each State to conduct panchayat & municipal elections.

5. The State governments are required to share some powers and revenue with local
government bodies.
 Merits of decentralisation

● Large no. of issues & problems

are best solved at the local level.

● People have better knowledge of 1. Lack of

problems in their localities. adequate
resources.
●
● They also have better ideas on 2. Many state 3. While
where to spend money and how to governments elections are
manage things more efficiently. haven’t held regularly,
transformed gram sabha
● At the local level there is direct significant meetings are
participation of people in decision powers to the not regularly
making. local govt. held.
 Demerits of decentralisation

1. Lack of
adequate
resources.

2. Many state 3. While elections

governments haven’t are held
transformed regularly, gram
significant powers to sabha meetings
the local govt. are not regularly
held.
What was the third-tier of government
added to the Constitution?

A. Panchayat

B. Municipalities

C. Both A and B

D. Neither A nor B
Assertion: It is very simple to make changes in
the basic structure of the constitution.

Reason: Both the houses have power to amend

the constitution independently.

A. A is true but R is false

B. Both A and R are false

C. Both A and R are True but R is not the

explanation of A

D. Both A and R are True and R is the

explanation of A
What is federalism? What are its features?

Sharing of power between 2 units (national and state

governments) in a democracy is known as Federalism.
● 2 or more tiers of government: State & Union.

● Different tiers of government govern the same citizens, but

each tier has its own JURISDICTION.

● Constitution specifies jurisdiction of various level.

● Changes in Constitution require the consent of both the levels

of government.
○
● Judiciary has power to interpret the constitution & the powers
of different levels of government.
○
● Sources of revenue for each level of government are clearly
specified.
Transfer of power from Central or State
government to local government is called

A. Decentralisation

B. Segregation

C. Disintegration

D. Both A and C
 Match the following:

List A List B

A. Sri Lanka got independence 1. 1956

B. Act declared Sinhala as the 2. 2009
official language
C. Civil War ended in Sri Lanka 3. 1948

CODES
A B C
a) 3 1 2

b) 1 3 2

c) 2 3 1

d) 2 1 3
State major steps taken by the Indian
Government towards decentralization in 1992.

Constitution mandate to hold regular elections to local

government bodies.

Reservation of seats in the elected bodies for SCs, STs,

and OBCs.

Reservation of at least one third of all positions for

women.

State Election Commission in each state to conduct

panchayat and municipal elections.

The State governments are required to share some

powers and revenue with local
government bodies.
 Why has federalism succeeded in
India? Which three policies adopted
by India have ensured this success?
The policies adopted by Indian Government have ensured
the success of federalism in India.
Policies adopted by India to ensure this success are:

1. Centre-State Relations: Federalism has been

strengthened by restructuring of centre-state
relations.

2. Decentralisation: In India, power has been

decentralised to the local government. The local
government includes panchayats and municipalities.

3. Linguistic States: The policy of creating linguistic

states has also strengthened federalism. Despite of
division, this policy united the nation.

4. Language Policy: Indian federation did not gave

status of national language to any language. This
ultimately has strengthened federalism.
 CHAPTER : 5

GENDER, RELIGION & CASTE

 SEXUAL DIVISION OF LABOUR

A system in which all work inside the

home is either done by the women of
the family, or organised by them
through the domestic helpers.

But when these jobs are paid for, men

are ready to take up these works i.e,
cook, tailor.
 Outcomes of Sexual Division
● FEMINIST : A human being who
believes in equal rights and
opportunities for women and men.
1. Women’s role
● There were agitations in different in public life,
countries for the extension of especially
voting rights to women. politics, is
minimal
● Demands : enhancing the political
and legal status of women and
improving their educational and
3. Gradually the
career opportunities. 2. Earlier, only gender issue
men were allowed was raised in
● More radical women’s movements politics &
aimed at equality in personal and
to participate in
public affairs women fought
family life as well.
a long battle.
 Developed Developing
Countries Countries

Scandinavian In our country,

countries such as women still lag much
Sweden, Norway and behind men despite
Finland, the some improvement
participation of since Independence.
women in public life
is very high.

Ours is still a male

dominated,
PATRIARCHAL
society.
EDUCATION

- The literacy rate among women is only 54% compared with 76%
among men.

- Despite performing well, they often drop out of school since

parents prefer to spend their resources over boy’s education.

LOW WAGES
- On an average an indian women works one hour more than an
average man everyday. Yet much of her work is not paid & often
not valued.

- In almost all areas of work, women are paid less than men for
same work.
FEMALE FOETICIDE

Preference for son & sex-selective abortion led to a decline in

child sex ratio in the country to merely 919.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

- Urban areas have become particularly unsafe for women

- They are not safe even within their own home i.e, beating,
harassment, domestic violence
 Fair Proportion of Women in the Elected
Bodies.

In the government, cabinets are largely all

-male even when a woman becomes the Chief
Minister or the Prime Minister.
 RELIGION & POLITICS

DIVISION BASED ON RELIGIOUS 1 Gandhi used to say- “religion can

DIFFERENCES never be separated from politics.”

He believed that politics must be guided by

This division is not as universal as gender, ethics drawn from religion.
but religious diversity is fairly widespread
in the world today.
2 Protection of minorities

3 Demand for equitable laws

Women’s movement has argued that FAMILY LAWS

of all religions discriminate against women.

So they have demanded that government should

change these laws to make them more equitable.
 COMMUNAL POLITICS

COMMUNALISM : Based on the

idea that religion is the principal
basis of social community.

The problem becomes more acute

when one religion and its
followers are pitted against
another.
 Communalism happens when :

1. when beliefs of
one religion are
presented as
superior to those
of other religions

3. when state
2. when the demands power is used to
of one religious group establish
are formed in domination of one
opposition to another religious group
over the rest
 Various Forms of Communalism :

1 Most Common Form

These routinely involve religious prejudices,

stereotypes of religious communities and belief in
the superiority of one’s religion over other
religions

2 Political Dominance

A communal mind often leads to a quest for

political dominance of one’s own religious
community
3 Political Mobilisation

Involves the use of sacred symbols, religious leaders,

emotional appeal and plain fear in order to bring the
followers of one religion together in the political
arena.

4 Most Ugly Form : Communal Riots

Sometimes communalism takes its most ugly form of

communal violence, riots and massacre.
i.e, India-Pakistan Partition
 Features of Indian Secular State

There is no official religion for the Indian state.

The Constitution provides to all individuals and

communities freedom to profess, practice and
propagate any religion, or not to follow any.

The Constitution allows the state to intervene in

the matters of religion in order to ensure equality
within religious communities. i.e, banning
untouchability.
CASTE INEQUALITY
 CASTE SYSTEM IN INDIA

In this system hereditary occupational division

was sanctioned by rituals.
Members of same caste group were supposed to
practice same occupation, marry within their
caste & didn’t eat with members from other
caste.

Based on exclusion of and discrimination against

the ‘outcaste’ groups.

They were subjected to the inhuman practice of

untouchability
● With social reformers, economic
development, large scale
URBANISATION, growth of literacy and
education, OCCUPATIONAL MOBILITY
and the weakening of the position of
landlords in the villages, the old notions
of CASTE HIERARCHY are breaking
down.
 Caste in Politics

1. When parties choose candidates in elections,

they keep in mind the caste composition of the
electorate

2. When governments are formed, political parties

usually take care that representatives of different
castes and tribes find a place in it.

3. Political parties and candidates in elections

make appeals to caste sentiment to muster
support.

4. Some political parties are known to favour some

castes and are seen as their representatives.
 No parliamentary constituency in the
country has a clear majority of one single caste

No party wins the votes of all the voters of a

caste or community

People within the same caste or community have

different interests depending on their economic
condition.

People’s assessment of the performance of the

govt. & the popularity rating of the leaders matter
and are often decisive in elections.
 POLITICS IN CASTE

Each caste group tries to become bigger by

incorporating within it neighbouring castes

Various caste groups are required to enter

into a coalition with other castes or
communities to assert their points.

New kinds of caste groups have come up in

the political arena like ‘backward’ and
‘forward’ caste groups.
Different Roles of
Caste in Politics
 POSITIVE ROLE
● In some situations, expression of
caste differences in politics gives
many disadvantaged communities the
space to demand their share of power.
● End to discrimination against
particular castes can facilitate more
dignity and more access to land,
resources and opportunities.
NEGATIVE ROLE
● As in the case of religion, politics based
on caste identity alone is not very
healthy in a democracy.
● It can divert attention from other
pressing issues like poverty, development
and corruption.
● In some cases caste division leads to
tensions, conflict and even violence.
The system where a Woman is the head
of the family is called

(a) Hierarchy

(b) Matriarchy

(c) Patriarchy

(d) Monarchy
 “Women face disadvantage,
discrimination and oppression
in various ways”
Discuss some of the problems
faced by women in India.
3. Export of manufactured goods
expands trade and commerce, and
brings in much needed foreign ● The literacy rate among women is only 54 per
exchange. cent compared with 76 per cent among men.

● A smaller proportion of girl students go for

higher studies. They drop out because parents
prefer to spend their resources for their boys’
education rather than spending equally on
their sons and daughters.

● On an average an Indian woman works one

hour more than an average man every day. Yet
much of her work is not paid and therefore
often not valued.

● Despite of The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, in

almost all areas of work, from sports and
cinema, to factories and fields, women are paid
less than men, even when both do exactly the
same work.

● Sex-selective abortion led to a decline in child

sex ratio .
In which of the following levels of
government in India, ⅓rd seats are
reserved for women?

(a) Local government

(b) State Government

(c) Both A and B

(d) Central Government

 What is Communalism?

How can we say that India is

a secular state?
3. Export of manufactured goods
expands trade and commerce, and
brings in much needed foreign
exchange.
Communalism is a term used to denote attempts to
construct religious or ethnic identity, incite strife
between people identified as different communities,
and to stimulate communal violence between those
groups.
India is a secular state as reflected in several
constitutional provisions :
● There is no official religion for the Indian state.
● The Constitution provides to all individuals and
communities freedom to profess, practice and
propagate any religion, or not to follow any.
● The Constitution prohibits discrimination on
grounds of religion.
● At the same time, the Constitution allows the state
to intervene in the matters of religion in order to
ensure equality within religious communities. For
example, it bans untouchability.
Who used to that religion can never be
separated from politics?

(a) Jawaharlal Nehru

(b) Lal Bahadur Shastri

(c) Bhagat Singh

(d) Mahatma Gandhi

 Who is a Feminist? What have
been the main objectives of
feminist movements across the
globe?
3. Export of manufactured goods
expands trade and commerce, and
brings in much needed foreign
exchange.
A human being who believes in equal
rights, and equal opportunities for all
genders is known as a Feminist.

Over the years, Feminist movements have

picked up various issues in their fight for
equality. Following are some of them :

● Political Equality

● Enhance Legal status of women

● Equal opportunities in education

● Equal freedom
In which of these matters does the “Family
Law” deal?

(a) Marriage and divorce

(b) Adoption

(c) Inheritance

(d) All of these

Despite of equality in context
of caste in our constitution,
how is caste based
discrimination still prevailing
in Indian society?
3. Export of manufactured goods
expands trade and commerce, and
brings in much needed foreign Some of the older aspects of caste discrimination even
exchange. today :

● Even now most people marry within their own caste.

● Untouchability has not ended completely despite
constitutional prohibition.
● Effects of centuries of advantages and disadvantages
can be felt today. The caste groups that had access to
education under old system have done well, whereas
those groups that did not have access to education
have lagged behind.
● There is a large presence of ‘upper caste’ among the
urban middle classes in our country.
● Caste continues to be linked to economic status as is
evident from National Sample Survey. Most ‘upper’
castes are best off, the Dalits and Adivasis are worst
off and the backward classes are in between.
Which among the following statements about India’s
Constitution is wrong?

(a) prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion.

(b) gives official status to one religion.

(c) provides to all individuals freedom to profess any

religion.

(d) ensures equality of citizens within religious communities.

Explain the various forms that
caste can take in politics.
3. Export of manufactured goods
expands trade and commerce, and
brings in much needed foreign
● When governments are formed, political parties usually
exchange. take care that representatives of different castes and
tribes find a place in it.
●
● When parties choose candidates, they keep in mind the
composition of the electorate and accordingly choose
candidates from different castes so as to muster
necessary support to win elections.
●
● Political parties make appeals to caste sentiments to
gain support. Some political parties are known to favour
some castes.
●
● Universal adult franchise and the principle of
one-person-one-vote compelled political leaders to
mobilise political support. It also brought new
consciousness among people belonging to those castes
which were treated as inferiors
 CHAPTER : 6

POLITICAL PARTIES
 POLITICAL PARTIES

Most visible institutions in a democracy.

A political party is a group of people

who come together to contest elections
and hold power in the government.

Partisan : A person who is

strongly committed to a party,
group or faction.

Partisanship : marked by a
tendency to take a side &
inability to take a balanced view
on an issue.
Components of Political Parties

LEADER

ACTIVE MEMBER

FOLLOWERS
1 Parties contest elections

Parties put forward different policies and

2 programmes & the voters choose from
them

3 Parties play a decisive role in making laws

for a country

4 Parties form & run government

5 Parties play role of opposition

6 Parties shape public opinion

7 Parties provide people access to govt.

Machinery & welfare schemes
ONE PARTY SYSTEM

TWO PARTY SYSTEM

MULTI PARTY SYSTEM

 RECOGNISED PARTIES

1. While the
Commission treats
all parties equally,
it offers some
privileges to large
& established
parties .

3.
2. Parties getting
These parties are these special
given a unique symbol. privileges are
recognised by
commission.
 STATE PARTY NATIONAL PARTY

A party that secures A party that secures

at least 6% of the at least 6% of the
total votes in an total votes in the Lok
election to the Sabha elections or
Legislative Assembly assembly elections in
of a State and ; 4 states; and

Wins at least 2 seats Wins at least 4 seats

is recognised as a in the Lok Sabha.
State party
 Bahujan Samaj Party
All India Trinamool
Congress (AITC) ● Formed in 1984 under the
leadership of Kanshi Ram.

● Launched on 1 January ● Seeks to represent and secure

1998, under leadership of power for the bahujan samaj
Mamta Banerjee. which includes the dalits,
adivasis, OBCs and religious
minorities.
● Committed to secularism &
federalism. ● It has main base in the state of
Uttar Pradesh
● Presence- Arunachal
Pradesh, Manipur, and
Tripura AND WEST
BENGAL
 Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)

● Founded in 1980 by reviving the erstwhile

Bharatiya Jana Sangh formed by Syama
Prasad Mukherjee in 1951.

● Believes in : Cultural nationalism (or

‘Hindutva’) & uniform civil code

Communist Party of India (CPI)

● Formed in 1925, believes in Marxism Leninism,

secularism and democracy.

● Accepts parliamentary democracy

● SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE: Kerala, West

Bengal, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh & Tamil
Nadu.
Communist Party India Marxist CPI-M

● Founded in 1964, believes in

Marxism Leninism. secularism and
democracy

● Opposes imperialism and

communalism, capitalism

● Accepts democratic elections : for

securing the objective of
socio-economic justice in India.

● Enjoys strong support in West

Bengal, Kerala & Tripura.
 Indian National Congress

● Popularly known as Congress

Party. One of the oldest parties
of the world, founded in 1885,
that has experienced many splits.

● Ruling party at the centre till

1977 and then from 1980 to 1989.
 National Congress Party, NCP

● Formed in 1999 following a split

in the Congress party.

● Supports : democracy, Gandhian

secularism, equity, social justice
and federalism.

● Wants that high offices in

government be confined to
natural born citizens of the
country. Since 2004, a member
of the UPA.
 STATE/REGIONAL PARTIES

1. Other than 7
major parties, most
of the major
parties comes
under this
category.

3. Some of these
2. These parties need parties are all
not be regional in India parties that
their ideology or happen to have
outlook. succeeded only in
some states.
1 Lack of internal democracy within
party

2
Dynastic Succession

3
Money & Muscle Power

4 Meaningful choice to the

voters
 Anti-Defection Law

● *DEFECTION : Changing party

allegiance from the party on which a
person got elected (to a legislative
body) to a different party.

Details of property & criminal cases

 File an Income Tax Return

Other suggestions to reform political

parties
●

A law should be made to regulate internal affairs

of political parties

● At least 1/3rd seats should be reserved for

women.
●
● There should be state funding of elections

People can put pressure on political parties - this

can be done through petitions, publicity and
agitations.
Which is an essential element of a political party?

A. Organisation

B. National Interest

C. Fundamental principles

D. All of these
Which is an essential element of a political party?

A. Organisation

B. National Interest

C. Fundamental principles

D. All of these
 Suggest and explain any five
ways to reform Political Parties in
India.

CBSE 2020
● A law should be made to regulate the internal
affairs of political parties.

● It should be made compulsory for political

parties to maintain a register of its members.

● It should be made mandatory for political

parties to give a minimum number of tickets;
about 1/3rd to its women candidates.

● There should be state funding of elections &

vote casting should be made compulsory in
each election.

● There should be a quota for women in the

decision-making bodies of the party.
 Which of the following countries have bi-party
system?

A. United Kingdom and Belgium

B. United Kingdom and United States of America

C. United States of America and Canada

D. All of the above

 Which of the following countries have bi-party
system?

A. United Kingdom and Belgium

B. United Kingdom and United States of America

C. United States of America and Canada

D. All of the above

What is meant by ‘Defection’ in
democracy? Explain.
5
● Defection in democracy is a political phenomena,
which means moving of a person from one party to
another party for some personal benefit. Changing
party allegiance from the party on which a person
got elected (to a legislative body) to a different party.

● Anti-Defection Law was formulated to prevent

elected MLA’s and MP’s from changing parties. Now
the law states that if any MLA or MP changes parties
to which he was initially elected, he or she will lose
seat in the legislature.

● The new law has brought percentage of defection

down and has made defection even more difficult.
 Lack of internal democracy is the challenge
faced by:

A. Political Party

C. Regional Party

C. National Party

D. None of the above

 Lack of internal democracy is the challenge
faced by:

A. Political Party

C. Regional Party

C. National Party

D. None of the above

Describe the functions of Political
Parties in a democratic government.
Modern democracies cannot exist without political
parties. Political parties perform various functions,
which are:

● Parties form and run governments.

● Parties play a decisive role in making policies for

the country.

● They recruit leaders and train them.

● Parties that lose the election form the opposition.

● Parties shape public opinion.

● Parties provide the common man access to

government machinery and welfare schemes.
 Which of the following political party was
founded in 1998?

A. Aam Aadmi Party

B. Nationalist Congress Party

C. All India Trinamool Congress

D. Bahujan Samaj Party

 Which of the following political party was
founded in 1998?

A. Aam Aadmi Party

B. Nationalist Congress Party

C. All India Trinamool Congress

D. Bahujan Samaj Party

How are political parties recognised as
Regional and National parties in India?
Explain with examples.
The Election Commission gives recognition to the
parties as regional and national party on the
following basis:

A. National Party

- A party that secures at least 6% of the total

votes in the Lok Sabha elections or assembly
elections in four states

and

wins at least 4 seats in the Lok Sabha.

- Example: Communist Party of India, All India

Trinamool Congress.
B. Regional 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 2 seats in the State Assembly is

recognised as a State party.

- Example: Shiv Sena, DMK, etc.

 CHAPTER : 7

Outcomes of Democracy
 Democracy is better than any other
form of govt. because :

Promotes equality among citizens

Enhances the dignity of the individual

Improves the quality of decision making

Provides a method to resolve conflicts

Allows room to correct mistakes

Is Democracy ACCOUNTABLE?
Is Democracy RESPONSIVE AND LEGITIMATE?
ECONOMIC GROWTH &
DEVELOPMENT
 ACCOMODATION OF
SOCIAL DIVERSITY

1 Democracy is not simply rule

by majority opinion

Rule by majority doesn’t

2
become rule by majority
community
DIGNITY & FREEDOM OF
THE CITIZENS
Suggest the factors which contribute to the economic
development of a country? - CBSE 2017

ANSWER

The factors which contribute to the economic

development of a country are:

Population size, global situation, cooperation from

other countries and economic priorities adopted
by the country.
Rule of law is the feature of which form of
government?

(a) Dictatorship

(b) Democracy

(c) Monarchy

(d) All of the above

Analyse three values that make democracy
better.
- CBSE 2017

Values that can make democracy better are:

● Providing equality among citizens.

● The dignity of an individual can be

enhanced only in a democracy.

● A democratic government improves the

quality of decision making it may be both
more acceptable to the people and more
effective.

● It provides a method to resolve conflicts and

produce a harmonious life among citizens.
Ques : What is the full form of LTTE?

(a) Liberate Today Tamil Eelam

(b) Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(c) Liberate Tamil Today Eelam
(d) None of the above

Ques : Which city was chosen as its

headquarters when the European Union
was formed?

(a) Belgium
(b) New York
(c) Washington
(d) Brussels
Ques : Which types of social diversity do we
find in Belgium ?

(a) Religious
(b) Gender
(c) Regional
(d) Linguistic

Ques : What is the percentage of Sri

Lankan Tamils out of the total population
of Sri Lanka?

(a) 10 percent
(b) 19 percent
(c) 13 percent
(d) 25 percent
Ques : What is the full form of LTTE?

(a) Liberate Today Tamil Eelam

(b) Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(c) Liberate Tamil Today Eelam
(d) None of the above

Ques : Which city was chosen as its

headquarters when the European Union
was formed?

(a) Belgium
(b) New York
(c) Washington
(d) Brussels
Ques : Which types of social diversity do we
find in Belgium ?

(a) Religious
(b) Gender
(c) Regional
(d) Linguistic

Ques : What is the percentage of Sri

Lankan Tamils out of the total population
of Sri Lanka?

(a) 10 percent
(b) 19 percent
(c) 13 percent
(d) 25 percent
Ques : Which language has status of the
national language in India?

(a) Tamil
(b) Hindi
(c) English
(d) None of these

Ques : The first and major test for

democratic politics in our country was

(a) caste problem

(b) language problem
(c) problems related to union territories
(d) creation of linguistic state
Ques : Who has special power in
administering the Union Territories in
India?

(a) Central Government

(b) Chief Minister
(c) President
(d) Governor

Ques : Which of the following pair is not

correctly matched ?

(a) State govt. - State list

(b) Central govt. - Union list
(c) State govt. - Concurrent list
(d) Central govt. - Residuary power
Ques : Who has the power to interpret the
constitution ?

(a) Central Government

(b) Parliament
(c) Judiciary
(d) Legislature
Ques : Choose the correct option about
matriarchal society :

(a) Educated society

(b) Male dominated society
(c) Female dominated society
(d) Equal gender society

Ques : Communalism problem is

associated with :

(a) religion
(b) caste
(c) secularism
(d) inequalities
Ques : What is the result of political
expression of gender division?

(a) Has helped to improve women's role

in public life
(b) Has provided a superior status to
women
(c) The position remains the same, as it
was
(d) None of the above

Ques : Who among the following said

that religion can never be separated
from politics?

(a) Acharya Vinobha Bhave

(b) Mahatma Gandhi
(c) Sarojini Naidu
(d) Rajendra Prasad
Ques : To provide representation to
women in Panchayats & Municipalities,
the following step has been taken :

(a) Reservation for election to half of

the seats for women
(b) Appointment of 1/3 women members
(c) Reservation for election to 1/3 of the
seats for women
(d) None of the above
Ques :Without the political parties, the
utility of the government will remain:

(a) uncertain
(b) powerful
(c) peaceful
(d) none of the above

Ques : How many political parties are in

India :

(a) 200
(b) 750
(c) 500
(d) 650
Ques : Analyze the information given below, considering
one of the following correct options:

Formed in 1984 under the leadership of Kanshi Ram.

Seeks to represent and secure power for the bahujan
samaj which includes the dalits, adivasis, OBCs and
religious minorities. Draws inspiration from the ideas and
teachings of Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Periyar
Ramaswami Naicker and Babasaheb Ambedkar. Stands
for the cause of securing the interests and welfare of the
dalits and oppressed people.

A. Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI- M)

B. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)

C. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

D. Indian National Congress (INC)

Ques : Which of the following
statements are not associated with a
regional political party in India?

(a) It gets 6% of total votes in the Lok

Sabha election.
(b) It gets 2 seats in the elections for
state legislature.
(c) It gets 6% of the total votes in an
election to the legislative assembly
of a state
(d) All of the above
Ques : Why is the democratic govt.
regarded as a better choice?

(a) It promotes equality among citizen

(b) It ensures economic development
(c) It provides a method to resolve
conflict
(d) Both a and c

Ques : Choose the wrong statement

about democracy.

(a) Promotes equality among citizens

(b) Enhances the dignity of the
individual
(c) Provide a method to resolve conflicts
(d) Does not have room to correct
mistakes
Ques : Choose the correct statement.

(a) Democracy not to lag behind

dictatorship.
(b) Democracy is not guarantee of economic
development.
(c) Economic growth is better in
non-Democratic government.
(d) USA is a democratic government but
remarkable economic development.

Ques : Democracy is preferred over

dictatorship everywhere except

(a) Nepal
(b) Pakistan
(c) India
(d) Bangladesh
Assertion : Most societies across the world were
historically male dominated societies.

Reason : Equal treatment of women is not a

necessary ingredients of a democratic
society

(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is

the correct explanation of assertion

(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is

not the correct explanation of assertion.

(c) Assertion is true but reason is false

(d) Both assertion & reason are false.

Assertion : Democracy remains democracy only as
long as every citizen has a chance of being in
majority sometimes

Reason : Majority and Minority opinions are

permanent

(a) Both assertion and reason are true and reason is

the correct explanation of assertion

(b) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is

not the correct explanation of assertion.

(c) Assertion is true but reason is false

(d) Both assertion & reason are false.