Q-1 In what ways do pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics?
Answer: Pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics :
- Information campaigns, organizing meetings, file petitions: Pressure groups carry out information campaigns, organize meetings, and file petitions to attract public attention and gain support for their activities.
- Media: They take help from the media in order to reach to a large number of people through news channels and in order to gain maximum support.
- Strikes: Pressure groups exert influence by strikes and hunger strikes. This is a nonviolent way which was a great effect on politics. The government is, thus, pressurized to take note of their demand.
- Advertisements and hoardings: Pressure groups and movements put up advertisements and boards everywhere in the city so that people may know about their activities.
- Lobbying and participation in official meetings: Business groups often employ professional lobbyists. Some persons from the group or movement participate in the official meetings and offer advice to the government.
- Take a political stance on major issues: Interest groups and movements do not directly take part in party politics but try to exert influence on political parties by taking a political stand on different issues. They have their own political ideology and political position on major issues.
Q-2 Describe the forms of relationship between pressure groups and political parties?
Answer: The relationship between pressure groups and political parties can take different forms. It may be a direct or indirect relationship as mentioned below :
- Formation of pressure groups by leaders or led by them: Pressure groups are often formed and led by politicians and political parties. For example, most trade unions and students’ organizations in India are either established or affiliated to one or the other major political party. Examples are NSUI, ABVP.
- Formation of political parties out of movements: Political parties sometimes grow out of movements. Parties like DMK and AIADMK were formed this way. Similarly, when the Assam movement led by students against the ‘foreigners’ came to an end, Asom Gana Parishad was formed.
- Indirect relation: Sometimes pressure groups and movements and political parties take positions that are opposed to each other. But they remain in contact with each other. Most of the new leadership of political parties comes from interest or movement groups. For example, student leaders of Delhi University join politics in the long run.
Q-3 Explain how the activities of pressure groups are useful in the functioning of a democratic government.
Answer: The 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.
Q-4 What is a pressure group? Give a few examples.
Answer: Pressure group is an organization that attempts to influence government policies. They do not aim to directly control or share political power. These are formed when people with common occupation, interests, aspirations, or opinions come together in order to achieve a common objective. The term pressure group, therefore, refers to any interest group whose members share certain common attributes, make claims on other groups, and on the political process. Examples are FEDECOR and BAMCEF.
Q-5 What is the difference between a pressure group and a political party?
Answer: Pressure groups are organizations that attempt to influence government policies. But unlike political parties, pressure groups do not aim to directly control or share political power. These organizations are formed when people with common occupation, interest, aspirations, or opinions come together in order to achieve a common objective.
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’ organizations in India are either established by or affiliated to one or the other major political party. Most of the leaders of such pressure groups are usually activists and leaders of 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 can be traced to a long drawn social reform movement during the 1930 and 1940s.
Q-6 Organizations that undertake activities to promote the interests of specific social sections such as workers, employees, teachers, and lawyers are called__________groups.
Answer: Organizations that undertake activities to promote the interests of specific social sections such as workers, employees, teachers, and lawyers are called Sectional interest groups.
Q-7 Which among the following is the special feature that distinguishes a pressure group from a political party?
(a) Parties take political stances, while pressure groups do not bother about political issues.
(b) Pressure groups are confined to a few people, while parties involve a larger number of people.
(c) Pressure groups do not seek to get into power, while political parties do.
(d) Pressure groups do not seek to mobilize people, while parties
Answer: (c) Pressure groups do not seek to get into power, while political parties do.
Q-8 What were the three demands that were made by the SPA in Nepal?
Answer:
- The three demands were ……………… Restoration of parliament
- Power to an all-party government
- A new constituent assembly
Q-9 What is World Bank ?
Answer: The World Bank pressurized the government of Bolivia, which is a poor country in Latin America, to give up its control of municipal water supply. These rights were sold for the city of Cochabamba to a multi-national company (MNC), and the cost of water was increased. There was a protest among the people since one-fourth of the income had to be paid for water.
In January 2000 a successful four-day general strike was organised in the city by a new alliance of labour, human rights and community leaders. The strike was called off when the government agreed to negotiate. In February 2000, since the government had not taken any action the people agitated again, and the police took brutal action. In April 2000, another strike followed and the government imposed martial law. The officers of the MNC were forced to flee the city and the government was made to concede to all the demands of the protesters, due the power of the people. Water supply was restored to the municipality at old rates and the contract with the MNC was cancelled. This was known as Bolivia’s water war.
Q-10 Define pressure groups.
Answer: Government policies are influenced by a few organisations called Pressure groups. Pressure groups do not aim to control or share political power directly, unlike political parties. When people with the common occupation, interest, aspirations, or opinions come together in order to achieve a common objective these organisations are formed.
Q-11 Write a brief note on the Narmada Bachao Movement.
Answer: Narmada Bachao Andolan in India was an Issue-specific movement. The specific issue of this movement was the displacement of the people by the creation of the Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada river. Its objective was to stop the dam from being constructed. It gradually became a wider movement that Qed all such big dams and the model of development that required such dams.