NCERT Book Class 10 Political Science Popular Struggles and Movements

Popular Struggles and Movements

Popular struggles in Nepal and Bolivia

Do you remember the story of the triumph of democracy in Poland? We studied it last year in the first chapter of class IX. The story reminded us about the role played by the people in the making of democracy. Let us read two recent stories of that kind and see how power is exercised indemocracy.  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 April 2006 was aimed at regaining popular control over the government from the king. 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 to five lakhs on 21 April and they served an ultimatum to the king. The leaders of the movement rejected the halfhearted concessions made by the king. They stuck to their demand for 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. restoration of parliament, power to an all-party government and a new constituent assembly.

On 24 April 2004, 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. This struggle came to be known as Nepal’s second movement for democracy. The struggle of the Nepali people is a source of inspiration to democrats all over the world.

QUESTION

1. In what ways do pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics?

2. Describe the forms of relationship between pressure groups and political parties?

3. Explain how the activities of pressure groups are useful in the functioning of a democratic government.

4. What is a pressure group? Give a few examples.

5. What is the difference between a pressure group and a political party?

6. Organisations that undertake activities to promote the interests of specific social sections such as workers, employees, teachers, and lawyers are called _____________________ groups.

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 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 mobilise people, while parties

8. Consider the following statements about pressure groups and parties.

A. Pressure groups are organised expression of the interests and views of specific social sections.

B. Pressure groups take positions on political issues.

C. All pressure groups are political parties.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

Please refer to attached file for NCERT Class 10 Political Science Popular Struggles and Movements