All questions
5
Q1
What is a political party?
A political party is a group of people who come together to contest elections, form government, and influence public policy. Parties usually have leaders, active members, followers, programmes, and an ideology or set of goals.
Q2
Describe the main functions of political parties.
Political parties contest elections, put forward policies, make laws through elected representatives, form and run governments, act as opposition, shape public opinion, and provide citizens access to government machinery and welfare schemes.
Q3
Why are political parties necessary in democracy?
Political parties are necessary because modern democracies need organisations that aggregate interests, present choices to voters, select candidates, coordinate lawmaking, and form governments. Without parties, representative democracy would be unstable and fragmented.
Q4
Explain national and state parties in India.
National parties have a significant presence in several states and are recognised by the Election Commission based on vote share and seats. State parties are important in one or a few states and often represent regional interests. Both are part of India's multi-party system.
Q5
What challenges do political parties face?
Parties face challenges such as lack of internal democracy, dynastic succession, money and muscle power, and limited meaningful choice among parties. Reforms include transparency, internal elections, financial disclosure, and greater participation by ordinary members.