Class 10 Civics Previous Year Questions - Popular Struggles and Movements (Old Syllabus)

Ans: They seek to promote the interests of a particular section or group of society.

Ans: Public welfare groups work in favour of-All Sections of society.

Ans: Trade unions/Students’ organizations, INTUC, AITUC, ABVP, NSU(I)

Ans: Political party in India which grew out of a movement is : Asom Gana Parishad

Ans: 

• The movement in Nepal was to establish democracy, while the struggle in Bolivia involved claims on an elected democratic government.
• The popular struggle in Bolivia was about one specific policy, while the struggle in Nepal was about the foundations of the country’s politics. 
• Both these struggles were successful but their impact was at different levels.

Ans: 

• Democracy evolves through a popular struggle. It is possible that some significant decisions may take place through consensus and may not involve any conflict at all. Democracy usually involves conflicts between those groups who have exercised power and those who aspire for a share in power. 
• Democratic conflict is resolved through mass mobilisation. Sometimes, it is possible that the conflict is resolved by using the existing institutions like the parliament or judiciary. But when there is a deep dispute, very often these institutions themselves get involved in the dispute. 
• These conflicts and mobilisations are based on new political organisations. But the spontaneous public participation becomes effective with the help of organised politics. These include political parties, pressure groups and movement groups.

Ans: The world bank pressurized the government to give up its control of municipal water supply
The government sold these rights to a Multinational company for the city of cocha bamba. The company immediately increased the price of water by four times. This led to a spontaneous popular protest. The contract with the MNC was cancelled and water supply was restored to the municipality at old rates. This came to be known as Bolivia’s water war. In January 2000 a new alliance of labour, human rights and community leaders joined a four day political strike in the city. The government agreed to negotiate and the strike was called off. Nothing happened and so they protested again though they were brutally suppressed. Another strike took place in april and the government imposed the martial law. The power of the people forced the officials of the MNC to flee the city and made the government to concede to all the demands of the protestor

Ans: (i) The government of Bolivia sold the rights of water supply to a multinational company,
(ii) The company increased the price of water by four times.

Ans: 

• The protest against water privatisation in Bolivia was not led by any political party. It was led by FEDECOR. 
• This organisation comprised of local professionals, including engineers and environmentalists. 
• They were supported by a federation of farmers who relied on irrigation, middle class students, confederation of factory workers’ unions and the city’s growing population of the homeless street children.
• Most of these groups try to influence the media, 
• Business groups often employ professional lobbyists or sponsor expensive advertisements. 
• Business groups often employ professional lobbyists. 
• Some pressure groups formed and led by the leaders of political parties. 
• Some political parties grow out of movements.

Ans: Democracy evolves through popular struggles. It is possible that some significant decisions may take place through consensus and may not involve any conflict at all. But that would be an exception.
Defining movements of democracy usually involve conflict between those groups who have exercised power and those who aspire for a share in power.
These movements come when the country is going through transition to democracy expansion of democracy or deepening of democracy.
Democratic conflict is resolved through mass mobilisation. Sometimes it is possible that the conflict is resolved by using the existing institutions like the parliament or the judiciary.
These conflicts and mobilisations are based on new political organisations where there is an element of spontaneity in all such historic movements.
But the spontaneous public participation becomes effective with the help of organised politics.

Ans: Difference between interest groups and movements:
(i) Interest groups do not have a loose organisation whereas Movements have a loose organisation.
(ii) Decision making of interest groups is formal whereas decision making of movements is informal and flexible.
(iii) They do not depend so much on spontaneous mass participation and formed by people with a common interest and occupation. Movements depend much more on spontaneous mass participation.
(vi) Interest groups seek to promote the interest of a particular section or a group of society such as, trade unions/business association doctor etc. Whereas, the movements groups are issue specific that seek to achieve a single objective within a limited time frame such as the Nepalese movement for democracy/ Narmada Bachao Andolan etc.
(v) Interest groups promote collective rather than selective good such as BAMCEF(Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation) whereas the movement groups are more general or generic movement that seek to achieve a broad goal in the very long term such as women’s movement.
(vi) Interest groups represent some common or general interest that needs to be defended such as FEDECOR whereas movement group are long term and involve more than one issue such as environmental movement.

Ans: Its principal concern is social justice and social equality for the entire society.

Ans: FEDECOR.

Ans: Pressure groups do not aim to directly control or share political power but political parties directly control and share political power.

Ans: (i) Trade Union (ii) Business Association

Ans: Sectional interest groups seek to promote the interest of a particular section.
Public interest groups promote collective rather than selective good.

Ans: Sectional interest groups: The groups that seek to promote the interests of a particular section or a group of a society is called sectional interest groups.

Functioning:
(i) They perform a meaningful role in countering the undue influence of other groups.
(ii) They create awareness about the needs and concerns of their own society.
(iii) Their principal concern is the betterment and well-being of their members not society in general

Ans: Public interest groups are those that promote collective rather than selective interests.

Their functions is as follows:
(i) It aims to help groups other than their own members.
(ii) They represent some common interests that needs to be defended.
(iii) The members of the organisation may not benefit from the cause that the organisation represents. For example, A group fighting against bonded labour fights not for itself but for those who are suffering under such bondage.
(iv) For example, BAMCEF

Ans: Protest against water privatization in Bolivia: FEDECOR (comprised local professionals, including engineers and Environmentalists), human rights and community leaders Ways of their Protest:
(i) Organised a successful four-day general strike in the city.
(ii) Influenced the decision through direct participation in competitive politics.
(iii) Created parties and formed governments.
(iv) Formed pressure groups for the protest.

Ans: Difference between issue specific and generic movements:
(i) Issue specific movements seek to achieve a single objective within a limited time frame, while generic movements seek to achieve a broad goal in the long term.
(ii) Issue specific movements tend to have a clear leadership and some organisation. But their active life is usually short.
(iii) Generic movements share a broad objective and have a similar approach. Sometimes, these broad movements have a loose umbrella organisation as well.

Ans: Popular struggle of Bolivia
(i) People’s struggle against privatisation of water in Bolivia power LhaL struggles are integral part of democracy.
(ii) The world Bank pressurised the government to give up its control of municipal water supply. The government sold these rights to a multinational company which increased the price of water by four times. Many people received monthly water bill of ₹ I,000 in a country where average income is around ₹5,000 a month.
(iii) In January 2000, a new alliance of labour human rights and community leaders organised a successful four day strike.
(iv) The government agreed to negotiate and the strike was called off.
(v) The police resorted to brutal regression when the agitations started in February followed in April and the government imposed martial law.
(vi) But the power of people forced the officials of the MNC to flee the city and made the government concede to all the demand of the protestors.
(vii) The contract with MNC was cancelled and the water supply was restored with the municipality at old rates.

This popular struggle came to be known as ‘Bolivia’s Water War.

Ans: Pressure groups and movements have deepened democracy.
(i) It reminds the government of the needs and concerns of ordinary citizens.
(ii) Put pressure on the rulers for the unhealthy activities.
(iii) It performs a useful role of countering undue influence of the rich and powerful people.
(iv) One single group cannot achieve dominance over society.
(v) The government gets to hear about what different sections of the population want.
(vi) This leads to a rough balance of power and accommodation of conflicting interests.

Ans:

Ans: Pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics by:
(i) They carry out information campaigns, organise public outreach programmes, file petitions and use mass media to popularize their demands and gain support among masses.
(ii) They often organise protests like strikes, public disruptions, etc. to draw the attention of the government.
(iii) They may participate in official bodies and committees that offer advice to the government.
(iv) They seek to exert influence on political parties through economic donations or by assuring of votes of their supporters in elections. In some cases, they might become affiliated to political parties in form of trade unions, student unions, etc. and install individuals they deem appropriate in decision making bodies of the political parties.

Ans:
(i) In the struggle the aim was at regaining popular control over the government from the king.
(ii) Major parties formed a Seven Party Alliance (SPA).
(iii) Even the Maoist insurgents joined the struggle.
(iv) Curfew was imposed but the security forces were unable to take action against one lakh people who gathered everyday to demand restoration of democracy.
(v) Ultimately the demands of the protestors were accepted. In 2008, monarchy was abolished and Nepal became a federal democratic republic. In 2015, it adopted a new constitution. Thus, the struggle has been a source of inspiration to democrats all over the world.