Maharashtra Board Class 11 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Concept of Representation

Balbharti Maharashtra State Board Class 11 Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Concept of Representation Important Questions and Answers.

Maharashtra State Board 11th Political Science Important Questions Chapter 5 Concept of Representation

1A. Choose the correct alternative and complete the following statements.

Question 1.
Today, in most countries, the form of government is ___________ democracy. (direct, indirect, concurrent, national)
Answer:
indirect

Question 2.
After the Civil War (1640’s) UK become a ___________ (Republic, Constitutional Monarchy, Absolute Monarchy, Federation)
Answer:
Constitutional Monarchy

Question 3.
The first general elections was held in the year ___________ in India. (1947-48, 1950, 1951-52, 1935)
Answer:
1951-52

Question 4.
In the plurality method, ___________ constituency is required. (single member, multi member, transferable, non-official)
Answer:
single member

Question 5.
___________ System is used in India for presidential elections. (List, FPTP, Majority, Single Transferable vote)
Answer:
Majority

Question 6.
In India ___________ classifies parties as ‘State’ or ‘National’ and allots symbols to them. (President, Parliament, Election Commission, Judiciary)
Answer:
Election Commission

1B. Identify the incorrect pair in every set, correct it and rewrite.

Question 1.
BMS – Trade Union.
ABVP – Peasant’s Union.
FICCI – Business Group
BKU – Agricultural Unions
Answer:
ABVP – Student Union

Question 2.
Government of India Act – 1935
Queen’s Proclamation – 1858
French Revolution – 776
Morley – Minto Reforms – 1909
Answer:
French Revolution – 1789

1C. State the appropriate concept for the given statements.

Question 1.
The idea in the middle ages in Europe was that the king was God’s representative on earth.
Answer:
Divine Rights of Kings

Question 2.
Distinct geographical areas from which representatives are elected.
Answer:
Constituencies

Question 3.
The electoral system in which the candidate who secures the maximum number of votes is declared as elected.
Answer:
Plurality System

Question 4.
Views, objectives of a political party taken together.
Answer:
Ideology

Question 5.
All Indian parties have at least 11 seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three states.
Answer:
National Party

1D. Answer in one sentence.

Question 1.
What is a single-member constituency?
Answer:
A single-member constituency is one from which only a single member can be declared elected.

Question 2.
What is a multi-member constituency?
Answer:
A constituency from which several members can be elected is called a multi-member constituency.

Question 3.
What is the First Part of the Post System?
Answer:
It is a system wherein the candidate with the maximum number of votes is declared elected.

Question 4.
What is Single Transferable Vote System?
Answer:
It is a type of Proportional Representation where voters rank candidates in order of preference.

Question 5.
What is meant by the ideology of a political party?
Answer:
The reflection of the overall views, objectives, and policies of a political party is called its ideology.

Question 6.
Name some state parties in Maharashtra.
Answer:
Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha.

1E. Complete the following sentence using the appropriate reason.

Question 1.
Representative democracy is referred to as responsible Government because
(a) representatives are ultimately responsible to the people.
(b) people are responsible for electing the government.
(c) direct democracy is not possible today.
Answer:
(a) representatives are ultimately responsible to the people.

Question 2.
In many European countries, a struggle between the representative assemblies and monarchs arose because
(a) monarchs believed in the Divine Rights of Kings.
(b) it was a period of national awakening.
(c) representative assemblies started insisting on a share in the decision-making process.
Answer:
(c) representative assemblies started insisting on a share in the decision-making process.

Question 3.
Elections to the Lok Sabha is called the ‘First Past the Post’ method because
(a) it is a single-member constituency.
(b) candidates are ranked in order of preference.
(c) the candidate who gets a maximum number of votes is declared as elected.
Answer:
(c) the candidate who gets a maximum number of votes is declared as elected.

1F. Find the odd word in the given set.

Question 1.
Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Answer:
Shiv Sena (it is a regional party)

Question 2.
Nationalist Congress Party, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Telugu Desam Party, Akali Dal.
Answer:
Nationalist Congress Party (it is a national party)

Question 3.
National Students Union of India, Hind Mazdoor Sangh, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Student Federation of India.
Answer:
Hind Mazdoor Sangh (it is a labour pressure group)

2A. State whether the following statements are true or false with reasons.

Question 1.
Today, most countries have an indirect or representative democracy.
Answer:
This statement is True.

• Today, most countries have large territories and populations. Hence, direct democracy is not possible. The form of democracy today is indirect democracy or representative democracy.
• People elect representatives from among themselves to govern the country for e.g., in India, members of Parliament (MP’s), Members of State Legislative Assemblies/Councils (MLA’s, MLC’s), of corporations, etc. are all our representatives.

Question 2.
First Past the Post system is followed for Lok Sabha elections.
Answer:
This statement is True.

• Lok Sabha (general) elections are held all over the country.
• The candidate who gets the maximum number of votes is declared as elected from that constituency. He / She does not need a majority of votes.

Question 3.
Proportional Representation has limited scope.
Answer:
This statement is True.

• In Proportional Representation the number of candidates of a political party to be elected depends on the proportion of votes that it receives.
• It is a lengthy process and needs a multi-member constituency. Hence it is unsuitable for large-scale elections such as elections to the Lok Sabha.

Question 4.
Political parties are important channels for political representation.
Answer:
This statement is True.

• Political parties serve as the primary channels of political representation. In democracies, parties seek to obtain power through elections. Members of various parties contest elections as candidates of their respective parties.
• During the election, the parties present before the voters a programme based on their ideology and promise them that this programme would be implemented if elected to power. Thus, the aspirations and wishes of the voters are represented in the decision-making process through the channel or the medium of a given political party.

Question 5.
Telugu Desam (TDP) is a national party.
Answer:
This statement is False.

• A national party must have a political presence in at least four states.
• TDP is significant only in Andhra Pradesh and to some extent in Telangana.

Question 6.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) can be described as the first political party in the country.
Answer:
This statement is False.

• CPI was formed in 1925 by people who were influenced by the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia (1917) and the communist ideology.
• In 1885, the Indian National Congress was formed as a united front against British Rule. It is considered the first political party in India.

2B. Complete the concept maps.

Question 1.

Answer:

3. Explain the correlation between the following.

Question 1.
Political Parties and Pressure Groups.
Answer:
Political parties are the most important channels for political representation. They are organized groups comprising of persons who hold similar views on a variety of issues or have similar objectives. They seek to obtain political power, generally, through the process of elections. The views of a party taken together are called the party’s ideology. At election times, political parties issue ‘Manifestos’ i.e., what policies/programmes they would implement if voted to power. Every party puts up its candidates who contest election.

Interest and Pressure groups are informal channels that seek to represent the people. A pressure group is an interest group that is organized to influence public opinion and government policy towards the fulfillment of its objectives and without active participation in the electoral process. This includes interest groups in the fields of business such as the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), for labour e.g., Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS), for peasants such as Shetkari Sanghatana, for students such as Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), National Students Union of India (NSUI). In the USA, pressure groups are also called Lobby Groups.

Many pressure groups today are closely affiliated with political parties e.g., ABVP is the student wing of BJP and BKS is the Shiv Sena’s Trade Union. Both the pressure group and the political party will then support each other in times of elections and decision-making in aspects like finance, manpower, and publicity.

4. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
Explain the Divine Rights Theory.
Answer:
The Divine Rights of Kings Theory was propagated in Europe by Kings like James I (England). It explained that the Monarchs were God’s representatives on earth to whom, the people had to render habitual obedience. The King was infallible and unquestionable as he derived his power from God. Disobedience to the King was akin to sinning against God. This theory was used to strengthen the Absolute Monarchy in Europe.

Question 2.
Explain Representative Assemblies in Europe.
Answer:
Representative Democracy has its origins in medieval Europe. Till that time, Absolute Monarchies existed in most countries. The Divine Rights of Kings Theory was in application. As time went by, monarchs in many countries like England started having Representative Assemblies that represented the population. Soon, these assemblies asked for a share in the decision-making process of the country leading to conflicts between the monarchs and the Assemblies for e.g. French Revolution. Most conflicts ended with reduced/power to the monarchs. The Representative assemblies, now become Political Representatives as they dealt with all government activities.

Question 3.
What are the three methods of representation?
Answer:
The three methods of representation are

• Electoral Method: Persons are directly or indirectly elected by the citizens to govern them as members of representative assemblies e.g., General elections to Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies.
• Non-electoral Method: Representatives occupy their position through nomination or appointment for e.g., the President of India appoints 12 members to the Rajya Sabha.
• Non-official Method: Civil society represents the people through various pressure groups like trade unions, student groups, etc.

Question 4.
Explain the Proportional System of Representation.
Answer:
Proportional Representation is generally used in multi-member constituencies. In this system, the number of candidates of a given political party to be elected depends upon the proportion of votes that it receives. For instance, if a political party receives 40% of the votes in a five-member constituency, then two of its candidates will be elected from that constituency. This system is not used in India. There is a sub-type of the proportional system which is known as the Single-Transferable Vote (STV) system. Here the voters have to rank the candidates in order of preferences. This system is used in elections to the Rajya Sabha and to the State Legislative Councils in India.

Question 5.
What is a National Party?
Answer:
Political parties can be classified as National or State parties. The Election commission has decided that a political party shall be eligible to be recognized as a National party if-

• It secures at least six percent (6%) of the valid votes polled in any four or more states, at a general election to the
• House of the People or, to the State Legislative Assembly; and
• In addition, it wins at least four seats in the House of the People from any State or state.

OR

• It wins at least two percent (2%) seats in the House of the People (i.e., 11 seats in the existing House having 543 members), and these members are elected from at least three different States.
• In India, some National Parties include I.N.C., B.J.P., G.P.M., N.C.P., etc.

Question 6.
Name six regional (state) parties.
Answer:

• Telugu Desam Party (TDP) – Andhra Pradesh,
• Telangana Rashtriya Samiti – Telangana,
• Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) – Tamil Nadu,
• National Conference – Jammu & Kashmir
• Assam Gana Parishad (AGP) – Assam.
• Shiv Sena – Maharashtra.

Question 7.
Name 4 trade unions and the political parties they are affiliated to.
Answer:

Trade Unions	Political Parties affiliated to
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)	Indian National Congress
All India Trade Union Congress (AITU)	Communist Party of India
Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS)	Shiv Sena
The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS)	Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P)
Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU)	Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM)

Question 8.
How do pressure groups differ from social movements?
Answer:
Pressure groups are different from social movements. The pressure groups usually have a more formalized structure. This is why sometimes interest groups are described as representing ‘organized interest’. Social movements usually do not have a formal structure or organisation. They take up a cause and pursue it. (Example: Chipko Movement)

Question 9.
Write two examples of NGOs in India in the following field.

1. Child Welfare
2. Animal Welfare
3. Aged Persons
4. Disabled Persons
5. Environment
6. Women’s Welfare

Answer:

1. Child welfare – Child Rights and You (CRY), Akansha
2. Animal Welfare – PETA, People for Animals (PFA)
3. Aged Persons – Help Age, Dignity Foundation.
4. (iv) Disabled Persons – National Association for the Blind (NAB), GCCI, ADAPT.
5. Environment – BNHS, BEAG.
6. Women’s Welfare – SEWA, SNEHA, WIT

5. Observe the given image and writes in brief about it.

Answer:
This is a heart-warming and motivating photograph.
We can observe the following about it.

• In India, women have participated in the election process since 1950 when they were given voting rights.
• It shows political awareness and participation of women, dressed in traditional attire, braving the hot sun standing in the queue to vote.
• They are proudly holding up their identity proof which shows how motivated and proud they are to have the political right to vote.