Political Science
Chapter 5
Popular Struggles and Movements
Ø Movement
It means a struggle on collective action aimed at achieving a certain aim or aims.
Ø Movement for Democracy in Nepal
ü Third wave country: Countries that changed into democratic government from either monarchy dictatorship or freedom from colonial rule.
ü Witnessed an extraordinary popular movement in April 2006 in order to restore democracy.
ü In 1990, democracy was established with the king still nominally remaining the head of the state.
ü Seven Party Alliance (SPA): SAP formed by all major political parties of Nepal to struggle for the abolition of monarchy and establishment of democracy.
ü The alliance had already been successful in its aims.
ü It captured power in Nepal and has abolished monarchy and established democracy in Nepal.
ü Seven Party Alliance (SPA) organized a four day strike in Kathmandu.
ü The movement witnessed active participation of the Maoist insurgents and various other organisations.
ü Main Demands
· Restoration of parliament
· Power to an all-party government
· A new constituent assembly
ü On 24 April 2006, 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.
ü The SPA and the Maoists came to an understanding about how the new Constituent Assembly was going to be elected.
ü Maoists: Those communities who believes in the ideology of Mao, the leader of the Chines revolution. They seek to overthrow the government through an armed revolution so as to establish the rule of workers and peasants.
Ø Result of the movement of Nepal struggle
ü The king bows down on 24th of April 2006.
ü The king agreed to all the three demands and lost most of his powers.
Ø Bolivia’s Water War, 2000
ü Bolivia is a poor country in Latin America.
ü The World Bank pressurized the government to give up its control of municipal water supply.
ü The government sold these rights for the city of Cochabamba to a multi-national company (MNC).
ü The company immediately increased the price of water four times. This led to a spontaneous popular protest.
ü A new alliance of labour, human rights and community leaders forced the officials of the MNC to flee the city and made the government concede to all the demands of the protesters.
ü 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.
Ø Difference and similarities in the two countries – Nepal and Bolivia.
ü Struggle to establish democracy
ü Struggle against an elected democratic government.
ü Struggle was a foundational challenge.
ü Struggle was against a specific policy.
ü Successful political struggle.
ü Both involved political mobilization.
Ø Evolution of Democracy
ü Evolves through popular struggles.
ü Usually involves conflict between those groups who have exercised power and those who aspire for a share in power.
ü These moments come when the country is going through transition to democracy, expansion of democracy or deepening of democracy.
ü Democratic conflict is resolved through mass mobilization. These conflicts and mobilizations are based on new political organizations which include political parties, pressure groups and movement groups.
Ø Mobilization and Organizations
ü In Nepal, democracy was attained through the joined efforts of the Seven Party Alliance, the Nepalese Communist Party (Maoist), labour unions and their federations, organization of the indigenous people, teachers, lawyers and human rights groups.
ü In Bolivia, the protest against water privatization was led by a non-political organization called FEDECOR. This organization comprised local professionals, including engineers and environmentalists, farmers who relied on irrigation, factory workers’ unions and middle class students. The movement was supported by the Socialist Party. In 2006, this party came to power in Bolivia.
ü Direct participation in competitive politics is done by creating parties, contesting elections and forming governments.
ü Indirect participation in competitive politics is done by forming an organization and undertaking activities for promoting their interests or their viewpoints. These are called interest groups or pressure groups. Sometimes, people decide to act together without forming organizations.
Ø Pressure Groups and Movements
ü Pressure groups are organizations that attempt to influence government policies.
ü Unlike political parties, pressure groups do not aim to directly control or share political power.
ü These organizations are formed when people with common occupation, interests, aspirations or opinions come together in order to achieve a common objective.
ü Like an interest group, a movement also attempts to influence politics rather than directly take part in electoral competition.
ü Unlike interest groups, movements have a loose organization.
ü Their decision-making is more informal and flexible. They depend much more on spontaneous mass participation than an interest group.
Ø Sectional Interest Groups Represent
· A section of society: Workers, employees, businesspersons, industrialists, followers of a religion, caste groups, etc.
· Their principal concern is the betterment and well being of their members, not society in general. Sometimes, these organizations are not about representing the interest of one section of society.
They represent some common or general interest that needs to be defended.
· The members of the organization may not benefit from the cause that the organization represents.
Ø Public Interest Groups
· Promote collective rather than selective good.
· They aim to help groups other than their own members.
· In some instances, the members of a public interest group may undertake activities that benefit them as well as others too.
Ø Movement Groups
ü Most of the movements are issue specific movements that seek to achieve a single objective within a limited time frame.
ü Others are more general or generic movements that seek to achieve a broad goal in the long term.
ü Movements of this kind tend to have a clear leadership and some organization.
ü Their active life is usually short.
ü The Nepalese Democratic Movement and Narmada Bachao Andolan are some examples of movement groups.
ü Environmental movement is a label for a large number of organizations and issue-specific movements. National Alliance for Peoples’ Movements (NAPM) is an organization that functions for various movements. Groups struggling on specific issues are constituents of this loose organization which coordinates the activities of a large number of peoples’ movements in our country.
Ø Influence of Pressure Groups and Movements on Politics
ü They try to gain public support and sympathy for their goals and activities by carrying out information campaigns, organizing meetings, filing petitions, etc.
ü Most of these groups try to influence the media into giving more attention to these issues.
ü They often organize protest activities such as strikes or disrupting government programmes.
ü Business groups often employ professional lobbyists or sponsor expensive advertisements.
ü Some persons from pressure groups or movement groups may participate in official bodies and committees that offer advice to the government.
Ø Relationship between Political Parties and Pressure Groups
ü Pressure groups are either formed or led by the leaders of political parties or act as extended arms of political parties. Most of the leaders of such pressure groups are usually activists and leaders of a party.
ü Sometimes, political parties grow out of movements.
ü Movement groups raise new issues that are taken up by political parties.
ü Most of the new leadership of political parties comes from interest or movement groups.
Ø Is Their Influence Healthy?
ü Governments can often come under pressure from a small group of rich and powerful people that reminds the government of the needs and concerns of ordinary citizens.
ü Where different groups function actively, no single group can achieve dominance over society.
ü The government gets to hear about what different sections of the population want; thus, leading to a rough balance of power.
Question Bank
Very Short Answer
1. Which political party is the result of social reform movements?
2. SPA is associated with which country?
3. What is the other name for Nepalese communist Party?
4. Which country boycotted the Presidential election in June 2004?
5. Name a pressure group.
6. Name the organization of Bolivia.
7. Name the neighboring country of India where there was a popular struggle for democracy happened?
8. Nepal was a constitution monarchy in which year?
9. Which group seeks the interest of the people?
10. In which system the head of the state has absolute powers?
11. What was the aim of the popular Nepal movement of April 2006?
12. Who were Maoist?
13. What was Seven Party Alliance?
14. “The role of people does not come to an end with the establishment of democracy.” Justify.
15. Mention any agencies of organized politics.
16. What are pressure groups?
17. Which of the following are public interest group? Give reason for your answer.
a. Trade Union
b. a group fighting against bonded labour.
18. Name any two agencies of organized politics which played an important role in Bolivia’s Water War?
19. What are Sectional Interest Groups? Give one example.
20. Who dissolved the popularly elected Parliament in February 2005 , in Nepal?
21. Who formed a Seven Party Alliance in Nepal?
22. What is an organization?
23. What is MNC?
24. Define politics.
25. What is a public opinion?
26. What is FEDECOR?
27. What is electorate?
28. What is an election manifesto?
29. What is an electoral competition or participation?
30. What is universal adult franchise?
31. What is secret ballot?
32. Explain the term alternative voting.
33. What is Polarization?
34. Expand and explain BAMCEF.
35. What is movement group?
36. What is NAPM, explain its significant?
37. Who led the protest against water privatization in Bolivia?
38. How did King Gyanendra take advantage of the weak democratically elected government?
39. In what two ways, the public interest groups achieve their aims?
40. What did the leaders of the movement in Nepal reject in April 2004?
41. Bolivia belongs to which continent?
42. Which feature distinguishes a Pressure group from a Political party?
43. Write the main feature of the Bolivia water struggle.
44. Name the “Third Wave” country that had won democracy in 1990.
45. Name the country in which democracy is not preferred over dictatorship?
46. What was the mysterious massacre of 2001?
Short answers
1. Why was a movement launched in Nepal?
2. Describe the main four features of popular struggle for restoring democracy in Nepal.
3. Why was the movement launched in Bolivia?
4. Describe the main feature of popular struggle against privatization of water.
5. What were the similarities and differences seen between the Nepalese movement and the Bolivian water war?
6. “Democracy evolves through popular struggles” Justify.
7. “Democratic conflict is resolved through mass mobilization.” Justify.
8. “The conflicts and mobilization are based on new political organizations.” Justify.
9. Who were involved in the movement in Nepal?
10. Who were involved in the protest in Bolivia?
11. What is a pressure groups? Give examples.
12. Differentiate between the sectional interest group and the public interest group.
13. Differentiate between the single issue movement or single issue specific movement and the long – term movement.
14. Write a short note on the movement groups.
15. How do pressure groups and movement influence polities?
16. “The relationship between political parties and pressure groups can take different forms”. Justify.
17. Is the influence of pressure groups and movement groups healthy for the society?
18. What were the demands of the people of the people during the popular movement of 2006?
19. Why did the people of Bolivia protest in 2000?
20. What are the pressure groups or interest groups? Give examples.
21. What are the major features of a movement?
22. What are the difference between the pressure groups and political parties?
23. Distinguish between interest or pressure groups and a movement?
24. How pressure groups and movements exerts influence on government policies?
25. Explain with examples the two types of political movements.
26. Describe the relationship between Pressure groups and Political Parties.
27. Is the influence of mobilization and movement groups healthy?
Long Answers.
1. How do pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics ? Explain
(or)
What are public interest groups? How do they look after the public interest? Explain.
(or)
In what three ways do the pressure groups and movements exert influence in politics?
2. Describe the “Second popular movement for democracy” of Nepal.
3. How are popular struggles an internal part of working democracy? Explain by giving an example of the Bolivia’s struggle for water.
4. Which values are reflected by Nepalese movement?
5. Which values are reflected by Bolivia’s Water War?
6. Examine the methods adopted by the interest groups in India to put pressure on Government.
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