📚 Class 10 Political Science – Chapter 5

💠 Popular Struggles and Movements 💠

✨ Popular Struggles in Nepal & Bolivia

April 2006 → Nepal witnessed a popular movement to regain power from the king.
Seven Party Alliance (SPA) called for a 4-day strike in Kathmandu.
Their demands:
🔹 Restoration of Parliament
🔹 Power to an All-Party Government
🔹 New Constituent Assembly
24 April 2006 → King accepted all demands.
2008 → Kingship abolished → Nepal became a Federal Democratic Republic.
2015 → New Constitution adopted.
👉 The struggle inspired democrats worldwide 🌍.

People protested against privatisation (निजीकरण) of water.
Successful struggle → Government had to cancel privatisation.
👉 Shows that popular struggles are necessary in democracy.

Democracy evolves through popular struggles.
Democratic conflicts resolved by:
🔹 Mass Mobilisation (जन आंदोलन)
🔹 Using existing institutions (Parliament, Judiciary).
New organisations: Political parties, Pressure Groups, Movement Groups.

1️⃣ Direct Participation → forming parties, contesting elections, forming govt.

2️⃣ Indirect Participation → creating organisations, promoting interests, influencing govt.

👉 Such groups = Interest Groups / Pressure Groups.

Pressure Groups → Influence govt. policies (Trade unions, teachers’ association).
Movements → Influence politics without electoral competition.
Examples:
🔹 Narmada Bachao Andolan
🔹 Right to Information Movement
🔹 Women’s Movement
🔹 Environmental Movement

Sectional Interest Groups	Public Interest Groups
Represent a particular section (Trade unions, business groups, doctors, lawyers).	Work for the benefit of general public.
Main concern = welfare of own members.	Main concern = welfare of others too.
Example: Trade Unions	Example: FEDECOR (Bolivia), BAMCEF

Methods:
🔹 Information campaigns, petitions, meetings.
🔹 Protests, strikes, disrupting programs.
🔹 Participation in govt. committees.
Relations with political parties:
🔹 Some pressure groups formed/led by party leaders (e.g., student unions, trade unions).
🔹 Some political parties grew out of movements (e.g., Asom Gana Parishad).
🔹 Often indirect relations via dialogue & negotiation.

✅ Strengthen democracy by:

👉 Overall, Pressure Groups & Movements = Healthy for Democracy.