๐ Class 12 Political Science – Chapter 2
๐ Era of One-Party Dominance
๐️ Challenge of Building Democracy
- ๐ณ️ Election Commission of India was set-up in January 1950.
- ๐ค Sukumar Sen became the first Chief Election Commissioner.
- ๐ India’s vast size (เคฌเคก़ा เคเคाเคฐ) and low literacy rate (เคเคฎ เคธाเค्เคทเคฐเคคा) were major challenges to hold the first general elections (1952).
- ✅ Despite difficulties, elections were held successfully in 1952.
๐ณ️ Changing Methods of Voting
- ๐ฅ First General Election (1952): Each polling booth had a separate box for each candidate with their election symbol.
- ๐ป By 2004: Entire country shifted to Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).
๐ First Three General Elections
- ๐ Congress dominance in first three elections (1952, 1957, 1962).
- Popular leaders ➝ Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Rajagopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel.
- ✊ Congress popularity linked with Civil Disobedience Movement (เค เคธเคนเคฏोเค เคंเคฆोเคฒเคจ).
- ๐ฅ Kerala (1957):
- Communist Party came to power first time in the world through democratic elections.
- First Non-Congress Government formed after independence.
๐ Nature of Congress Dominance
- ✅ Dominance existed within democratic conditions (เคฒोเคเคคांเคค्เคฐिเค เคธ्เคฅिเคคि).
- ๐️ Congress roots were linked with freedom struggle (เคธ्เคตเคคंเคค्เคฐเคคा เคธंเค्เคฐाเคฎ).
- ๐ It acted as a social coalition (เคธाเคฎाเคिเค เคเค เคฌंเคงเคจ) – included different castes, classes, religions, languages & interests.
- ๐ช This coalition character gave Congress extraordinary strength.
๐ค Tolerance and Management of Factions
- ๐น Factions (เคुเค): Groups within party with diverse ideologies or personal rivalries.
- ๐น Some were based on ideological differences, others on personal ambitions.
- ๐ Congress acted as a broad umbrella party, tolerating and encouraging factions.
๐ Emergence of Opposition Parties (เคตिเคชเค्เคทी เคฆเคฒों เคा เคเคฆเคฏ)
- ✨ Roots of almost all Non-Congress parties of today can be traced to opposition parties of 1950s.
- ๐ These parties gave principled criticism (เคธिเคฆ्เคงांเคค เคเคงाเคฐिเคค เคเคฒोเคเคจा) of Congress policies & practices.
- ⚖️ They kept the ruling party in check and often changed balance of power inside Congress.
๐ด Socialist Party (เคธเคฎाเคเคตाเคฆी เคชाเคฐ्เคी)
- ๐ Formed in 1934 as Congress Socialist Party (CSP) within Congress.
- ๐ฅ Group of young leaders wanted a radical (เคเค्เคเคฐเคชंเคฅी) & egalitarian (เคธเคฎाเคจเคคाเคตाเคฆी) Congress.
- ๐ In 1948, Congress amended Constitution → banned dual membership → Socialists formed a separate party.
- ⚡ Criticism: Congress favoured capitalists & landlords, ignored workers & peasants.
๐น Communist Party of India (CPI)
- ๐ฅ Emerged in 1920s → inspired by Bolshevik Revolution (Russia).
- ๐ In 1951, CPI abandoned violent revolution and decided to contest elections.
- ๐ค Key Leaders ➝ A.K. Gopalan, S.A. Dange, E.M.S. Namboodiripad, P.C. Joshi, Ajay Ghosh, P. Sundarraya.
๐ Bhartiya Jana Sangh (BJS)
- ๐ Founded in 1951 by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Founder President).
- ๐ Ideology: One country, one culture, one nation.
- ๐ช Belief: India could become modern, progressive & strong on the basis of Indian culture & traditions.
๐ต Swatantra Party (เคธ्เคตเคคंเคค्เคฐ เคชाเคฐ्เคी)
- ๐ Formed in August 1959.
- ๐ฅ Leaders: C. Rajagopalachari, K.M. Munshi, N.G. Ranga, Minoo Masani.
- ⚡ Critical of:
- State intervention in economy (เคฐाเค्เคฏ เคा เคนเคธ्เคคเค्เคทेเคช)
- Centralised planning
- Nationalisation
- Public sector
- ✅ Favoured free private sector expansion (เคจिเคी เค्เคทेเคค्เคฐ เคा เคตिเคธ्เคคाเคฐ).
๐ FACTS THAT MATTER
1️⃣ Role of Politics after Independence
- Leaders realised politics ๐ณ️ plays a critical role in democracy.
- Politics was seen as a method to solve problems and decide public interest.(Politics = เคธเคฎเคธ्เคฏाเคं เคा เคนเคฒ เคจिเคाเคฒเคจे เคเคฐ เคเคจเคนिเคค เคคเคฏ เคเคฐเคจे เคा เคคเคฐीเคा)
2️⃣ Election Commission of India (1950)
- Established in January 1950 ✅
- Sukumar Sen became the first Chief Election Commissioner.
- Tasks:
- Drawing boundaries of constituencies ๐บ️
- Preparing electoral rolls ๐
- Ensuring free & fair elections
3️⃣ First General Election (1952)
- Became a landmark event ๐
- Features:
- Competitiveness
- Mass participation ๐♂️
- Fair results
- Proved critics wrong who said elections were impossible in conditions of poverty & illiteracy.
4️⃣ Congress Victory & States’ Exceptions
- In 1952 elections, Congress scored a big victory ๐.
- But it was not in power in states like:
- Travancore–Cochin (Kerala) ๐ด
- Madras ๐️
- Orissa ๐
- Congress dominance due to:
- Link with freedom struggle ✊
- Charismatic leaders (Nehru, Patel, etc.) ๐
- Broad inclusive manifesto ๐
- Ability of consensus building
5️⃣ Congress: From A.O. Hume to Coalition Party
- Founded in 1885 by A.O. Hume.
- Initially: a platform to express discontentment.
- Later: became a social & ideological coalition accommodating:
- Different social groups
- Individuals with diverse beliefs
- Even before independence, other organisations existed within Congress.
6️⃣ Factions in Congress
- Factions = Groups within the party (เคुเคเคฌाเค़ी).
- Based on:
- Ideological differences
- Personal ambitions / rivalries
- Congress encouraged & tolerated such factions → made it coalition-like.
7️⃣ Emergence of Opposition Parties
- Before 1952, many vibrant opposition parties emerged.
- Importance:
- Kept ruling party under check ๐
- Prevented resentment
- Groomed new leaders ๐ฑ
- Created mutual respect among ruling & opposition leaders.
8️⃣ Socialist Party (1934 → 1948)
- Formed inside Congress in 1934 by Acharya Narendra Dev.
- In 1948, separated as Socialist Party.
- Ideology: Democratic Socialism (เคฒोเคเคคांเคค्เคฐिเค เคธเคฎाเคเคตाเคฆ).
- Criticised: Capitalism & landlordism.
9️⃣ Communist Party of India (CPI)
- Emerged in 1920s, inspired by Bolshevik Revolution (Russia).
- Ideology: Communism = Secular, modern, authoritarian.
- By 1951: abandoned violent revolution, started participating in elections.
๐ Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) – 1951
- Founded by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.
- Ideology:
- One country, one culture, one nation ๐ฎ๐ณ
- Advocated Akhand Bharat (India–Pakistan reunion).
1️⃣1️⃣ Swatantra Party (1959)
- Formed after Nagpur Resolution of Congress (called for land ceilings).
- Leaders: C. Rajagopalachari, K.M. Munshi, N.G. Ranga, Minoo Masani.
- Ideology:
- Favoured free economy ๐ฐ
- Wanted less government control
- Supported closer ties with USA ๐
✨ WORDS THAT MATTER (เคฎเคนเคค्เคตเคชूเคฐ्เคฃ เคถเคฌ्เคฆाเคตเคฒी)
๐น Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)
๐ A voting machine used to record voters’ preferences (เคुเคจाเคต เคฎें เคฎเคคเคฆाเคคाเคं เคी เคชเคธंเคฆ) electronically.
๐ It replaced the traditional ballot box system.
๐น First Past the Post System (FPTP)
๐ A simple majority system (เคธाเคงाเคฐเคฃ เคฌเคนुเคฎเคค เคช्เคฐเคฃाเคฒी) in which the candidate who gets the maximum number of votes is declared elected.
๐น Ideological Oriented Party
๐ A political party where policies and decisions are formulated based on ideology (เคตिเคाเคฐเคงाเคฐा เคชเคฐ เคเคงाเคฐिเคค เคฆเคฒ).
๐น Interest-Oriented Party
๐ A party that protects and promotes particular interests (เคैเคธे เคाเคคि, เคธเคฎुเคฆाเคฏ, เค्เคทेเคค्เคฐ, เคเคจเคाเคคि เคเคฆि).
๐น Charismatic Leader Oriented Party
๐ A party where the leader has a very strong position (เคฎเคเคฌूเคค เคจेเคคृเคค्เคต เคตाเคฒी เคชाเคฐ्เคी) and becomes the central figure (เคेंเคฆ्เคฐเคฌिंเคฆु) of the party.
