Unit 3: Democratic Politics – II 

Themes

Learning Objectives

1. Power Sharing:

• Case Studies of Belgium and Sri Lanka
• Why power sharing is desirable?
• Forms of Power Sharing

2. Federalism

• What is Federalism?
• What makes India a Federal Country?
• How is Federalism practiced?
• Decentralization in India

3. Democracy and Diversity:

• Case Studies of Mexico
• Differences, similarities, and divisions
• Politics of social divisions

Note: The chapter ‘Democracy and Diversity’ to be assessed in the Periodic Tests only and will not be evaluated in the Board Examination.

4. Gender, Religion, and Caste:

• Gender and Politics
• Religion, Communalism, and Politics
• Caste and Politics

5. Popular Struggles and Movements:

• Popular Struggles in Nepal and Bolivia
• Mobilization and Organization
• Pressure Groups and Movements

Note: The chapter ‘Popular Struggles and Movements’ to be assessed in the Periodic Tests only and will not be evaluated in the Board Examination.

6. Political Parties:

• Why do we need Political Parties?
• How many Parties should we have?
• National Political Parties
• State Parties
• Challenges to Political Parties
• How can Parties be reformed?

7. Outcomes of Democracy:

• How do we assess democracy’s outcomes?
• Accountable, responsive and legitimate government
• Economic growth and development
• Reduction of inequality and poverty
• Accommodation of social diversity
• Dignity and freedom of the citizens

8. Challenges to Democracy:

• Thinking about challenges
• Thinking about Political Reforms
• Redefining democracy

• Familiarize with the centrality of power-sharing in a democracy.
• Understand the working of spatial and social power-sharing mechanisms.

• Analyze federal provisions and institutions.
• Explain decentralization in rural and urban areas.

• Analyze the relationship between social cleavages and political competition with reference to the Indian situation.

• Identify and analyze the challenges posed by communalism to Indian democracy.
• Recognize the enabling and disabling effects of caste and ethnicity in politics.
• Develop a gender perspective on politics.

• Understand the vital role of people’s struggle in the expansion of democracy.

• Analyze party systems in democracies.

• Introduction to major political parties, challenges faced by them, and reforms in the country.

• Evaluate the functioning of democracies in comparison to alternative forms of government.
• Understand the causes of the continuation of democracy in India.
• Distinguish between sources of strengths and weaknesses of Indian democracy.

• Reflect on the different kinds of measures possible to deepen democracy.
• Promote active and participatory citizenship.