What traumatic event does Zitkala-Sa describe at the school?

The forcible cutting of her long hair

Why was the cutting of her hair so humiliating to Zitkala-Sa?

Among her people, shingled hair was worn by cowards and mourners

Why did the Congress dominate the first three general elections?

Because of its legacy as inheritor of the national movement, an organisation spread across the country, Nehru's charismatic leadership and the 'first off the blocks' advantage.

How was Indian one-party dominance different from one-party states elsewhere?

In India dominance happened under free and fair elections with many parties contesting, whereas elsewhere one-party rule was ensured by compromising democracy.

Why is the Congress described as a social and ideological coalition?

Because it brought together diverse classes, castes, religions and interests, and accommodated groups ranging from conservatives to radicals under one platform.

What was the 'Congress system'?

A system in which the Congress, with its factions and broad coalition character, acted as both the ruling party and the opposition during the first decade of electoral competition.

How did the first-past-the-post system help the Congress?

The party won about three-fourths of the seats with less than half the votes, because the divided non-Congress votes could not defeat it under this system.

What role did factions play within the Congress?

Factions allowed leaders of different ideologies and ambitions to fight within the party rather than leave it, acting as a balancing mechanism and a source of strength.

Why was the Communist victory in Kerala in 1957 significant?

It was the first time anywhere in the world that a Communist party government came to power through democratic elections; it was later dismissed in 1959.

What was the role of opposition parties in this period?

Though they won only token representation, their principled criticism kept the ruling party in check and helped maintain the democratic character of the system.

Name some opposition parties of the 1950s and trace one to a present party.

The Socialist Party, CPI, Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Swatantra Party; the Bharatiya Janata Party traces its roots to the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.

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Q: Why was the first general election of 1952 considered a landmark?

It was the largest democratic exercise of its time, held under universal adult franchise in a poor, largely illiterate country, proving that democracy could be practised anywhere.

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Chapter 2: Era of One-party Dominance — Class 12 Political Science

Political Science · 14 chapters

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Chapter 2: Era of One-party Dominance

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Summary

This chapter examines the first decade of electoral politics and the dominance of the Congress party. India's leaders chose democracy despite difficult circumstances. The Election Commission of India was set up in 1950 under Sukumar Sen, and the first general elections of 1951-52 — held under universal adult franchise in a poor, largely illiterate country — were a landmark, proving that democracy could work anywhere. The Congress won the first three general elections (1952, 1957, 1962) with about three-fourths of the seats, aided by the first-past-the-post system, its legacy from the national movement, an all-India organisation and Nehru's charismatic leadership. Indian one-party dominance was distinctive because it occurred under genuinely free and fair elections, unlike one-party states elsewhere. The Congress functioned as a broad social and ideological coalition that accommodated diverse groups and managed internal factions, acting as both ruling party and opposition — the 'Congress system'. Yet a variety of vibrant opposition parties existed, including the Socialist Party, the Communist Party of India (which won Kerala in 1957), the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the Swatantra Party, whose criticism helped keep democracy alive.

Key terms

Universal adult franchise

The right of every adult citizen to vote, adopted by India from its first general election.

Congress system

The period of Congress dominance in which the party acted as both ruling party and, through internal factions, as the opposition.

First-past-the-post

The electoral system in which the candidate with the most votes wins, which boosted the Congress's seat share.

Faction

An organised group within a party holding different beliefs or ambitions, tolerated within the Congress.

Ideological coalition

A party, like the Congress, that accommodated groups of many different ideologies under one platform.

Opposition parties

Parties such as the Socialist Party, CPI, Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Swatantra Party that contested Congress dominance.

Important questions

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Universal adult franchise

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The right of every adult citizen to vote, adopted by India from its first general election.

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Practice quiz · Era of One-party Dominance

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Era of One-party Dominance

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