POPULAR STRUGGLES AND MOVEMENTS

PRESSURE GROUPS 1.PRESSURE GROUPS ARE FORMED WHEN PEOPLE OF THE COMMON OCCUPATON, INTERESTS, ASPIRATIONS COME TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE AN OBJECTVE OR AIM. 2. THEY ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT POLICIES WITHOUT SEEKING CONTROL OR POLITICAL POWER. 3. PRESSURE GROUPS INFLUENCE POLICIES BUT DO NOT TAKE PART DIRECT ELECTORAL COMPETITION . EXAMPLES NARMADA BACHAO ANADOIAN, WOMEN’S MOVEMENT

HOW PRESSURE GROUPS AND MOVEMENTS INFLUENCE POLITICS A)THEY TRY TO GAIN PUBLIC SUPPORT AND SYMPATHY FOR THEIR GOALS B)THEY OFTEN ORGANISE PROTESTS LIKE STRIKES OR DISRUPUTING PROGRAMMES. C) SOME PERSON FROM PRESSURE GROUPS OR MOVEMENT GROUPS MAY PARTICIPATE IN OFFICIAL BODIES AND COMMITTEES THAT OFFER ADVICE TO THE GOVERNMENT.

MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL AIMED AT RESTORING DEMOCRACY KING BIRENDRA HAD ACCEPTED THE CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY HE WAS KILLED IN A MYSTERIOUS MASSACRE OF THE ROYAL FAMILY IN 2001 KING GYANENDRA, WAS NOT PREPARED TO DEMOCRATIC RULE. IN FEBRUARY 2005, THE KING DISMISSED THE THEN PRIME MINISTER THE MOVEMENT OF APRIL 2006 AIMED AT REGAINING POPULAR CONTROL OVER THE GOVERNMENT ALL THE MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE PARLIAMENT FORMED A SEVEN PARTY ALLIANCE (SPA) THIS STRIKE TURNED INTO AN INDEFINITE STRIKE IN THE NUMBER OF PROTESTERS REACHED BETWEEN THREE TO FIVE LAKHS. THEY STRUCK TO THEIR DEMANDS FOR RESTORATION OF PARLIAMENT. ON 24TH APRIL, THE KING WAS FORCED TO CONCODE THEIR DEMANDS. KOIRALA AS THE NEW PRIME MINISTER OF THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT.

KING DEMOCRACY

BOLIVIA – WATER WAR BOLIVIA WAS A POOR COUTRY IN LATIN AMERICA WORLD BANK PRESSURISED GOVERNMENT TO GIVE UP ITS CONTROL OF MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY. GOVERNMENT SOLD THESE RIGHTS TO A MULTINATIONAL COMPANY. COMPANY INCREASED THE PRICE OF WATER BY FOUR TIMES. PEOPLE RECEIVED MONTHLY WATER BILLS WHICH WAS MORE THAN THEIR SALARY. IN JANUARY 2000, A NEW ALLIANCE OF LABOUR, HUMAN RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS ORGANISED FOUR DAYS STRIKE. GOVERNMENT AGGREED TO NEGOTIATE AND STRIKE WAS CALLED OFF. IN APRIL GOVERNMENT IMPOSED THE MARTIAL LAW. CONTRACT WITH MNC CANCELLED AND OLD RATES RESTORED. THIS WAS BOLIVIA’S WATER WAR.

ORGANISATONS IN A DEMOCRACY THAT MOBILSED MOVEMENTS: NEPAL: IN NEPAL, THE STRUGGLE INVOLVED MANY ORGANISATIONS OTHER THAN POLITICAL PARTIES. MANY OTHER ORGANISATIONS LIKE THE ORGANISATION OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ,TEACHERS, LAWYERS AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS EXTENDED SUPPORT TO THE MOVEMENT. BOLIVIA: THE PROTEST AGAINST WATER PRIVATISATION IN BOLIVIA WAS NOT LED BY ANY POLITICAL PARTY BUT BY A ORGANISATION CALLED FEDECOR. THIS ORGANISATION COMPRISED OF LOCAL PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING ENGINEERS AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS . THEY WERE SUPPORTED BY A FEDERATION OF FARMERS, THE CONFEDERATION OF FACTORY WORKERS’UNIONS, MIDDLE CLASS STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF COCHABAMBA AND THE CITY’S GROWING POPULATION OF HOMELESS STREET CHILDREN. IN A DEMOCRACY, SEVERAL DIFFERENT KNDS OF ORGANISATONS WORK BEHND ANY BG STRUGGLE.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN NEPAL AND BOLIVIA BOTH MOVEMENTS WERE INSTANCES OF POLITICAL CONFLICT. BOTH INVOLVED MASS MOBILISATION BOTH INVOLVED CRITICAL ROLE OF POLITICAL ORGANISATION

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