CAPF AC 2020 Q58: Indian Polity – Political Theory & Concepts
Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists:
| List I (Concept) | List II (Explanation/Aim) |
|---|---|
| A. Pluralist democracy | 1. Power is always exercised by a privileged few |
| B. People's democracy | 2. Highest and harmonious development of individual capacities |
| C. Developmental democracy | 3. Social equality through common ownership of wealth |
| D. Elitist democracy | 4. Capacity of groups to ensure Governmental responsiveness |
Code:
- (a) A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
- (b) A-4, B-2, C-3, D-1
- (c) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
- (d) A-1, B-3, C-2, D-4
Answer: (a) A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
Explanation
Four models of democracy
How to think: start with the pair you are surest of.
Elitist means rule by a privileged few, so D goes with 1.
That leaves only options (a) and (b); then fix People's democracy.
| List I (Concept) | List II (Explanation/Aim) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A. Pluralist democracy | 4. Capacity of groups to ensure Governmental responsiveness | Many groups compete and keep government answerable |
| B. People's democracy | 3. Social equality through common ownership of wealth | The Marxist model |
| C. Developmental democracy | 2. Highest and harmonious development of individual capacities | Linked with J. S. Mill |
| D. Elitist democracy | 1. Power is always exercised by a privileged few | Linked with Pareto, Mosca and Michels |
Answer: (a) A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Pluralist goes with groups, People's with common ownership, Developmental with the individual, Elitist with the few.
- (b) Incorrect. This swaps People's democracy and Developmental democracy.
- (c) Incorrect. This gives Pluralist democracy the rule of a privileged few, which is elitism.
- (d) Incorrect. This also links Pluralist democracy with a privileged few.
Key point
Pluralist: competing groups. People's (Marxist): common ownership and social equality. Developmental (Mill): growth of the individual. Elitist (Pareto, Mosca, Michels): rule by a few.
Remember
Pluralist = groups; People's = common ownership; Developmental = individual; Elitist = few.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up People's democracy (common ownership) with developmental democracy.
- Thinking pluralist means rule by the majority; it means many competing groups.
- Forgetting that elite theory says a few always rule, whatever the system.
Exam tip
Match the easiest pair first. Elitist with privileged few removes two options at once.
Sources
- Andrew Heywood — Politics (Democracy and Legitimacy: models of democracy)
- Robert A. Dahl — On Democracy (Yale University Press, 1998)