MPS 001
POLITICAL THEORY
IGNOU MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment
MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment July 2023 & January 2024
SECTION 1
Q. 2. Examine the justifications for democracy.
Ans. Democracy is justified on the ground that it has some intrinsic or instrumental value like equality, wide participation etc. The people through direct or indirect elections, held on regular interval, constitute a democratic Government.
Once the Government is elected, it holds power till the people or people’s representatives have faith on it. The Government is responsible and accountable to the people through elected representatives.
Firstly, the democratic Government ensures the basic principles of liberty and equality. It takes care that everyone is provided with liberty and equality.
The liberty includes right to life, freedom of speech, expression, freedom to choose one’s religion or profession and other such freedom. It ensures that everyone gets equal opportunity in all walks of life.
Secondly, the democratic Government is based on public opinion. It follows the diktat of general consent of people. It not only respects the public opinion, but makes it the basis of all its policies and programmes. It does not go against the public opinion.
Thirdly, the sovereignty in a democratic Government resides in people. People are the ultimate sovereign in whose name and interest the administration is run.
As Austin has rightly observed, the principle of popular sovereignty requires the basis governmental decision making power to be vested in all the members of the community and not any particular person or ruling class.
Fourthly, democratic Government is really a Government by people, of people and for people. The government is elected by people through direct or indirect election.
The people controls the Government through their elected representatives. And the Government is run for the people. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
It works in the interest of the people. If it goes against the people or their interest, they have option of throwing it out at next election or censures it through their elected representatives.
Fifthly, election at a regular interval is another characteristic of a democratic Government.
Election at regular interval is held to elect new Government or punish the old one. It is the potent weapon in the hands of people to exercise effective control over Government.
However, democracy may have instrumental value, its intrinsic value is derived from its having moral superiority as compared to other forms of Government. Majority rule is another feature of a democratic Government.
As Thomas Jefferson has observed, the true principle of democracy is that the will of the majority should prevail.
This principle of majority rule operates at various levels. The government is elected by majority of votes. The person or party getting majority of votes is invited to form Government.MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
The Government, in turn, holds the power till it has confidence of majority of people i.e. majority of elected members.
The view or law getting maximum number of supports, whether directly or through elected representatives is accepted or adopted.
Moreover, democratic Government accommodates minority view as well. Everyone has right to dissent, and opposition views are respected, tolerated and sometimes included in the majority view.
Once the law is passed or view is accepted, the minority view or dissenting notes become majority. The administration is run on the basis of fixed rule. There is a rule of law that is superior.
It is applicable to all and nobody is above it or beyond it. Moreover, the rules and regulations regarding working of Government, its election and selection and various other aspects are fixed in form of a written or unwritten Constitution.
Democratic Government is based on justice. Everyone is entitled to get justice in social, economic and political sphere.
In a democratic Government, citizens are provided with fundamental rights. No part or organ of Government can touch or tamper it. This right is protected by judicial review.MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
Finally, a democratic Government ensures smooth change of regime. The method of election and procedures of installation of a new Government is fixed and mentioned in Constitution.
Under ordinary circumstances, none can tamper with these. Thus, it ensures smooth transfer of power, without any armed rebellion or violent and forceful takeovers.
Q. 3. Discuss the nature of rights.
Ans. The rights are important conditions for a free and balanced life. Without rights, man would be reduced to the state of animal kingdom.
Rights are essential for his personal development. They help in realizing his potentiality.
“Thus rights are those claims without which the individuals can not realize the purpose of his existence. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
Since the state exists to secure human happiness, it can only succeed by recognizing and granting to its citizens such rights as are demanded by them as necessary to their development.”
Sometimes, there may arise conflict between the rights recognized and approved by state and rights approved by society.
Such as situation may give rise to conflict or in extreme situation revolution as happened in France.
In such a situation, there must be proper balance between the rights as recognized by state and approved by the state.
Lock and Hobbes propounded the theory of natural rights. It is based on assumption that men enjoyed the rights even before the civil society came into being. Nevertheless, this view of rights does not hold much validity.
Whatever rights were available in the state of nature, it was a mere claim or counter claim. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
These claims had no sanction or approval of any superior authority, as there was no superior authority in the state of nature.
Therefore, these claims or counter- claims can not be called right.The natural rights are abstract in nature.
It is difficult to recognize them in practice. Rights are the result of social circumstances, they are the products of the society.
They have relevance and value only when they contribute to social good as well as personal good. Otherwise, they have no relevance.
Nature of Rights
Rights are only those claims that are recognized by society, and approved and enforced by the state. If such recognition and approval were not granted, then they would be like empty slogans. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
As society is an organic entity, every act of everybody affects it. Therefore, a selfish claim can not be granted the status of right.
The right, to be called as such, must aim at the common good of society. In addition, it must be supported and recognized by society as such.
However, a proper distinction should be made between recognition by a state and a society. Rights are not always the creation of law.
Contrary to what Hobbes and Bentham has maintained that rights are the command of the state. It must be approved by society as well.
All rights are the conditions for the development of individual personality; the state itself is put to the test on these grounds.
A state is judged by the conditions it provides for its citizen for their development. All these conditions are called rights.
Lock and Hobbes propounded the theory of natural rights. It is based on assumption that men enjoyed the rights even before the civil society came into being. Nevertheless, this view of rights does not hold much validity.
Whatever rights were available in the state of nature, it was a mere claim or counter claim. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
These claims had no sanction or approval of any superior authority, as there was no superior authority, as there was no superior authority in the state of nature.
Therefore, these claims or counterclaims can not be called right.
The natural rights are abstract in nature.
It is difficult to recognize them in practice. Rights are the result of social circumstances, they are the products of the society.
They have relevance and value only when they contribute to social good as well as personal good. Otherwise, they have no relevance.
Q. 4. Elaborate upon some recent debates on liberty.
Ans. The recent debate on liberty has some feminist underpinnings. As Patterson claims that “Freedom began its long journey in the western consciousness as woman’s value.” MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
He considers the origin of freedom and liberty as resulting from slavery of women in ancient Greek.
As he further maintains that the concept of the freedom is different from what is being coined in the western countries.
“Ancient women were never satisfied with the purely negative view of personal freedom, not only because they recognized its potential nihilism and moral vacuity but because they could see how an emasculated negative liberty easily sublated into liberty as power over others.”
Another viewpoint on the liberty has been propounded by alternative women’s conception of freedom, consequent upon the rise of the feminist movement in 60s.
By elucidation the relationship between mother and male and female child, it proves that the development of autonomy is factored by the interaction with other selves.
Hence, the freedom and liberty is required to be conceptualized in terms of other, rather than on the negative principles of non-interference.
This viewpoint is elucidated with the parenting relationship between mother with male and female child in a patriarchal society.
The male and female child experiences different treatment, factored by the different social and cultural roles assigned to the male and female in patriarchal society.
The mother for psychological and sociological reason, mother metes out different treatment to the male and female child.
Mother effects more easily the separation and individuation of their sons as compared to their daughters.MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
While son manages to assert their individuality and freedom form their mothers, the daughters remain dependent on mothers.
This different psychological development of the male and female child determines their relations with others.
Therefore, it is no of much help to concede that freedom is affected by the presence or the absence of others. It is ingrained in their psyche, and non-interference is not relevant in this regard.
Another leading feminist, Carole Pateman believes that the original social contract resulted into not only a civil society, but a patriarchal civil society also.
This is so because the contract was between men, apart from other things, to enjoy equal sexual access to women.
‘This gave rise to men’s freedom and women’s subjugation. Hence, according to Paterson, civil freedom is just a ‘masculine attribute’.
So the original contract was a social, sexual and slavery contract. That is why the feminist like Patemen believes in the doing away with original social contract for attaining freedom for women.MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
The main argument of the radical feminism is that a woman has been relegated to subordinate position to the men because of the system of the patriarchy prevalent in the society.
The patriarchal system has resulted into the subjugation of the women in the society. When there was matriarchal system in the society, the women enjoyed equal rights in the society.
However, with the coming of the patriarchal system in the society, both at macro and micro level, the women were placed under male subjugation.
It resulted into a situation wherein; “half of the population which is female is controlled by that half which is male.”
The radical feminists consider that gender divisions are the most fundamental and politically significant cleavages in the society.
Their slogan, ‘the personal is the political, indicates this cleavage in the society. That is why they believe in the sexual revolution, reversing the trend in the society. They stand for the total restructuring of personal, domestic and family life.
SECTION-II
Q. 9. (a) Concept of Authority.
Ans. Authority is intrinsically related with power, both share an unique relations. Without authority, it would be just impossible to rule, as acceptance or obedience of the people is vital for the reinforcement of authority.
Only then it derives authority to rule. Max Webber devises three categories of authority-Charismatic authority, traditional authority, and legal authority.
Charismatic authority such as having unexplainable influence over people. They defy the logic popularity, only basis for their authority is the charms. People consider such leaders as charismatic.MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
Max Webber defines it as, “the legitimacy of charismatic rule rests upon the belief in the magical powers, revelations and hero worship.”
While the traditional authority refers to the domination or hegemony based on the traditional power structures, the rule and authority rests upon ‘traditionalism’.
The power to become authority must be grounded in the mutually acceptable rules and laws.
Max Webber considers legal authority as rational one as he has said: “the authority of legal ruler rests upon rules that are rationally established by enactment, by agreement or by imposition.”
For the continuation and sustenance of the political authority, the power must be exercised in consonance with the authority. It must reinforce the authority by justifying its rule in accordance of the law of land.
For time being, the new authority or the regime depends upon the political power.The new rule ultimately finds acceptance with the people, and attains authority. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
However, it is not possible to locate pure type of authority in any system. As Webber has commented: “The great majority of empirical cases represent a combination or a state of transition among several such pure types.”
So the power and authority is intrinsically related with each-other. The power to become authority must be grounded in the mutually acceptable rules and laws.
A political power has to be legitimate power if it were to find favour with the people and general acceptability, hence its continuity.
For that there should be belief among the people that power is being exercised in accordance with the formal laws, rules and regulations.
For the continuation and sustenance of the political authority, the power must be exercised in consonance with the authority.
It must reinforce the authority by justifying its rule in accordance of the law of land. However, in case of coup or the forcible takeover of the power, there may be divorce between political power and authority.
In such a situation, the right to rule may not find acceptance by the people. Hence, the new ruler would be enjoying only political power, not authority.
To gain authority, it would have to resort to some measures and steps that would find acceptance with people, and would be in reference to the established rules and laws of the land.MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
For the time being, the new authority or the regime depends upon the political power. The new rule ultimately finds acceptance with the people, and attains authority.
(b) Legitimation
Ans. Legitimization is the very basis of the state; its strength, its power, structure and reason for existence emanates from legitmation.
As the very concept of the legitimization is related with citizens recognition to rule, it is very vital for the its power and survival.
Authority is intrinsically related with power. It is based on the acceptance of the right to rule. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
Without authority, it would be difficult to rule, as acceptance of the people is vital for it. Max Webber terms it as legitimacy’.
Legitimization is regarded as the litmus test for the state power, the state has to pass the test as its very sustenance and continuation is dependent upon it.
The political power and authority boils down to the legitimization, which is acceptance of the authority of state.
Legitimation is intrinsically related with state. The term authority or consent to rule has found its mention even in Hobbesian scheme of things.
The mere use of power does not make the rule acceptable, it must seem to be delivering some good or following some mutually acceptable set of rules and laws. Only then it derives authority to rule.
The positivists think that a law must be given obedience even if it is wrong, and is against the interest of the society. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
There are many laws that provide certain rights or power. Without moral validity law would be just like that of rule of jungle where might is right prevails.
Even Rousseau has certified that law must have some moral sanctity. Without it, law would be a brute force.
According to Rousseau, our obligation to obey a particular law can called as moral and valid only when we are not compelled by the out side forces, but it should come from our inner sense of duty.
Only then it can be termed as genuinely legitimate.
Thus it can be said that legitimization is nothing but the recognition and approval given by the people to the rules and regulation of the state.
Only that Government and law can be termed as legitimate which is readily obeyed by the people.
A legitimate Government uses less coercive measures as its commands and law are given habitual obedience.
Q. 10. (a) Civil Disobedience.
Ans. The concept of the civil disobedience has become well-established political theory in the modern world. It is regarded as vital element of power structure as prevalent in modern times. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
However, the most ardent propounder of the disobedience have been Gandhiji, Martin Luther King and Tolstoy among others.
Underlining the significance of civil disobedience and Satyagraha as enunciated by Gandhism, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda has said that “As we approach the end of the century of unprecedented wars and violence, we seek as our common goal the creation of a world without wars.
At this critical juncture what we can we-must we- learn from this great philosopher-a man whose spiritual legacy could rightly be termed as one of humanity’s priceless treasures, a miracle of the twentieth century.”
Dr. Martin Luther King was so much impressed by disobedience and satyagraha as enunciated by the Gandhiji that he termed it as providing new meaning and orientation to the concept of the politics.
As he said: “If humanity is to progress, Gandhiji is inescapable. He lived, thought and acted, inspired by the vision of humanity evolving towards a world of peace and harmony.”MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
Concept of civil disobedience
The concept of the civil disobedience found mention in the essay of Henry David Thoreau.
Though it has some or other manifestation in the thoughts and theories of all dominant stream of political thinking, ranging from Aristotle to present day, it was elaborated by Ganndhiji and Martin Luther King in modern times.
It is these two who translated the ideals and the principles of the civil disobedience in reality.
The concept of the civil disobedience is based on the justice and common good. The basic premise of the civil disobedience movement is to invoke the consciousness of the adversaries and make an appeal to their conscience.
It is based on passive resistance and nonviolent means. However, in modern times, the civil disobedience has come to mean as the political strategy resorted to by Gandhiji to make India free from the foreign colonial rule, and Martin Luther King to usher in successfully the Civil Right Movements in USA.
(b) Political Violence.
Ans. Political violence has become endemic in modern times. The modern history is littered with the stories of the political violence.
However, political violence is not new to the modern times, it has been existing since the ancient times. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
Even Aristotle delved into the arena of political violence when he maintains that political violence has moral and ethical dimension.
It is not that men resort to violence when he catches cold, as he said, it has some real and ethical reasons.
Political violence arises from some social tensions and it is directed against state. Political violence has some reasons that lead to discontentment and dissension. It ultimately results into violence.
The political violence is directed against the state and its symbols. It is so because state is considered as the main source of injustice and exploitation.
However, political violence is different from other types of violence or the general violence. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
Violence in the arena of the politics is a purposeful action, which is directed against the wrong or unjust policies of the state and Government.
Political violence is a violent act having mass support and base. It is regarded as the collective action of a section or the group of people against the state and its apparatus-Government.
Political violence is generally resorted to by the group or a section of people to draw the attention of Government to the plights and discontentment of the people.
The political violence may be directed against the certain policy of the Government or its general policies.
It may arise from the humiliating policies of the state or the degradation of the human beings.
It may take the form revolution and change the entire political system or it may take the shape of coup where only regime changes or by the use of force or the forceful takeover of the state apparatus.
The political violence was discussed by Aristotle in ancient period. He discussed the nature and causes of the political violence.
He maintained that political violence emanated from the change in the balance of social forces in a state. MPS 001 Solved Free Assignment 2023-24
Even Chankya, the most versatile political thinkers of the ancient India. He believed that political violence had its origin in attitudinal changes of the people. It is caused by the wrong policy of the king and his subordinates.
As Rajani Kothari has rightly said: “Political violence in its essence is the direct result of the violation of the dignity of human beings and human collectivities.
To the extent that such violation has to overcome, some violence is counter-response and as an expression of newly released psychic power.”