Class 12 Political Science Chapter 2 – Era of One-Party Dominance Notes

 Introduction – The Start of Indian Democracy

The 12th Class Pol Science Chapter 2 Era of One-Party Dominance Notes tells us how India began its journey as a free and democratic nation. After independence, the Congress Party became the main political power. This chapter explains how the first election was held and how people voted even when many could not read or write. Students also learn about new political groups like the Communist, Socialist, and Jana Sangh parties that started to grow during this time in Indian politics.

The Challenge of Establishing a Democracy

India’s Constitution was completed on 26 November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950. During this time, the country was governed by an interim government.
In January 1950, the Election Commission of India was established, and Sukumar Sen became the first Election Commissioner.

Conducting a free and fair election across such a large nation was a major challenge. The Commission first needed to demarcate constituencies and prepare voter lists.
When the first voter list was published, several errors appeared — many women were listed as “wives” or “daughters” instead of by their own names.

At that time, India had 17 crore voters. These voters elected 3,200 MLAs and 489 MPs to the Lok Sabha. Only 15% of voters were literate, so the Election Commission trained over three lakh officials to manage the election process.
Thus, universal adult suffrage became a reality in India.

Criticism and Success of the First Election

Many critics doubted whether universal suffrage could work.

• The Hindustani editor called it “the biggest gamble in history.”

• The Organizer magazine predicted Nehru would see democracy fail in his lifetime.

• Some British ICS officers said voting rights for millions of illiterate people were a “foolish experiment.”

However, the first general election (October 1951 – February 1952) proved them wrong.
The entire process — campaign, voting, and counting — took six months.
Its success silenced critics and became a historic milestone in world democracy.

Congress Dominance in the First Three Elections

The Indian National Congress, popularly known as the Congress Party, carried the legacy of the freedom struggle. It was the only party with a nationwide organization.
In the first Lok Sabha election, Congress won 364 out of 489 seats, while the Communist Party of India secured 16 seats.

Congress also dominated most state assemblies. Except for Madras and Orissa, it achieved majority victories everywhere. By 1952, Congress had 44% of the votes but 74% of the seats.
The Socialist Party, despite winning 10% of the votes, secured less than 3% of seats, due to the first-past-the-post system.

Communist Victory in Kerala

In 1957, the Communist Party defeated Congress in Kerala, winning 60 out of 126 seats.
Governor invited E.M.S. Namboodiripad to form the government. However, in 1959, the central government dismissed the Communist ministry under Article 356 (President’s Rule).

The Socialist Party

Formed in 1934 within the Congress, the Socialist Party was led by young reformist leaders like Acharya Narendra Dev.
In 1948, after Congress banned dual membership, socialists broke away to form their own party.

The party believed in democratic socialism, opposing the Congress for favoring capitalists and landlords.
Later, the party split into several groups, such as the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party, Praja Socialist Party, and Samyukta Socialist Party.

Key Leaders:
Jaiprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Ashok Mehta, and S.M. Joshi.

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) – Mexico

The PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) ruled Mexico for nearly 60 years.
Founded in 1929 as the National Revolutionary Party, it united politicians, workers, and military leaders.
Under the leadership of Plutarco Elías Calles, PRI won every election, creating a system often described as a “soft dictatorship.”

The Communist Party of India (CPI)

Communist movements emerged in the 1920s, inspired by the Russian Bolshevik Revolution.
Initially, the CPI cooperated with Congress but later chose an independent path.
In 1951, it abandoned violent revolution and accepted parliamentary democracy.

CPI gained major support in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Kerala.
After the ideological split between China and the Soviet Union in 1964, CPI divided into two factions —

• CPI (Pro-Soviet) – led by S.A. Dange, EMS Namboodiripad, PC Joshi, A.K. Gopalan

• CPI (Marxist) – led by Ajay Ghosh and P. Sundarayya

Bharatiya Jana Sangh

Founded in 1951 by Syama Prasad Mookerjee, this party traced its roots to the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha.
Its ideology emphasized “One Nation, One Culture” and aimed to unite India and Pakistan into a single nation.
It also led the campaign to make Hindi the official language of India.

In the 1952 elections, the Jana Sangh won 3 Lok Sabha seats, and 4 seats in 1957.
Prominent leaders included Deendayal Upadhyaya and Balraj Madhok.
The modern BJP evolved from this party.

Swatantra Party

Formed in 1959 by C. Rajagopalachari, the Swatantra Party promoted minimal government interference in the economy and valued individual freedom.
It opposed the non-alignment policy and supported closer relations with the USA.
The party’s supporters included zamindars, princes, and industrialists.

Key Leaders: K.M. Munshi, N.G. Ranga, and Minoo Masani.

Indian National Congress – Legacy and Dominance

Established in 1885 by A.O. Hume, the Congress Party had deep roots in India’s freedom struggle.
Its early symbol was a pair of bullocks, later replaced by the hand symbol.

In 1907, Congress split into two groups:

• Extremists: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal

• Moderates: Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Dadabhai Naoroji, Firoz Shah Mehta

Congress’s dominance after independence was due to:

• Its historic role in the freedom movement

• Strong nationwide organization

• Popular leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru

• Inclusive approach towards all communities

Emergence of Opposition Parties

Before the 1952 elections, several opposition parties were formed.
Although their representation was small, they played a vital role in strengthening democracy by criticizing government policies constructively.

During the early years, mutual respect existed between Congress and opposition leaders.
In fact, the interim government included leaders like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, and Jayaprakash Narayan — representing different ideologies but united in building the nation.

Conclusion – Growth of Democracy in India

The 12th Class Pol Science Chapter 2 Era of One-Party Dominance Notes helps students understand how India’s democracy became strong after freedom. The Congress Party ruled for many years and kept the nation united. Later, new parties gave people more choices and made democracy stronger. The success of the first election showed that Indians believed in the power of voting and equality. This chapter teaches that the early days of democracy faced many challenges but brought great success for the nation. You can also explore more 12th Class Pol Science notes on Nextoper for easy and complete study material.