Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

The pattern of independents forming informal groups reveals that political parties are not merely optional but are a fundamental requirement of representative democracy.

As the textbook explains, if every candidate contested as an independent, "no one will be able to make any promises to the people about any major policy changes" and "no one will be responsible for how the country will be run." The same tendency is observed in non-party panchayat elections, where villages naturally split into factions that put up panels of candidates — which is exactly what a party does.

This shows that large, complex societies need an agency to gather diverse opinions, group similar views, form responsible governments, and make leaders accountable. Political parties fulfill these needs. Therefore, parties are a necessary condition for democracy — wherever representative government exists, party-like structures inevitably emerge.

Source: Chapter 4 — Why do we need political parties? (Necessity section)

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• The examiner wants you to connect the observed pattern (independents forming groups) to the textbook's argument about necessity of parties.
• Key points: the panchayat example from the textbook directly mirrors the question's scenario — use it.
• Mention: accountability, policy promises, responsible government — these are the core reasons parties become inevitable.
• Avoid generic statements; anchor every point in what the passage says.
• End with the textbook's conclusion: "parties are a necessary condition for a democracy."