Democracy
Democracy
Democracy
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5. In a democracy, each adult In a non-democratic government, there
citizen has one vote and are many instances of denial of equal
each vote has one value. rights to vote. In Saudi Arabia, women
There is, therefore, political do not have the right to vote, and there
equality. is therefore no political equality.
6. A democratic government A non-democratic government tries to
rules within limits set by do whatever it likes. For example,
constitutional law and Robert Mugabe is popular, but over the
citizens’ rights. A years his government has changed the
government can’t do what it constitution several times to increase
likes. It has to respect certain the powers of the President and make
basic rules, particularly some him less accountable. There is a law
guarantees to minorities. that limits the right to criticise the
President.
Q.3 Discuss how elections held in China aren’t free and fair.
or
Is China a democratic country or not?
A.3
1. In China, elections are regularly held after every 5 years for electing the country’s
parliament called National People’s Congress.
2. The National People’s Congress has the power to appoint the President of the
country.
3. It has nearly 3000 members from all over China, and some members are elected by
the Army.
4. Before contesting elections, a candidate needs the approval of the Chinese
Communist Party. Only those who are members of the Chinese Communist Party or 8
smaller parties allied to it were allowed to contest elections held in 2002-03. The
government is always formed by the Communist Party.
Q.4 What were the methods or dirty tricks employed by PRI in Mexico during
elections? What were its effects?
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A.4 Until 2000, every election was won by a party called PRI (Institutional Revolutionary
Party). Opposition parties did contest elections, but never managed to win.
The PRI was known to use many dirty tricks to win elections:-
1. All those who were employed in government offices had to attend its party
meetings.
2. Teachers of government schools used to force parents to vote for the PRI.
3. Media largely ignored the activities of opposition political parties, except to
criticise them.
4. Sometimes, the polling booths were shifted from one place to another in
the last minute, which made it difficult for people to cast their votes.
5. The PRI spent a large sum of money in the campaign for its candidates.
Q.5 Although the Principle of Universal Adult Franchise has now come to be
accepted almost all over the world, there are many instances of denial of equal
rights to vote. Explain with examples.
A.5 There are many instances of denial of equal rights to vote…
1. In Saudi Arabia, women don’t have the right to vote.
2. Estonia has made its citizenship rules in such a way that people belonging to
Russian minorities find it difficult to get the right to vote.
3. In Fiji, the electoral system is such that the vote of the indigenous Fiji has more
value than an Indian Fijian.
Q.6 Enlist the features of factors that make Zimbabwe an undemocratic
country.
A.6 Zimbabwe attained independence from white minority rule in 1980. Since then, the
country has been ruled by ZANU-PF, the party that has led the freedom struggle. It’s
leader Robert Mugabe has been ruling the country since Independence. Elections
have been held regularly and always won by ZANU-PF. President Mugabe is popular
but also uses unfair practices in elections.
1. Over the years, his government has changed the Constitution several times to
increase the power of the President and make him less accountable.
2. Opposition party rulers are harassed and their meetings disrupted.
3. Public protest and demonstrations against the government are declared illegal.
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4. There is a law that limits the right to criticise the President. Television and radio are
also controlled by the government and only give the ruling parties version.
5. There are independent newspapers but the government harasses those journalists
who go against it.
6. The government has ignored some court judgements that went against it and
pressurised judges.
(learn any 5 points)
Q.7 How can popular governments be undemocratic. What factors are necessary
for the functioning of a democracy?
A.7 The example of Zimbabwe shows that popular approval of the rulers is necessary
in a democracy but it is not sufficient. Popular governments can be undemocratic.
Popular leaders can be autocratic. If we wish to assess a democracy, it is important to
look at the elections. But it is equally important to look before and after the elections.
The factors necessary for the smooth functioning of a government are:
1. There should be sufficient room for normal political activity including political
opposition in the period before elections.
2. This requires that the State should respect some basic rights of citizens.
3. They should be free to think, to have opinions, to express themselves in public,
to form associations, to protest and take other political actions.
4. Everyone should be equal in the eyes of law.
5. These rights must be protected by an independent judiciary whose orders are
obeyed by everyone.
Q.8 “A democratic government rules within the limits set by the constitutional
law and citizens’ rights.” Explain.
A.8
1. A democratic government cannot do whatever it likes simply because it has won an
election.
2. It has to respect some guarantees to the minorities.
3. Every major decision has to go through a series of consultations.
4. Every office bearer has certain rights and responsibilities assigned by the
Constitution and the law.
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5. Each of these is accountable not only to the people, but also to other independent
officials.
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1. China’s famine of 1958-61 was the worst recorded famine in the history of the
world. Nearly 3 crore people died in this famine.
2. During those days, India’s economic condition wasn’t much better than China,
yet India didn’t have a famine of the kind China had.
3. Economists think that this was a different government policy in the two countries.
The existence of democracy in India made the Indian government respond to
food scarcity in a way that the Chinese government didn’t.
4. They point out that no large scale famine has taken place in an independent and
democratic country.
5. If China too had multi-party elections, an opposition party and a free press to
criticize the government, then so many people may not have died in the famine.
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1. In any society, people are bound to have difference of opinions and interests.
These differences are particularly sharp in a country like ours, which has an
amazing social diversity. People belong to different regions, speak different
languages, practice different religions and have different castes.
2. They look at the world very differently and have different opinions.
3. The preference of any group can clash with those of other groups. The conflict
can be solved by brutal power. Whichever group is more powerful will dictate its
terms and others will have to accept that. But that would lead to resentment and
unhappiness.
4. Different groups may not be able to live together for so long in such a way.
5. Democracy provides the only peaceful solution to this problem. In a democracy,
no one is a permanent winner and no one is a permanent loser. Different groups
can live with one another peacefully.
In a diverse country like India, democracy keeps our country together.
Question 16-‘Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens’. Explain.
Answer-
1. Democracy is based on the principle of political equality, on recognizing that the
poorest and the least educated have the same status as the rich and the
educated.
2. People are not subjects of a ruler, they are the rulers themselves.
3. Even when they make mistakes, they are responsible for their conduct.
Question 17- ‘Democracy is better than other forms of government because it
allows us to correct our mistakes.’ Explain.
Answer-
1. There is no guarantee that mistakes cannot be made in a democracy. No form of
government can guarantee that.
2. The advantage in a democracy is that such mistakes cannot be hidden for long.
There is a space for public discussion on these mistakes, and there is room for
correction.
3. Either the rulers have to change their decisions, or the rulers can be changed.
This cannot happen in a non-democratic government.
Question 18- Even though democracy can’t get us everything, and is not the
solution to all problems, but it is clearly better than any other alternative that we
have or know. Explain.
Answer-
1. Democracy cannot get us everything and is not the solution to all problems. But
is clearly better than any alternative that we have or know,
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2. It offers better chances of a good decision, it is likely to respect own wishes and
allows different kinds of people to live together.
3. Even when it fails to do some of those things, it allows a way of correcting its
mistakes and offer more dignity to all the citizens. That is why democracy is
considered as the best form of government,
Question 19(a)- What is the most common form that democracy takes in our
times?
Answer- The most common form that democracy takes in our times is that of a
Representative Democracy.
Question 19(b)- What is a representative democracy?
Answer- A representative democracy is one in which people elect their representatives
to legislature. These representatives, in turn, form the government and govern the
country. In this type of democracy, the government based on the majority is allowed to
take decisions on behalf of all the people.
Question 20- Why are Modern democracies Representative?
Answer-
1. Modern democracies involve such a large number of people that it is physically
impossible for them to sit together and take a collective decision.
2. Even if they could, citizens do not have the time, desire or skills to take part in all the elections.
There may not be any country in the world which passes a test of this kind of
democracy. Yet an understanding of democracy as an ideal reminds us of why we value
democracy.