Gyan Bharati School

Class S1 - Subject: Political Science

What is Democracy? Why Democracy? : Assignment
Instructions:
The following questions are to be done in the Assignment sheets.

1. The word ‘Democracy’ comes from the Greek word –

(a) Democracia (b) Demokratia (c) Demos (d) Kratia

2. which of these features is/are necessary to provide the basic rights to the citizens?
(a) Citizens should be free to think (b) should be free to form associations
(c) Should be free to raise protest (d) All the above

3. Democracy improves the quality of decision-making because

(a) Decisions are taken by educated people (b) Decisions are taken by consultation and discussion
(c) Decisions are taken over a long period of time (d) All decisions are approved by judiciary

4. Assertion: Ordinary people cannot take good decision.

Reason: The leaders in a democratic government must know the aspirations of the people.

The following are 3 mark questions. The answer should be in about 80 words.
Q5.Define the term democracy. Mention its two types. How was the principle of one person one vote denied in the
following countries- (a) Saudi Arabia (b) Estonia (c) Fiji
Q6. Why is democratic government a more accountable form of government?
Q7. Why is it said that democracy enhances the dignity of citizens?
Q8. How does a democracy government allow its citizens to correct its own mistakes?
Q9. Should we consider the elections held in China and Mexico as democratic elections? Give reasons
Q10. How was the government of Mugabe in Zimbabwe undemocratic and autocratic? Give reasons.

The following are 5 mark questions. The answer should be in about 100 - 120 words
Q11. Explain the four Key features of democracy.
Q12. Explain the arguments put forward against and in favour of democracy?

13. Read the passage and answer the questions:

In Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf led a military coup in October 1999. He overthrew a democratically elected
government and declared himself the ‘Chief Executive’ of the country. Later he changed his designation to President
and in 2002 held a referendum in the country that granted him a five year extension. Pakistani media, human rights
organisations and democracy activists said that the referendum was based on malpractices and fraud. In August
2002 he issued a ‘Legal Framework Order’ that amended the Constitution of Pakistan. According to this Order, the
President can dismiss the national and provincial assemblies. The work of the civilian cabinet is supervised by a National
Security Council which is dominated by military officers. After passing this law, elections were held to the national and
provincial assemblies. So Pakistan has had elections, elected representatives have some powers. But the final power
rested with military officers and General Musharraf himself.

i) What is a military coup?

ii)Describe what happened in Pakistan in October 1999.
iii) Why did Musharraf amend the constitution of Pakistan?
iv) Pakistan under General Parvez Musharraf cannot be called a democracy. Why? Give reason.
14. Study the cartoons and answer the questions.

This cartoon was drawn when elections were held in This cartoon was titled ‘Building Democracy’ and was
Iraq with the presence of US and other foreign powers. first published in a Latin American publication. What do
What do you think this cartoon is saying? Why is moneybags signify here? Could this cartoon be applied
‘democracy’ written the way it is? to India?

Creative Corner:
1. Write your own Acronym for the word D-E-M-O-C-R-A-C-Y
To bring out its importance.
Important Terms

1. Citizens: someone who has the objective legal status of citizenship of a state as defined by the laws and regulations of
that state.

2. Citizenship: Exercise of the rights and responsibilities of a citizen in a (participatory) democratic society.

3. Respect: Respect is an attitude towards someone or something where the object of that attitude is judged to have
some kind of importance.

4. Elections: a formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a political office or other position.

5. Legislature: having the power to make laws.

 NOTES

Objective of the Chapter:

i) The student will be able to define democracy and its types.
ii) Students will be introduced to the different forms of Government and thus will be able to distinguish between them.
iii) Students will learn about the basic features of a Democratic Government and analyse their importance.
iv) They will also study about various case studies given in the chapter from the world.
v) Students will develop critically thinking by evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of a Democratic Government.

Government refers to the structure of institutions that make collective decisions for a society. Types of government vary
by distribution of political power.

Types of Government:
I. Monarchy: meaning rule of one, all governmental power is traditionally vested in a single ruler, usually a king or
queen.

II. Oligarchy: means rule by the few, in which a small elite controls political power. Oligarchic systems range from
military dictatorships to one-party totalitarian systems, such as those in China, North Korea, and the former Soviet
Union.

III. Communist - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single -- often
authoritarian -- party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or
capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people.

IV. Constitutional monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her
rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom.

V. Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually
exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed .

Types of Democracy

Basis of comparison Direct Indirect/ Representative

Meaning Direct democracy refers to a form of Indirect democracy implies a
government wherein citizens out democracy in which people vote for
rightly take part in the administration their representative, to represent
of the government. them in the Parliament.

Policies Government policies are decided by People elect their representatives to

the people themselves take decisions on government
policies.
Legislature Whole community forms legislature. Representatives of the winning party
forms government and are a part of
legislature
suitability Countries whose population size is Countries whose population size is
small large
 What is Democracy?

Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people.

Features of A democracy:
1. Rulers are elected by the people.
2. Free and fair electoral competition
3. All adult citizens have the right to vote.
4. Elected representative take decisions within the constitutional limit.
5. There is rule of law.
Let’s examine …………

1. Major decisions by elected leader

A democratic nation is the one in which people elect represtatives take the major decisions. They own collective
responsibility for the decisions they take.

In Pakistan,
a) General Pervez Musharraf led a military coup in October 1999. He overthrew a democratically elected government
and declared himself the ‘Chief Executive’ of the country.
b) Later he changed his designation to President and in 2002 held a referendum in the country that granted him a five
year extension.
c) In August 2002 he issued a ‘Legal Framework Order’ that amended the Constitution of Pakistan. According to this
Order, the President can dismiss the national and provincial assemblies.
d) So Pakistan has had elections, elected representatives have some powers. But the final power rested with military
officers and General Musharraf himself. Hence Pakistan under General Pervez Musharraf cannot be called a Democratic
nation.
In a democracy the final decision making power must rest with those elected by the people.

2. Free and fair electoral competition

A country that conducts election needs to ensure that it is held at regular intervals and code of conduct is followed.

In China,
a) Elections are regularly held after every five years for electing the country’s parliament, called National People’s
Congress. The National People’s Congress has the power to appoint the President of the country.
b) Some members are elected by the army.
c) Before contesting elections, a candidate needs the approval of the Chinese Communist Party.
d) Only those who are members of the Chinese Communist Party or eight smaller parties allied to it were allowed to
contest elections.
d) The government is always formed by the Communist Party.

In Mexico,
a) Since 2000 every election was won by a party called PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party).
b) Opposition parties did contest elections, but never managed to win. The PRI was known to use many dirty tricks to
win elections.
c) All those who were employed in government offices had to attend its party meetings.
d) Teachers of government schools used to force parents to vote for the PRI. Media largely ignored the activities of
opposition political parties except to criticise them.
e) The polling booths were shifted from one place to another in the last minute, which made it difficult for people to cast
their votes.
f) The PRI spent a large sum of money in the campaign for its candidates.
So, a democracy must be based on a free and fair election where those currently in power have a fair chance of losing.
3. One person, one vote, one value
Each citizen is given one vote which they can cast only once in a particular election. Each vote carries an equal value.
a) Until 2015, in Saudi Arabia women did not have the right to vote.
b) Estonia has made its citizenship rules in such a way that people belonging to Russian minority find it difficult to get
the right to vote.
c) In Fiji, the electoral system is such that the vote of an indigenous Fiji has more value than that of an Indian-Fijian.
So in a democracy, each adult citizen must have one vote and each vote must have one value.

4. Rule of law and respect for rights

Conducting election and electing leaders is a necessary requirement for a democracy but we also need to look before
and after the elections. The state should respect some basic rights of the citizen. Citizens should be free to think, to have
opinions, to express these in public, to form associations, to protest and take other political actions. Everyone should be
equal in the eyes of law. A democratic government cannot do whatever it likes, simply because it has won an election. It
has to respect some basic rules. In particular it has to respect the right guaranteed to the citizens.

In Zimbabwe,
a) Since independence the country has been ruled by ZANU-PF, the party that led the freedom struggle. Its leader,
Robert Mugabe.
b) Elections were held regularly and always won by ZANU-PF.
c) President Mugabe was popular but also used unfair practices in elections.
d) Over the years his government changed the constitution several times to increase the powers of the President and
make him less accountable.
e) Opposition party workers were harassed and their meeting disrupted.
f) Public protests and demonstrations against the government were declared illegal. Television and radio were
controlled by the government and gave only the ruling party’s version.
g) There were independent newspapers but the government harassed those journalists who went against it.
h) The government ignored some court judgments that went against it and pressurised judges. He was forced
out of office in 2017.

Why Democracy?

Let discuss arguments against of Democracy: (Explain each point in detail)

1. Leaders keep changing in a democracy. This leads to instability.
2. Democracy is all about political competition and power play. There is no scope for morality.
3. So many people have to be consulted in a democracy that it leads to delays.
4. Elected leaders do not know the best interest of the people. It leads to bad decisions.
5. Democracy leads to corruption for it is based on electoral competition.
6. Ordinary people don’t know what is good for them; they should not decide anything.

Let discuss arguments in favour of Democracy:

1. A democratic government is a better government because it is a more accountable form of government.
Democracy is better than any other form of government in responding to the needs of the people. A non democratic
government may and can respond to the people’s needs, but it all depends on the wishes of the people who rule. If the
rulers don’t want to, they don’t have to act according to the wishes of the people. A democracy requires that the rulers
have to attend to the needs of the people.

2. Democracy improves the quality of decision-making

Democracy is based on consultation and discussion. A democratic decision always involves many persons, discussions
and meetings. When a number of people put their heads together, they are able to point out possible mistakes in any
decision. This takes time. But there is a big advantage in taking time over important decisions. This
reduces the chances of rash or irresponsible decisions.
3. Democracy provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts.
People belong to different regions, speak different languages, practise different religions and have different castes. They
look at the world very differently and have different preferences. The preferences of one group can clash with those of
other groups. Democracy provides the only peaceful solution to this problem.

4. Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens

Democracy is based on the principle of political equality, on recognising that the poorest and the least educated has
the same status as the rich and the educated. People are not subjects of a ruler, they are the rulers themselves.

5. Democracy allows correcting its own mistakes.

The advantage in a democracy is that mistakes cannot be hidden for long. There is a space for public discussion on these
mistakes. And there is a room for correction. Either the rulers have to change their decisions, or the rulers can be
changed. This cannot happen in a non-democratic government.

BROADER MEANINGS OF DEMOCRACY

All modern day democracies are representative because with large number of people there cannot be direct
participation.
The meaning of democracy has broadened with time:
a) It refers to not just the form of government but a principle that can be applied to all aspects of life like family, school.
b) Democracy is also about the day to day decisions we take in our life.
c) No country is a perfect democracy. The features of democracy that we discussed in this chapter provide only the
minimum conditions of a democracy. Every democracy has to try to realise the ideals of a democratic decision-making.
This requires a constant effort to save and strengthen democratic forms of decision-making.
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Mind Map