CLASS IX

CIVICS CH-1
WHAT IS DEMOCRACY? WHY DEMOCRACY?
Simple definition of democracy
1) Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people.
2) In all democracies the government is chosen by people.
3) The simple definition helps us to demarcate democratic and non-democratic governments.
4) To understand about democracy the following questions must be answered:
a) Who are the rulers and which decisions may be taken by elected members?
b) What kind of election constitutes a democratic election?
c) Who are the people who can elect the rulers or get elected as rulers?
d) What form of government is democracy?

Major Decision by Elected Leaders

1) In Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf lead a military coup in October 1999.
2) He overthrew the democratically elected government and became the Chief Executive and then the
President of the country.
3) In 2002 he held a referendum in the country that granted him a five-year extension.
4) He issued the ‘Legal Framework Order’, which gave him the power to dismiss the national and provincial
assemblies.
5) The work of the cabinet was now supervised by a National Security Council, dominated by military officers.
6) Elections were held to national and provincial assemblies and elected representatives were granted some
powers; but the final power rested with military officers and General Musharraf himself.
7) Thus, we can conclude that Pakistan under Pervez Musharraf was not a democratic country. This is true of
many dictatorship and monarchies.
8) Hence, we come to the conclusion that in a democracy the final decision making power must rest with
those elected by the people.

Free and Fair Electoral Competition

1) In China elections are held after every five years for electing the countries Parliament.
2) A candidate can contest the election only after getting the approval of the Chinese Communist Party.
3) Only those who are members of the Communist Party or the smaller parties allied to it could contest
election.
4) As a result, the government is always formed by Communist Party.
5) Since its independence, Mexico holds elections after every six years to elect its president.
6) Until 2000 every election was won by the party called PRI ( Istitutional Revolutionary Party) which was
known to be using dirty tricks to win elections.
7) We cannot consider the elections in China and Mexico as examples of people electing their rulers.
8) People did not get any choice and there was no chance of defeating the ruling party.
9) Hence, we come to the conclusion that democracy must be based on a free and fair election, where those
currently in power have a fair chance of losing.

One Person, One Vote, One Value

1) Democracy is based on the fundamental principle of political equality, but there are many instances of
denial of equal rights to vote.
2) In Saudi Arabia, women did not have the right to vote until 2015.
3) In Estonia, people belonging to the Russian minority found it difficult to get the right to vote.
4) In Fiji, the vote of an indigenous Fiji and has more value than that of an Indian-Fijian.
5) As we see, there is no political equality in Saudi Arabia, Estonia and Fiji.
6) Hence, we come to the conclusion that, in a democracy each adult citizen must have one vote and each
vote must have one value.
Rule of Law and Respect for Rights
1) Zimbabwe attained independence from white minority rule in 1980.
2) Since then the country has been ruled by the ZANU-PF party and its leader Robert Mugabe.
3) Elections were held regularly, but always won by ZANU-PF.
4) President Mugabe was popular but also used unfair means in elections.
5) The Constitution was changed several times to make the President all powerful and less accountable.
6) Television and radio were controlled by the government and gave only the ruling party’s version.
7) Opposition party workers were harassed and public protests and demonstrations were made illegal.
8) Even court orders were ignored by the government.
9) Hence, we come to the conclusion that a democratic government rules within limits set by constitutional
law and citizens’ rights.

The Features of Democracy

1) In a democracy the final decision making power must rest with those elected by the people.
2) A democracy must be based on a free and fair election, where those currently in power have a fair chance
of losing.
3) In a democracy each adult citizen must have one vote and each vote must have one value.
4) A democratic government rules within limits set by constitutional law and citizens’ rights.

What Is Democracy?
1) Democracy Is a form of government in which:
a) rulers elected by the people take all the major decisions.
b) elections offer a choice and fair opportunity to the people to change the current rulers.
c) this choice and opportunity is available to all people, on an equal basis.
d) the exercise of this choice leads to a government limited by basic rules of the Constitution and citizens’
rights.

Arguments Against Democracy

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

Arguments in Favour of Democracy

1) A democratic government is a better form of government because it is a more accountable form of
government.
1.1) Take the example of the famine which India and China faced in 1958-1961.
1.2) While China was hit badly, India was not hit as badly as China despite her economic condition.
1.3) Reason for this could be that India responded to food scarcity in a way that the Chinese government did
not, as there was an absence of opposition party and free press to criticise the government in China.
1.4) Hence, we see that democracy is better than any other form of government in responding to the needs of
the people.

2) Democracy improves the quality of decision-making

2.1) Democracy is based on consultation and discussion.
2.2) A democratic decision always involves many people, discussions and meetings, and they are able to point
out possible mistakes in any decision.
2.3) The advantage of taking time over important decisions is that, it reduces the chances of rash or
irresponsible decisions.
3) Democracy provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts.
3.1) In any society, people are bound to have difference of opinion and interests.
3.2) These differences are particularly more in a country like ours with amazing social diversity.
3.3) The preferences of one group can clash with those of other groups .
3.4) Democracy provides the only peaceful solution to this problem as in a democracy no one is a permanent
winner or loser.
3.5) Different groups can live with one another peacefully.

4) Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens.

4.1) Democracy is based on the principle of political equality.
4.2) It allows the poorest and the least educated to have the same political status as the rich and the
educated.
5) Democracy is better than other forms of government because it allows us to correct our own mistakes.
5.1) In a democracy one can be sure that mistakes will not be hidden for too long.
5.2) It provides space for public discussion on these mistakes and there is also room for correction.
5.3) Unlike non-democratic governments, the rulers have to change the wrong decision or they could
themselves be changed.

Thus, we can can correctly understand that while democracy may not be the solution to all problems, it is
clearly better than any other alternatives.

Why Democracy?
1) Democracy is better than any other alternative because:
a) It is more accountable form of government.
b) It improves the quality of decision making.
c) It provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts.
d) It enhances the dignity of citizens .
e) It allows us to correct its own mistakes.

Broader meaning of democracy

1) In democratic countries all people do not rule.

2) A majority is allowed to take decisions on behalf of all the people.
3) Even the majority does not rule directly.
4) The majority of people rule through their elected representatives. The reasons for this are:
a) Modern democracies involve such a large number of people that it is physically impossible for them to sit
together and take a collective decision.
b) Even if they could, the citizens do not have the time, the desire or the skills, to take part in all the
decisions .
5) Democracy as a principle can go beyond the government and can be applied to any sphere of life. Example:
democratic family, democratic temperament, etc.
6) The most common form of democracy in today’s world is representative democracy.

Conclusion
1) No country is ideal of perfect democracy.
2) Following the features discussed in this chapter would strengthen democratic form of decision making.
3) Success of democracy depends on the active participation of the citizens.

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