Lesson 22- Government

Grade: 6

Subject: ISST

Q1. Tick the correct option.

1. The Latin word gubernare means

a. to govern.
b. power.
c. the art of healthy living.

2. On the basis of the source of power, the three forms of government are
a. democracy, monarchy, dictatorship.
b. communism, monarchy, dictatorship.
c. plutocracy, communism, dictatorship.

3. We need a government to
a. ensure security of the nation.
b. provide healthcare facilities.
c. both a and b

4. An essential feature of a democratic government is

a. One person governs on the basis of her/his wishes.
b. a person inherits the right to rule by birth.
c. people elect their representatives through elections.

5. The three levels of government in India are

a. central, state and local.
b. legislature, executive and judiciary.
c. Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and State Legislature.

6. The three organs of government are

a. the legislature, the panchayat and the Vidhan Sabha.
b. the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.
c. the police department, the defence forces and the Supreme Court.

7. In India, the legal age of voting is

a. 21 years.
b. 20 years.
c. 18 years.
8. The right to vote is called
a. democracy.
b. right to equality.
c. suffrage.

9. Which of the following statements is true for the Suffragette Movement?

a. The Suffragette Movement began in Africa.
b. American women got the right to vote in 1920.
c. Women were considered equal as men.

10. The first ever multi-racial elections were held in South Africa in
a. 1994.
b. 1948.
c. 1996.

Q2. State whether the following statements are true or false. Rewrite the statements to
correct them.

1. Government refers to the body that exercises ruling authority.

True.
2. The king or the queen is the head of the government in a democracy.
Ans) False. The king or the queen is the head of the government in a monarchy.

3. Germany was under the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler.

True.
4. At the state level, there is the central or union government that looks after the
governance of the entire country.
Ans) False. At the national level, there is the central or union government which looks after
the governance of the entire country.

5. A government does not need to deal with the poorer section of the society.
Ans) False. A government deals with all sections of the society.

Q3. Answer the following questions in brief.

1. What is meant by a government?
Ans) Government refers to the body that exercises ruling authority. As the governing body,
the government organises the affairs of the state and regulates administrative functions.

2. What are the main types of government?

Ans) The three main types of government are the democracy, monarchy and dictatorship.

3. What do you mean by authoritarian government or dictatorship?

Ans) When one person heads the government and governs on the basis of his/her own
wishes, without any elections or paying any attention to the wishes and needs of the
people, it is called an authoritarian government or dictatorship.
4. What are the three levels of government in India?
Ans) The three levels of government in India are:
a. Central Government,
b. State Government and
c. Local-Self Government.

5. What do you understand by the term 'Universal Adult Franchise'?

Ans) In a representative democracy, people elect their leaders or representatives through
universal adult franchise. In India, all adult citizens who have attained the age of 18 years
are entitled to vote.

Q4. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Differentiate between democracy and monarchy as forms of government.

2. Distinguish between democratic and dictatorial forms of government.

3. State the need for a government by enumerating its main functions.

Ans) Main functions why we need a government are:

 Maintenance of law and order: The government looks after law and order within the
country and provides for the protection of the people.
 Defence of the country: The government maintains armed forces to defend the
nation. It also maintains friendly relations with other countries.
 Resolution of socio-economic problems: The government takes decisions on how to
deal with problems such as poverty, unemployment and discrimination. It also takes
care of the poorer and needy sections of the society.
 Health services and infrastructure: Providing health-care facilities to the people are
one of the vital functions of the government, and for this purpose, it establishes
hospitals and dispensaries. It also has the responsibility of providing basic facilities
such as good roads, public transport services, postal system, electricity, water and so
on to the people of the country.
 Provision of education facilities for the people: To educate the masses, the
government establishes schools and colleges. It also launches various programmes to
remove illiteracy.

4. Why are elections necessary in a democratic country?

Ans) The process, by which the people choose or elect their representatives to form the
government, is called an election. In a democracy, it is the people who give the power to the
government to make decisions. People do this through elections. At the time of election, the
adult citizen vote for candidates of their choice and these elected representatives forms the
government. If the people are not satisfied with the functioning of the government in
power, they may not vote for their representatives in the next elections.