Class 9 (Civics)
Chapter 1 (What
is Democracy? Why Democracy? )
Notes
1. Understanding Democracy:
Chapter 1 delves into the essence of democracy and its significance for a
nation. The term "democracy" originates from the Greek word
"Demokratia," where "Demo" means to rule and
"Kratia" means people. Democracy, fundamentally, is a governmental
system wherein the nation's leaders are elected and chosen by the populace,
epitomizing rule by the people. A distinguishing feature of democracies is the
people's ability to elect their leaders, contrasting with non-democratic
regimes. Notably, in Myanmar, the ruling leaders were not elected by the
populace, as the control eventually shifted to the army-led authorities.
Similarly, in Chile, leaders like Pinochet attained power without popular
elections.
2. Key Features of
Democracy: Let's elucidate the essential features of democracy
through examples:
• In a democracy, the
ultimate decision-making authority must reside with the elected leaders. In
Pakistan, General Pervez Musharaff's self-declaration as president in 2002
exemplifies this, bolstered by a subsequent referendum extending his term.
• Elections in a democratic
setup should be free and fair, ensuring equal opportunities for all
participants. However, in China, contenders require permission from the
National People's Congress party to participate in elections.
• The principle of "one person, one vote,
one value" should underpin democracies, ensuring equal voting rights. Yet,
in Saudi Arabia until 2015, women were denied suffrage.
• Democratic governance
should operate within constitutional bounds and respect citizens' rule.
However, in Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe manipulated elections through malpractices,
undermining democratic principles.
3. Major Decisions by
Elected Leaders: Some countries, like Pakistan, deviate from
democratic norms. General Pervez Musharraf's military coup in October 1999 in
Pakistan led to his assumption of the presidency, followed by a referendum in
2002 extending his tenure. Despite subsequent elections, real power remained
concentrated with the military. Such instances, common in dictatorships and
monarchies, underscore the importance of democratic decision-making vested in
elected representatives.
4. Free and Fair Electoral
Competition: In China, elections occur every five years,
yet candidates must secure approval from the Communist Party of China, limiting
genuine electoral competition. Similarly, malpractices tainted elections in
Mexico until 2000, where the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) routinely
secured victory. These instances highlight the absence of authentic electoral
choices, undermining democratic principles.
5. One Person, One Vote, One
Value: Instances of unequal voting rights, like in Saudi Arabia
where women lacked suffrage until 2015, challenge the democratic ideal of
universal suffrage. Additionally, Estonia's citizenship laws disadvantaged
Russian minorities, hindering their voting rights. In Fiji, ethnic disparities
skewed voting power, favoring indigenous Fijians over Indian Fijians.
6. Rule of Law and Respect
for Rights: Zimbabwe's one-party rule under ZANU-PF, led
by Robert Mugabe, witnessed constitutional amendments consolidating
presidential power, suppression of opposition, and restrictions on media and
dissent. Despite initial popularity, Mugabe's regime resorted to undemocratic
practices, epitomizing the erosion of democratic values.
7. Advantages of Democracy:
• Democratic accountability ensures governance
responsive to people's needs, unlike autocratic regimes.
• Consultative
decision-making in democracies, although time-consuming, fosters thorough
deliberation, minimizing errors.
• Democracy facilitates peaceful conflict
resolution, accommodating diverse societal perspectives and interests.
• Political and social equality inherent in
democracy upholds the dignity of all citizens, irrespective of background or
status.
8. Drawbacks of Democracy:
• Democratic turnover may lead to instability
due to frequent leadership changes.
• Political competition in democracy may
prioritize power over morality.
• Decision-making delays in democratic
processes due to extensive consultations.
• Elected leaders may prioritize personal
interests over public welfare.
• Democratic systems are susceptible to
corruption stemming from electoral and political competition.
• Concerns exist regarding the capability of
ordinary citizens to make informed societal decisions, questioning their role
in governance.
Important Question Answers
Question 1: Define Democracy
and Identify Two Merits and Demerits.
Answer:
- Definition: Democracy is a system of
government chosen and changeable by the people for their welfare.
- Merits:
- Accountability: Democratic leaders are
answerable to the populace, ensuring their needs are addressed.
- Decision-Making Process: Democracy
encourages consultation and discussion, reducing the likelihood of
impulsive decisions and enhancing decision-making quality.
- Demerits:
- Leadership Instability: Frequent
changes in leadership in a democracy can lead to instability.
- Ethical Concerns: Democratic processes
may prioritize political competition and power dynamics over moral
considerations.
Question 2: How do Elections
in India Differ from Mexico?
Answer:
- Both countries have a multi-party
system. However, in India, incumbent political parties often lose
elections, while Mexico's PRI remained undefeated for over 70 years.
- Elections in India are held every 5
years, while in Mexico, they occur every 6 years.
- Government officials in India operate
under the Election Commission during elections, whereas this is not the
case in Mexico.
Question 3: Explain Direct
Democracy and its Feasibility in the Modern World.
Answer:
- Direct democracy entails every citizen
playing an equal role in decision-making.
- Feasibility Challenges: a) Modern
democracies encompass large populations, making collective decision-making
physically impractical. b) Citizens lack the time, inclination, or
expertise to engage in all decisions, necessitating representation.
Question 4: Describe the
Major Features of Democracy.
Answer:
- Final Authority: The ultimate
decision-making power in a democracy rests with elected representatives.
- Free and Fair Elections: Democracies
require elections to be conducted freely and fairly, ensuring a level
playing field.
- Voting Equality: Every adult citizen has
one vote of equal value.
- Rule of Law: Democratic governments
operate within constitutional limits and respect citizen rights.
Question 5: How does
Democracy Enhance the Quality of Decision-Making?
Answer:
- Consultative Nature: Democracy
encourages consultation and discussion.
- Collective Input: Democratic decisions
involve multiple perspectives, reducing the chances of rash choices.
- Accountability: If decisions do not
align with public wishes, citizens can protest, influencing government
actions.
Question 6: Explain why
Democracy is Better than Other Forms of Government in Correcting Mistakes.
Answer:
- Transparency: Mistakes in democracy are
openly discussed, allowing for public discourse and correction.
- Adaptability: Democratic systems can
adjust through policy changes or leadership alterations, unlike
non-democratic regimes.
Question 7: Why is a
Democratic Government Considered More Accountable?
Answer:
- Accountability: Democratic governments
are responsible for their actions and policies, answerable to the
parliament or people.
- Case Study: India's democratic response
to famine showcased accountability, contrasting with less responsive
governance in China.
Question 8: Why do Elections
in China not Represent the People's Verdict?
Answer:
- Party Approval: Candidates require
approval from the Communist Party before contesting elections in China.
- Limited Candidate Pool: Only members of
the Communist Party or its affiliates can contest elections.
- Party Dominance: The Communist Party
always forms the government in China.
Question 9: Differentiate
Between Democratic and Non-Democratic Elections.
Answer:
S.No. |
Democratic Elections |
Non-Democratic Elections |
(i) |
All citizens have equal
voting rights. |
Not all citizens may have
the right to vote. |
(ii) |
Elections occur at regular
intervals. |
Elections may not occur
regularly. |
(iii) |
Free and fair elections
are conducted. |
Elections may lack
fairness and freedom. |
Long Question Answers
Question 1: Explain the
statement "Democracy is the most popular form of government emerging in
modern times, still the shortcomings cannot be ruled out," by analyzing
five shortcomings of democracy.
Answer:
- Political Instability: Democracy often
experiences frequent changes in leaders and political parties, leading to
instability.
- Ethical Concerns: Democratic systems
prioritize political competition over morality, compromising ethical
standards.
- Decision-Making Delays: Due to extensive
consultation and approval processes in democratic institutions,
decision-making is often delayed.
- Suboptimal Decisions: Democratic
leaders, lacking omniscience, may make decisions not in the best interest
of the people.
- Corruption: The competitive nature of
democracy fosters corruption, with parties resorting to unethical means to
gain power.
- Lack of Political Awareness: In
developing democracies, illiterate and politically unaware voters may
elect unsuitable candidates.
Question 2: Why is democracy
considered the best option among all other political systems available in the
world? Provide reasoning.
Answer:
- Accountability: Democracy ensures
governance aligned with people's needs, as leaders are accountable to the
electorate.
- Consultative Nature: Democratic
processes involve consultation and discussion, leading to informed
decision-making.
- Conflict Resolution: Democracy provides
peaceful solutions to conflicts, particularly in diverse societies like
India.
- Political Equality: Democracy upholds
political equality, granting equal rights to all citizens.
- Corrective Mechanism: Mistakes in
democracy are acknowledged and rectified through policy changes or
leadership turnover.
- Personal Growth: Democracy fosters
citizens' development by encouraging participation and responsibility.
Question 3: Outline the
major features of democratic governments.
Answer:
- Accountability: Elected representatives
remain accountable to the populace and can be replaced in subsequent
elections.
- Legislative Efficacy: Democratic
assemblies aim to pass beneficial legislation reflective of public
interests.
- Civic Education: Participation in
democratic processes enhances citizens' political awareness and
intelligence.
- Liberty and Fraternity: Democratic
principles safeguard individual rights, fostering freedom of expression
and association.
- Equality: Democratic systems promote
equality before the law, irrespective of social status or background.
- Popular Will: Democratic governance
operates according to the consent and will of the people.
Question 4: "Though
democracy is considered the best form of government, it is not an ideal form of
government." Support this statement with five arguments.
Answer:
- Unequal Participation: In democracy, not
all citizens actively participate in decision-making, leading to indirect
rule through representatives.
- Limited Scope: Democracy primarily
addresses political equality, neglecting broader social and economic
equality.
- Power Concentration: Ideal governments
distribute power equitably, unlike democracies susceptible to
concentration among a few elites.
- Corruption: Ideal governance is devoid
of corruption, whereas competitive democracy fosters unethical practices.
- Gender Equality: True ideal governance
promotes gender equality, a facet often lacking in democratic systems.
Question 5: Describe
representative democracy and explain why it is the prevailing form of
government in modern times.
Answer:
- Representative Democracy: In
representative democracy, citizens elect representatives to make decisions
on their behalf.
- Prevalence Reasons:
- Scalability: In modern societies with
large populations, direct decision-making by all citizens is impractical.
- Time and Expertise: Citizens lack the
time and expertise to participate in every decision, necessitating
representative governance.
- Efficiency: Representative democracy
streamlines decision-making processes, ensuring efficient governance.
- Representation: Elected representatives
reflect the diverse views and interests of the populace, promoting
inclusivity.
Question 6: Identify common
features of non-democratic countries.
Answer:
- Suppressed Dissent: Non-democratic
nations stifle dissent, often resorting to imprisonment or harassment of
dissenting voices.
- Authoritarian Rule: Non-democratic
states are often governed by dictators or military leaders, with no room
for democratic elections.
- Absence of Opposition: Opposition
parties are not tolerated, and only political entities aligned with the
ruling regime survive.
- Controlled Labor: Non-democratic regimes
restrict independent labor unions, favoring those supportive of government
policies.
- Arbitrary Rule: Citizens in
non-democratic countries lack basic freedoms and are subject to arbitrary
arrests or even executions without trial.
Question 7: Why is Zimbabwe
not regarded as a democratic country?
Answer:
- Single Party Dominance: Zimbabwe has
been ruled by the ZANU-PF party and its leader Robert Mugabe since
independence, with no change in power.
- Unfair Elections: Despite regular
elections, Zimbabwe's electoral processes lack fairness, often favoring
the ruling party.
- Constitutional Manipulation: President
Mugabe amended the constitution multiple times to consolidate power,
undermining democratic principles.
- Opposition Suppression: Opposition
parties in Zimbabwe face harassment and disruptions, restricting their
ability to operate freely.
- Limited Freedom: Public protests against
the government are deemed illegal, with strict media control and curtailed
freedom of speech.
- Judicial Bias: The Zimbabwean government
disregards court rulings against it, pressuring judges and undermining
judicial independence.
Question 8: To what extent
was the communist government responsible for the famine in China from
1958-1961?
Answer:
- Severe Impact: China's famine during
1958-1961 resulted in an estimated three crore deaths, the worst famine in
recorded history.
- Comparative Analysis: Despite economic
challenges similar to India's, China faced famine while India did not,
attributed to different government responses.
- Democratic Influence: India's democratic
structure facilitated a more effective response to food scarcity compared
to China's communist regime.
- Policy Failures: China's communist
government implemented policies exacerbating the famine, contributing to
widespread hunger and death.
- Accountability: Democracies are more
accountable to public needs, prompting swift action in crisis situations,
unlike authoritarian regimes.
- Hypothetical Scenario: Had China
embraced multi-party elections and an independent press, the famine's
severity might have been mitigated.
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