Civics Class 9 : Chapter 1 - What is Democracy? Why Democracy?
Lesson 1
WHAT IS DEMOCRACY ? WHY DEMOCRACY?
Exercises
1. Here is some
information about the four countries. Based on this information, how would you classify
each of these countries. Write ‘democratic’, ‘undemocratic’ or ‘not sure’ against
each of these.
Country A: People who do not accept the country’s official religion do not have a right to vote.
Country B: The same
party has been winning elections for the last twenty years.
Country C: The Ruling
party has lost in the last three elections.
Country D: There is no
independent election commission.
Answer.
Country A: Undemocratic
Country B: Not sure
Country C: Democratic
Country D: Undemocratic
2. Here is some
information about four countries. Based on this information, how would you classify
each of these countries. Write ‘democratic’, ‘undemocratic’ or ‘not sure’
against each of these.
Country P: The parliament cannot pass a law about the army without the consent of the Chief of Army.
Country Q: The
parliament cannot pass a law reducing the powers of the judiciary.
Country R: The country’s leaders cannot sign any treaty with another country without taking permission from its neighbouring country.
Country S: All the major economic decisions about the country are taken by officials of the central bank which the ministers cannot change.
Answer.
Country P: Undemocratic
Country Q: Democratic
Country R: Undemocratic
Country S: Undemocratic
3. Which of these is
not a good argument in favour of democracy? Why?
A) People feel free
and equal in a democracy.
B) Democracies resolve
conflict in a better way than others.
C) Democratic
government is more accountable to the people.
D) Democracies are
more prosperous than others.
Answer.
D. Democracies are more prosperous than others is not a good argument in favour of democracy. There are examples of countries being democratic but not as prosperous as other countries which are not democratic. Democracy means that the normal citizen of the country is involved in the decision making process and electing the leaders. It does not necessarily guaranty prosperity as there are other factors like – geography, economic capacity, government policies, human resources, mineral resources etc.
4. Each of these
statements contains a democratic and undemocratic element. Write out the two separately
for each statement.
a) A minister said that some laws have to be passed by the parliament in order to conform to the regulations decided by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
b) The Election Commission ordered re-polling in a constituency where large-scale rigging was reported.
c) Women’s representation in parliament has barely reached 10 per cent. This led women’s organisations to demand one-third seats for women.
Answer.
a) Democratic element – A minister said that some laws have to be
passed by the parliament.
Undemocratic element – conform to the regulations decided by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
b) Democratic element – The Election Commission ordered re-polling in
a constituency.
Undemocratic element – large-scale rigging was reported.
c) Democratic element – women’s organisations to demand one-third
seats for women.
Undemocratic element – Women’s representation in parliament has barely reached 10 per cent.
5. Which of these is
not a valid reason for arguing that there is a lesser possibility of famine in
a democratic country?
a) Opposition parties
can draw attention to hunger and starvation.
b) Free press can
report suffering from famine in different parts of the country.
c) Government fears
its defeat in the next elections.
d) People are free to
believe in and practise any religion.
Answer.
d. The statement, ‘People are free to believe in and practice any religion,’ is not a valid reason for arguing that there is a lesser possibility of famine in a democratic country.
6. There are 40
villages in a district where the government has made no provision for drinking water.These
villagers met and considered many methods of forcing the government to respond to
their need. Which of these is not a democratic method?
a) Filing a case in
the courts claiming that water is part of the right to life.
b)Boycotting the next
elections to give a message to all parties.
c) Organising public
meetings against the government’s policies.
d) Paying money to
government officials to get water.
Answer.
d) Paying money to government officials to get water is not a democratic method.
7. Write a response to
the following arguments against democracy:
a.The army is the most disciplined and corruption-free organisation in the country. Therefore the army should rule the country.
b. Rule of the majority means the rule of ignorant people. What we need is the rule of the wise, even if they are in small numbers.
c. If we want religious leaders to guide us in spiritual matters, why not invite them to guide us in politics as well. The country should be ruled by religious leaders.
Answer.
a. The army is a disciplined organisation. However, it is unfair if an army rules, as the army was not chosen by the citizens and hence it will be an undemocratic practice. Rule of the majority is not the rule of ignorant people. Wisdom is subjective, and the government is run by people who know law and order. Religion and politics are two different things. While religion can guide someone towards religious affairs, it cannot be a guide anyone for politics, which is an important segment of a nation.
8. Are the following
statements in keeping with democracy as a value? Why?
a). Father to daughter: I don’t want to hear your opinion about your marriage. In our family children marry where the parents tell them to.
b).Teacher to student: Don’t disturb my concentration by asking me questions in the classroom.
c).Employee to the
officer: Our working hours must be reduced according to the law.
Answer.
a) The statement does not keep with democracy as a value, as the daughter is not allowed to express her opinion.
b) The statement does not keep with democracy as a value, as students are not allowed to ask questions which is their right.
c) The statement keeps with democracy as law, as employee voices his opinion for his right under the law.
9. Consider the
following facts about a country and decide if you would call it a democracy.
Give reasons to support your decision.
a) All the citizens of
the country have the right to vote. Elections are held regularly.
b) The country took loans from international agencies. One of the conditions for giving loan was that the government would reduce its expenses on education and health.
c) People speak more than seven languages but education is available only in one language,the language spoken by 52 per cent people of that country.
d)Several organisations have given a call for peaceful demonstrations and nationwide strikes in the country to oppose these policies. Government has arrested these leaders.
e) The government owns the radio and television in the country. All the newspapers have to get permission from the government to publish any news about the government’s policies and protests.
Answer.
a)From this statement, we can understand that it is a democratic country where citizens are allowed to vote and choose their government.
b) While taking a loan from international agencies, the country is compromising on the welfare of the people by reducing their expenditure on education and health which is totally undemocratic.
c) The provision of making education accessible in only one language is undemocratic. It is the fundamental right for people to have an education and it is the government’s duties to provide them in the language they know.
d) Right to assemble and peacefully demonstrate is a basic right of an individual. Hence, arresting the protestors is undemocratic.
e) When the government owns the radio and television, it is debarring people from availing their right to free press. It is undemocratic.
Extra Questions
1. Abraham Lincoln
defines democracy.
✓Democracy is a government of the people,by the
people and for the people.
2. The origin of the
word democracy-
✓Democracy has its origin in the Greek word Demokratia. 'Demos' means people and 'Kratia' means rule. So it means rule by the people.
3. Give one common
feature of democratic governments.
✓One common feature is that people elect their representatives on the basis of Universal Adult Franchise.
4. What is a
referendum?
✓ A referendum is a direct vote in which
the entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular
proposal. It may be adoption of a new constitution, a law or a specific
governmental policy.
5. The kings of Nepal
and Saudi Arabia are ruling even that they are undemocratic. Why?
✓. It is because they happened to be born into the royal families.
6. When did Pervez
Musharraf come to power in Pakistan?
✓ Pervez Musharraf came to power in
Pakistan by a military coup in October 1999.
7. How did Pervez
Musharraf declare himself the 'Chief Executive' of the country?
✓. In October 1999, he led a military coup to
overthrow a democratically-elected government and declared himself the 'Chief Executive'
of the country.
8. What major
political incident happened in Pakistan in the year 2002?
✓. A referendum was held in the country in 2002. It granted Pervez Musharraf a five year extention as President.
9. 'Legal Framework
Order'
✓It was an order issued by General Musharraf empowering him to dismiss the national or provincial assemblies.
10. The body
supervised the civilian cabinet according to Legal Framework Order.
✓ The National Security Council dominated by military officials.
11. What happened
after the passage of the Legal Framework Order?
✓After the passage of the Legal Framework Order,
elections were held to the national and state assemblies. The representatives were
elected by the people.
12.Who took the final
decisions in Pakistan after the elections?
✓The final decisions was taken by the army and
General Musharraf.
13. Why is Pakistan
not considered a democratic country even after having elections?
✓ Despite elections to the national and provincial assemblies, the final powers rested with General Musharraf and military officers.
14.. Give another example where real powers were not exercised by the people's elected representatives.
✓. The role of USSR in communist Poland and the US in contemporary Iraq were some examples.
15. How do people
elect their representatives in China?
✓In China elections are held after every five years for electing the country's Parliament called National People's Congress.
16. . Which type of
party system is there in China?
✓ China has one-party system.
17. Who appoints the
President of China?
✓. The President of China is appointed by about 3,000 members of the National People's Congress.
18. Which members are
allowed to contest the election in China?
✓. Only the members of the Chinese Communist Party or eight smaller parties allied to it were allowed to contest elections held in 2002-03. The Communist Party always forms the government.
19. After how many
years does Mexico hold elections for electing the President?
✓Since its independence in 1930, Mexico holds elections after every six years for electing the President.
20. What was PRI?
✓It was a political party of Mexico called Institutional Revolutionary Party. The PRI won every election until 2000.
22. Why was every election won by PRI in Mexico?
✓PRI managed to win every election mainly through unfair means. They spent a lot of money in campaigning for its candidates and forced people to vote for them.
22. How can we say
that people in Mexico did not have any choice in the elections?
✓ These was no choice for people in Mexico.There was no way PRI could be defeated, even if the people were against it. The elections were not fair.
23. In which country
women do not have the right to vote until 2015?
Or
Who does not have the
right to vote in Saudi Arabia?
✓ Until 2015, women do not have the right to vote in Saudi Arabia.
24. Name the country
where the minorities find it difficult to get the right to vote.
✓. In Estonia, the Russian minority find it difficult to get the right to vote.
25. Which party of
Zimbabwe led the struggle for independence?
✓ The ZANU-PF in Zimbabwe led the struggle for independence.
26. Who was the
President of Zimbabwe since independence?
Or
Robert Mugabe is the
president of which country?
✓ The President of Zimbabwe was Robert Mugabe.
27. How did the ruling
party in Zimbabwe deal with the opposition party?
✓Opposition party meeting got disrupted and their workers were harassed.
28. How can you say
that media is not independence in Zimbabwe?
✓Television and radio are controlled by the government and give only the ruling party version. The government also harasses those journalists who go against it.
29. When was Robert
Mugabe forced out of office?
✓ In 2017 he was forced out of office.
30. What do you derive
from a democratic government like the one in Zimbabwe?
✓. Popular governments can be undemocratic and popular leaders can be autocratic.
31. Which factors,
barring at the elections must be considered to assess democracy?
✓To keep a vigilant eye before and after the election is also required to assess democracy
32. What basic rights
were given by state to citizens to ensure democracy before elections?
✓ The state should respect the basic rights of the citizens which include freedom to think, to have opinions, to express these in public, to form associations, to protest and take other political actions.
33. Who is responsible
to protects the basic rights given by state?
✓. The judiciary protects the basic rights.
34. To whom is the
ruling party accountable?
✓ The ruling party is accountable to the people.
35. What limits a
democratic government's power to make rules?
✓ The constitutional laws and citizens' rights limit the democratic government's power to make rules.
36. Which is the most
preferred form of government in the world?
✓. Democracy is the most preferred form of government in the world.
37. Point out one
argument against democracy.
✓ Leaders keep changing in a democracy. This leads to instability.
38. In which condition
does democracy lead bad decisions?
✓When elected leaders are unaware of the best interests of the people, it leads to bad decisions.
39. List the cause for
delay in decision-making.
✓Involving many people in the decision-making and taking their consent lead to delay in decision-making in democracy.
40. In which period
did China record its worst famine?
✓China's famine of 1958-1961 was the worst recorded famine in the world history.
42. Mention the
advantage of involving many persons in decision-making.
✓The advantage is that it reduces the chances of rash or irresponsible decisions.
42. Mention the
constraints of citizens if they have an option to take part in decision making.
✓ A citizen does not have time, desire or skill to take part in decision making.
43. What is the basic
sense behind taking a decision in democracy?
✓In a democracy decision-making involves conclusions and whether consent of all those who are affected by that decision.
44. A democracy
enhances the dignity of citizens. How?
✓. Democracy provides political equality to all recognising that the poor, the rich, the least educated have the same status as the rich and the educated.
45. How does democracy
allow us to correct our mistakes?
✓In a democracy there is room for public discussions on government's rules or mistakes and there is room for correction. Either the rulers have to change their decisions or the rulers can be changed.
46. What is a
representative democracy?
✓It is a form of democracy where the majority of people rule through their elected representatives.
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