CLASS 9 POLITICAL SCIENCE CHAPTER 2 WHAT IS DEMOCRACY? WHY DEMOCRACY?

                                                            POLITICAL SCIENCE

                                                                     CHAPTER  2 

                                         WHAT IS DEMOCRACY ? WHY DEMOCARACY?  

                                                                            (NOTES)

DEMOCRACY-

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

example- USA, India. UK etc.

MAIN FEATURES OF DEMOCRACY

1.In a democracy rulers are elected by the people to take major decisions.

2. A democracy must be based on free and fair elections, 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 the constitutional law and citizen's rights

5. Democracy provides a methods to deal with differences and conflicts, It enhance the dignity.

ARGUMENTS FOR DEMOCRACY

1.A democratic government is a better government because it is a more accountable form of government.

2. Democracy improves the quality of decision- making.

3. Democracy provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts.

4. Democracy enhance the dignity of citizen.

5.Democracy is better than other forms of government because it allows up to correct its own mistake.

ARGUMENTS AGAINST DEMOCRACY

1.Leaders keep changing in a democracy.

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 decision making,

5.Democracy leads to corruption for it is based on electoral competition.

MAJOR DECISION BY ELECTED LEADERS

1. In Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf led a military coup in Oct 1999.

2.Pervez Musharraf over threw a democratically elected government are declared himself the chief Executive of the country.

3.In 2002 held a referendum in the country that granted him a 5 years extension.

Referendum:-A general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision.

4. In August 2002 he issued a Legal Frame work order that amended the constitution of Pakistan.

5. According to this order the President can dismiss the National and State Assemblies.

6.The work of the Civilian cabinet is supervised by National Security Council which is dominated by the Military Officers.

7. After passing the law elections were held to the national and state assemblies.

8. Elected representative have some power. Major power goes to Military officers and General Pervez Musharraf himself.

FREE AND FAIR ELCTORAL COMPETITION 

1.In China Elections were regularly held after every 5 years for electing the Country's Parliament called Quanguo Renmin Daiboao Dahui (National People's Congress)

2. The National People's Congress has the power to appoint the President of country.

3. The National People's Congress has nearly 3000 members elected from all over China.

4. Some members are elected by the Army officers.

5. A candidate needs the approval of the Chinese Communist Party.

6. Only those who are member of the Chinese Communist Party or  8 smaller parties allied to it were allowed to contest election.

7. The government is always formed by the Communist Party.

IN MEXICO

1.Mexico independence in 1930.

2.Mexico holds election after every 6 years to elect its President.

3.The country has never been under a Military or dictator rule.

4. After 2000 every election was won by a party called PRI ( Institutional Revolutionary party)

5. Opposition parties did contest election but never managed to win.

6.The PRI was known to use many dirty tricks to win election.

a) All those who were employed in government offices had to attend its party meeting.

b) Teachers of government school used to force parents to vote for the PRI.

c) Media largely ignored the activities of Opposition Parties .

d) Some times the polling booths were shifted from one place to another in the last minute.

e) The PRI spent a large sum of money in the  time of elections.

ONE PERSON , ONE VOTE , ONE VALUE

1. In Saudi Arabia Women do not have the right to vote.

2. Estonia has made its citizenship rulers in such a way that people belonging to Russian minority final it difficult to get the right to vote.

3.In Fiji the electoral system is such that the vote of an value than that of an Indian Fijian.

Democracy is based on a fundamental principle of Political equality.

 RULE OF LAW AND RESPECT FOR RIGHTS

1. Zimbabwe got independence in 1980.

2. Zimbabwe has been ruled by ZANU-PF , the party that led the freedom struggle.

3. Robert Mugabe has been ruling the country since independence.

4. Robert Mugabe is is popular but also uses unfair practice in election.

5.Robert Mugabe got changed the constitution many times to increase the power of the President.

6.Opposition party workers were harassed and their meeting were disrupted .

7.Public protest and demonstrations against the government are declared illegal.

8. The media has been forced to write and speak in only they want to ruling party .

9.The government has ignored some court judgements that went against the government.

NOTE-

The condition of Zimbabwe shows the popular government can be undemocratic.

Popular leaders can autocratic.

If we wish to assess a democracy, It is important to look at the time of election, how they are fought.

SUMMARY DEFINITION

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

2.Rulers elected by the people take all the major decisions.

3. Elections offer a choice and fair opportunity to the people to change the current rulers.

4.Choice and opportunity is available to all the people on an equal basis.

5. The exercise of this choice leads to government limited by basic rulers of the constitution and citizen rights.

    

SOURCE 

1,NCERT CLASS 9 BOOK

2. XAM IDEA SOCIAL SCIENCE

PREPARED BY

DR. SANTOSH ANAND MISHRA

D A V PUBLIC SCHOOL 

MANPUR 

KAIYA

GAYA

MY FIRST BOOK LINK