Civics Chapter 1 What is Democracy_ Why Democracy_ Class 9 Notes PDF.pdf

class 9th civics chapter 1

1. RevisionNotesforClass9
SocialScience-Civics(DemocraticPolitics)
Chapter-1WhatisDemocracy?WhyDemocracy?
DefinitionofDemocracy
●Itisdefinedasaformofgovernmentwhererulersareelectedbythechoiceofthe
people.
●So,thedifferencebetweendemocraticandnon-democraticgovernmentsisthatthe
powertoelecttheirrepresentativeisinthepeople’shands.
ExamplesofNon-DemocraticGovernments
●InMyanmar,thearmycontrollerbecomestherulerandthepeopleoverhavenorole
toplayinelectingtheirrepresentative.
●InSaudiArabia,therepresentativesarefromroyalfamilies,thisisthebaseonwhich
theyqualifytobecomekings.Herealso,peoplehavenoroletoplayinmaking
decisions.
FeaturesofDemocracy
●FreeandFairElections:Inademocracy,electionsareheldregularlywherecitizens
havetherighttochoosetheirleaderswithoutcoercionormanipulation.
●MajorityRule:Decisionsinademocracyaremadebasedontheopinionofthe
majority,whilealsoprotectingtherightsofminorities.
●ProtectionofRights:Democraciesensuretheprotectionofindividualrightsand
freedoms,suchasfreedomofspeech,religion,andexpression.
●AccountabilityofGovernment:Electedleadersareaccountabletothepeople,and
theymustanswerfortheiractionsanddecisions.
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2. ●RuleofLaw:Everyone,includinggovernmentofficials,issubjecttothelaw,and
lawsareappliedequallytoallcitizens.
●CitizenParticipation:Democracyencouragesactiveparticipationfromitscitizensin
politicalprocesses,throughvoting,protests,anddiscussions.
MajorDecisionsbytheElectedLeaders
●PakistaniGeneralPervezMusharraf,inOctober1999ledthemilitaryandoverthrewa
democraticgovernmentanddeclaredhimselfthe‘ChiefExecutive’.
●Intheyear2002,hechangedhisdesignationtoPresidentanddeclaredhimselfan
additional5years.
●IntheyearAugust2002,hepassedthe‘LegalFrameworkOrder’whichstatedthat
thePresidentcoulddismissthenationalandprovincialassemblies.
●Afterelections,electedcandidatesvestedsomepowers,thefinalpowerrestedwith
militaryofficersandGeneralMusharraf.Itshowsthatitisnotademocraticcountry.
●IntheUSSRincommunistPolandandtheUSincontemporaryIraq,powerlaywith
externalinsteadofelectedlocals.Whereasindemocracy,thefinalpowerlieswith
thosewhoareelectedbythepeople.
FreeandFairElectoralCompetition
●InChina,toelectmembersforthecountry’sparliamentwhichiscalledQuanguo
RenminDaibiaoDahui(NationalPeople’sCongress),electionsareheldevery5years.
●CandidateneedstobeamemberoftheChineseCommunistPartyor8ofitsalliesto
contestelectionsin2002-03.
●Thecommunistpartyusedtoformthegovernment.
●Sinceitsindependence,in1930,Mexico'spresidentialelectionshavebeenheldevery
6years.Until2000everyelectionwaswonbythePRI(InstitutionalRevolutionary
Party).
●Afairandfreeelectoralcompetitionwheretheexistingrulingpartyhasafairchance
toloseisanaspectofdemocracy.
●ExamplesofDemocracyare–IndiaandtheUnitedStatesetc.
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3. OnePerson,OneVote,OneValue
●Politicalequalityisthebasisofdemocracy.
●Afewinstanceswhereequalrightsaredeniedhavebeenobserved.
●Womenhadnorighttovoteuntil2015,inSaudiArabia.
●InEstonia,citizenrulesmadeitverydifficultforpeoplefromRussianminoritiesto
gaintherighttovote.
●Fiji’selectoralsystemgavemorevaluetoindigenousFijithanIndian-Fijian.
●Thesearesomeexampleswhichcontradictthebasisofdemocracywhereanadult
citizenmusthaveonevotewithequalvalue.
RuleofLawandRespectforRights
●Intheyear1980,Zimbabwegainedindependence.TheleaderRobertMugabeofthe
ZANU-PFparty,whichledthefreedomstruggleruledthecountry.
●PresidentMugabeusedmalpracticesinelectionssothatZANU-PFalwayswon.
●Onlytheverdictsoftherulingpartywerepresentedbythetelevisionandradiosincea
lawexistedthatrestrictedtherighttocriticizethePresident.
●Harassmentwasdonetotheindependentjournalistwhotalkedagainstthe
government.
●Hence,inademocraticgovernment:
●Majordecisionsweretakenbytherulerselectedbythepeople.
●Fairchoiceofpeopleinchangingrulers.
●Equalopportunitytoallthecitizensinchoosingtheirrepresentative.
●Thegovernment’spowerislimitedbythebasicrulesoftheconstitution.
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4. ArgumentsAgainstDemocracy
●Argumentsofinstabilitymayarisebecausethegovernmentischangedfrequently:
●Politicalcompetitionandpowerplaycantakedominanceovermorality.
●Delayindecision-makingbecauseofmultipleconsultations.
●Alackofknowledgeinthepublicinterestcanresultinwrongdecision-making.
●Democracyisbasedonelectoralcompetition,itbringscorruption.
●Peopleelectingtheirrepresentativesmaybeunawareoftheirwell-being.
ArgumentsinFavourofDemocracy
●Ademocraticgovernmentisalwaysabettergovernmentsinceitisanaccountable
formofgovernment.
●Democracyimprovesdecision-makingquality.
●Democracygivesamethodtodealwithdifferencesandconflicts.
●Democracyenhancescitizens'dignity.
●Democracyisbettercomparedtootherformsofgovernmentsinceitallowsusto
correctourmistakes.
BroaderMeaningofDemocracy
●Underrepresentativedemocracy,everyonedoesnotrule.Theelectedrepresentative
decidesonbehalfoftheirpeople:
●Moderndemocraciesarecharacterizedbyhugepopulations;whichmakesit
impossibleforthemtomaketherightdecision.
●Iftheycouldmaketherightdecision,citizenswouldnothaveagreateramountof
time,andtheskilltoplayaroleinallthedecisions.
●Understandingdemocracycanhelppeopleidentifytheweaknessesofexisting
democracyandcandifferentiatebetweenminimalandgooddemocracy.
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5. DemocracyinIndia
●Indiaisseenasthelargestdemocracyintheworld.
●Sinceindependence,citizenshavebeengiventherighttovoteandhaveequalrights
invotingwithoutconsideringtheircaste,religion,genderorcolour.
●DemocraticprinciplesbywhichtheIndiangovernmentfunctionsare:sovereign,
socialist,secular,democraticandrepublic.
●Electionsareheldafterevery5years.
●GovernmentofficialsworkundertheElectionCommissionduringelectiondays.
WhataretheMeritsofDemocracy?
●Inademocracy,thedignityofcitizensismaintained.
●Itimprovesthequalityofdecision-making.
●Providesapathforresolvingconflicts.
●Theformofgovernmentismoreaccountable.
●ThegovernmentabidesbytheConstitutionasitisanswerabletothecitizens.
SomeImportantDefinitionsandQuestionsfromtheChapter
DefineDemocracy
Democracyisaformofgovernanceinwhichthepeopledirectlyorindirectlydecideonlaws,
policies,leadership,andkeyinitiativesforastateorotherpolity.
DefineRepresentativeDemocracy
Inarepresentativedemocracy,amajorityofelectedrepresentativeshavetheauthorityto
makechoicesonbehalfofallthepeople,ratherthanallthepeoplerulingormaking
decisions.
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6. WhichkindofDemocracyisMorePrevalentintheModernWorld?
Themostprevalenttypeofdemocracyintoday'sworldisarepresentativedemocracy.
Whencanwedeclareelectionstobefair?
Tobedeemedfair,electionsmustprovidevoterswithagenuineselectionofpolitical
options.
Definereferendum
Areferendumisageneralvoteinwhichallvotersareaskedtoacceptorrejectaproposition.
1.Whyisademocraticformofgovernmentmostpopular?
Ans:Somefeaturesofdemocracymakeitthemostpopularformofgovernment:
●Inademocracy,thegovernmentisaccountableforthepublicinterests.
Decision-makingisnotcompletelydependentontheruler.
●Thisformofgovernmentmakesalldecisionsaboutthebestoftheirpeople.
●Apassiveresolutiontoeverypredicamentisprovidedindemocracy.
●Democracyisthebestmethodfordealingwithconflictsinideology.
●CountrieslikeIndiahaveavastdiversityofreligions,languages,castesandcreeds,
onesolutionleadstounity.
●Politicalequalityismaintainedindemocracybygivingequalprioritytothepoor,
educatedanduneducated.
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7. 2.Whatisdirectdemocracyandwhycanitnotbeimplementedinmoderntimes?
Ans:Directdemocracyisaformofdemocracywherecitizensshareanequalroleinthe
decision-makingprocess.
●Moderndemocraciesconsistofalargeamountofpeople,anditisnotphysically
possibleforthemtosittogetherandmakeadecision.
●Allcitizensdonothavethetimeorskilltotakepartintheentiredecision-making.
3.Whyisthemostcommonformofdemocraticgovernmentrepresentativedemocracy?
Ans:Representativedemocracyisaformofdemocracyinwhichthemajorityofpeoplerule
throughtheirelectedrepresentatives.
●Thiskindofdemocracyisrealisticandhugedemocraciesasallpeopledonothave
desiredqualificationstorule.
●So,directruleisnotpossible.
●Hence,themajoritythroughtheirelectedrepresentativeisallowedtomakedecisions
onbehalfofallthepeople.
●So,representativedemocracyisrequiredwhereelectedpeoplecanmakecollective
decisions.
4.Whatarethebasicdifferencesbetweengoodandminimaldemocracy?
Ans:Thedifferencesbetweengoodandminimaldemocracyare:
S.No. MinimaldemocracyGooddemocracy
Therulersareelectedby
thepeople.
Peopleelecttheirrulersandalso
takepartinallthedecisions.
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8. Regularelectionsareheld
inaminimaldemocracy.
Regularfreeandfairelections
areheldingooddemocracy.
Politicalequalityisthere
inminimaldemocracy.
Political but also
socio-economicalunityisalsoan
aspectofagooddemocracy.
5.Whatarethecommonfeaturesofanon-democraticgovernment?
Ans:Ideologiesofanon-democraticgovernmentare:
●Innon-democraticcountries,criticizingthegovernmentmayleadtooppressive
actionssuchasharassment,imprisonmentetc.
●Noelectionsareheldasitisruledbythekingormilitary.
●Thereisnoplacefortheoppositionparty.
●Unionswhichabidebythegovernmentpoliciesarewelcome.
●Thefinalwordsofthedictatororthemilitaryrulersaretakenintoconsideration.
●Commonpeoplecannotthinkofhighpositionsingovernment.
6.Giveaclassicexampleofabetterresponseofademocraticgovernmentovera
non-democraticone.
Ans:InChina1958-1961,thewordrecordedfamine.Thecasualtieswerearoundthree
croresofChina’spopulation.
●IndiawaseconomicallyweakercomparedtoChina,butitwasnothitbyfamineas
China.
●Itwasbelieveditwasthegovernmentpoliciesofthecountrythatcreatedsucha
scenario.
●Indiandemocraticrespondedwelltofoodscarcity.
●Theexistenceofmulti-partyelections,anoppositionpartyandapressfreetocriticize
thegovernmentmighthavesavedChinafromhugefaminecasualties.
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