Assertion & Reason Type Questions: What is Democracy? Why Democracy? | Social Studies (SST) Class 9 PDF Download

Direction: In the questions given below, there are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read the statements and choose the correct option:
Q1: Assertion (A): In a democracy, the final decision-making power must rest with those elected by the people.
Reason (R): In Pakistan under General Musharraf, power ultimately rested with elected representatives.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (c)
In a democracy, rulers must be elected by the people, as opposed to dictatorships or monarchies. In Pakistan under Musharraf, power was held by a military leader, not by elected representatives. Hence, the assertion is true, but the reason is false.

Q2: Assertion (A): Elections must offer a real choice to the voters in order to be democratic.
Reason (R): In China, people can choose candidates freely from any political party.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (c)
A true democracy offers real choice in elections. In China, elections are held but candidates must be approved by the Communist Party. Therefore, no real choice is provided. Assertion is correct; reason is false.

Q3: Assertion (A): One feature of democracy is that each adult citizen must have one vote and each vote must have one value.
Reason (R): In Fiji, every citizen’s vote had the same value regardless of ethnicity.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (c)
Democracy is based on political equality, meaning each citizen has one vote of equal value. In Fiji, this was violated as indigenous votes held more value than Indian-Fijian votes. So, the assertion is correct, but the reason is incorrect.

Q4: Assertion (A): In a democracy, the rulers are accountable to the people and must govern within the framework of the constitution.
Reason (R): The government in Zimbabwe respected judicial decisions and press freedom.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (c)
Democratic governments must be accountable and operate within constitutional boundaries. In Zimbabwe under Mugabe, the judiciary and media were controlled and often ignored, violating democratic norms. Hence, assertion is correct; reason is false.

Q5: Assertion (A): Free and fair elections are essential in a democracy.
Reason (R): In Mexico, opposition parties regularly won elections before 2000.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.

Ans: (c)
Fair elections are a core democratic principle. In Mexico, though elections were held, they were not fair — the ruling PRI used unfair means to win every time. So the assertion is true, but the reason is false.

Q6: Assertion (A): Democracy allows people to correct their own mistakes.
Reason (R): In a democracy, rulers can be changed through elections.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (a)
Democracy allows citizens to correct their mistakes through elections. Rulers can be removed by voters. Hence both the assertion and reason are true, and R explains A correctly.

Q7: Assertion (A): Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens.
Reason (R): Democracy allows every citizen the right to participate equally in the decision-making process.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (a)
Democracy enhances dignity because all citizens, rich or poor, have equal political rights and can participate equally. Thus, the reason supports and explains the assertion.

Q8: Assertion (A): Leaders keep changing in a democracy which makes it more stable.
Reason (R): Frequent leadership changes may delay decision-making processes.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (d)
Leaders changing frequently can lead to instability, not stability. However, democracy does involve delay in decision-making because of consultation and consensus. So the assertion is wrong, but the reason is right.

Q9: Assertion (A): Democracies ensure the well-being of all citizens through rapid decisions.
Reason (R): Consultation and discussion are key to democratic decision-making.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (d)
Democracy improves decision-making through discussions and debates, which take time. Therefore, democracies may not make “rapid” decisions. Assertion is false, but reason is true.

Q10: Assertion (A): The main feature of democracy is military power and army-led governance.
Reason (R): Democracy supports rule of law and respect for citizens' rights.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is correct but R is wrong.
(d) A is wrong but R is correct.
Ans: (d)
Military power and army-led rule are not features of democracy. In contrast, democracy emphasizes rule of law and protection of citizens' rights. Hence, assertion is false, reason is true.