Class 10 Civics Chapter 5 Extra Question Answers - Outcomes of Democracy

Short Answer Questions

Q1: “Democracy is a better form of government.” Support the statement with three arguments.
                                                                                        OR
 Why do people prefer democracy? Explain with four reasons. 
Ans: People prefer democracy because :
(i) People are their masters. In a democracy, every individual has a right to vote and choose his representatives in the government. The government is of the people and the laws are made by the people (or the representatives chosen) in the government. Laws are made to protect the liberty and freedom of the people.
(ii) In a democracy, no particular religion, region, race, or language is given special preference. All individuals are given equal rights and freedom, and there is no discrimination.
(iii) The government is not by force. The opposition parties are allowed to criticize the government.
(iv) Since every individual is given equal rights, there is less danger of conflicts in society. There are fewer conflicts based on caste, religion, or region and fewer social tensions in society. In politics, the dignity of the individual is cared for.

Q2: How does democracy lead to a peaceful and harmonious life among citizens? Explain. 
Ans: (i) Democracies accommodate various social divisions. For example, Belgium has peacefully solved her ethnic problems and solved the differences.
(ii) All democracies usually develop a procedure to conduct competition, i.e. conduct elections, power-sharing, etc. This reduces the possibility of tensions, due to social divisions, turning violent or explosive.
(iii) Democracy teaches people to respect differences and resolve conflicts among different groups peacefully. In non-democratic countries, rulers either turn a blind eye to or suppress internal differences. For example, Sri Lanka. The plus point in a democratic regime is the ability to handle social differences, divisions, and conflicts.

(iv) A democracy is not just a rule by majority opinion. The majority always needs to work with the minority so that the government represents the general view.
(v) A democratic government ensures that the rule by the majority does not become autocratic in terms of religion, race linguistic group, etc. It tries that in the case of every election, different persons and groups can form a majority. It tries to see that every citizen has a chance to be in the majority at some point in time and is not barred based on birth. All these things ensured by a democratic regime lead to a peaceful and harmonious life.

Q3: What are the differences between democratic and non-democratic governments in the decision-making process? 
Ans: The decision-making process of the non-democratic rulers is very quick. They are also efficient in decision-making and even in the implementation of the decisions. This all happens because non-democratic rulers do not have to bother about deliberation in assemblies or public opinion.

On the other hand, a democratic form of government is based on deliberation and negotiation. This causes the process to slow. They followed procedures, and their decisions may be more acceptable to the people and are more effective.

Q4: How do political parties shape public opinion? Explain with three examples. 
Ans: Political parties shape public opinion. They raise and highlight issues. They have lakhs of members and activists spread all over the country. Many of the pressure groups are the extensions of political parties among different sections of society. Political parties sometimes also launch movements to resolve the problems faced by people. Often opinions in the society crystallise on the lines parties take.

Q5: ‘‘There is a lack of internal democracy within the political parties.’’ Justify the statement with three arguments. 
Ans: There is a lack of internal democracy within parties. All parties tend that there is only one or few leaders should be at the top to grab power. They do not have a check on membership registers. They do not call organizational meetings neither they conduct internal elections regularly. Not all the members of the party have information regarding internal party matters. The ordinary members of the party do not have the means or the connections needed to influence the decisions. Every decision of the party is taken only by a few leaders in the name of the party.

Q6: ‘‘Most negative feature of democracy is that its examination never gets over.” Support the statement with three arguments. 
Ans: The working sphere of democracy –
(i) Promote equality among citizens
(ii) Enhance the dignity of the individual
(iii) Improve the quality of decision-making
(iv) Provide a method to resolve conflict.
Democracy also has the fields of work – social situations, economic achievement, and the culture of the nation. It has great responsibilities, a huge working area, and a high population. So whatever work is done by democracy seems to be very small in terms of problems. That’s why it is said that the most negative feature of democracy is that its examination never gets over.

Q7: What is the main outcome of democracy concerning the reduction of inequality and poverty? Give any two arguments to support your answer.
Ans: Democracies are based on political equality. All individuals have equal rights in electing representatives. Parallel to the process of bringing individuals into the political arena on an equal footing, find growing economic inequalities. A few number of the rich enjoy a highly disproportionate share of wealth and incomes. Not only that, their share in the total income of the country has been increasing. Those at the bottom of the society have very little to depend upon. Their incomes have been declining and sometimes they find it difficult to meet their basic needs of life such as food, clothing, housing, education, and health.

Q8: Why is a democratic government considered better than a dictatorship? Explain any three reasons. 
Ans: A democratic government is a legitimate government. It may be slow, less efficient, and not always very responsive or clean but a democratic government is a people’s government. This is not true in the case of dictatorship.
In a democratic government, citizens have fundamental rights and duties but in a dictatorship, it is not so.
In a democratic form of government, the decision-making process is slow. Because it is followed by the procedures and its decisions are more acceptable to the people. This is not seen in the dictatorship type of government.

Q9: Examine any three features based on which a maximum number of countries claim to practice democratic politics. 
Ans: When any country follows this pattern, then they can claim to practice democratic politics.
(i) Elections are held at regular intervals and are fair and free.
(ii) Freedom of speech, expression, and thought is another feature of democracy.
(iii) The dignity of the individual is recognized.

Q10: ‘‘In actual life, democracies do not appear to be very successful in reducing economic inequalities.’’ Support this statement by giving three arguments.
                                                                                          OR
 Do democracies lead to a just distribution of goods and services? Justify your answer. 
Ans: Democracies are based on political equality. All citizens have equal rights in electing representatives. This is not so in the economic field. Economic equality comes from the equitable distribution of wealth, but this is not true in a democracy. The poor are becoming poorer and sometimes they find it difficult even to meet the basic needs of life like food, shelter, health, and education.

Long Answer Questions

Q1: Explain any four features that are common in all democratic setups of the government. 
Ans: (i) In a democracy, elections are held at regular intervals and are fair and free.
(ii) A democracy has a multi-party system and elections are held based on universal adult franchise.
(iii) Freedom of speech, expression, and thought is another feature of democracy. The media also helps in building a sound public opinion.
(iv) Democracy gives its citizens a sound political system based on social equality.
(v) Another feature of a democracy is a strong opposition that keeps in check, the ruling party or the government.
(vi) Besides these, we also know how in a democracy, the dignity of the individual is recognised and one can correct one’s mistakes in a democracy and avoid conflicts.

Q2: How are complaints treated as a testimony to the success of democracy? Explain with four facts.
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 “The fact that people are complaining is itself a testimony to the success of democracy.” Justify the statement with three points. 
Ans: Expectations from democracy also function as a criterion for judging any democratic country. People’s complaints in a democracy are itself a testimony to its success as it shows that people have developed awareness and the ability to expect and look critically at powerholders and the high and mighty. Examples of complaints of the following type can prove the point :
(i) Democracy sets up slow and inefficient government.
(ii) It is unsuccessful in reducing economic exploitation.
(iii) It is not free of the evil of corruption.
(iv) It is not able to end social discrimination. There are still caste-based inequalities and atrocities, although they lack moral and legal foundations. In all these cases, complaints are there, but so are the efforts made to attack them.

Q3: Explain any four areas where democracy has failed.
Ans: 

• If democracy is anticipated to yield effective governance, it is reasonable to expect it to contribute to development. However, evidence indicates that several democracies have not met this expectation, raising concerns about democracy's inability to achieve significant economic development.
• Despite being a government of the people, democracy does not consistently reduce economic disparities. Economic growth in a country does not necessarily translate into equitable wealth distribution, leaving many citizens without an improved quality of life.
• Democracy has also fallen short in addressing poverty reduction, with a disproportionately small number of ultra-rich individuals holding a significant share of wealth and income. Those at the bottom of the societal hierarchy struggle with limited resources, and their incomes are often in decline.
• Democracies sometimes neglect the needs and demands of the majority, leading to frustration among the populace. The prevalent issue of corruption in democratic systems suggests that democracy is not immune to unethical practices.

Q4:  How does democracy assure the dignity of women and prevent caste inequalities? 
Ans: 

• Historically, societies across the world were predominantly male-dominated, adversely affecting the dignity of women.

• Ongoing struggles by women have contributed to a modern understanding that respecting and ensuring equal treatment for women are essential components of a democratic society.

• While the acknowledgment of these principles doesn't guarantee consistent respect for women, it establishes a democratic foundation for women to challenge practices deemed legally and morally unacceptable.

• In the Indian context, democracy has played a vital role in reinforcing the claims of disadvantaged and discriminated castes, advocating for equal status and opportunities.

• Despite persistent instances of caste-based inequalities and atrocities, these actions lack both moral and legal justifications.

Q5: How do democratic governments ensure transparency? Explain any three points.
Ans: 

• Democracy guarantees that decision-making is guided by established norms and procedures. This empowers citizens to verify if decisions were made correctly, as democracy ensures their right and means to scrutinize the decision-making process.
• In a democratic system, citizens have the privilege of selecting their leaders and maintaining control over them. The principle advocates for citizen participation in decision-making whenever possible, promoting transparency. This transparency is crucial in establishing a government accountable to citizens and responsive to their needs and expectations.
• It is reasonable to expect democracy to yield a government that adheres to procedures and is accountable to the people. To achieve this, democratic governments implement mechanisms such as regular, free, and fair elections, fostering open public debates on significant policies and legislations, and granting citizens the right to access information about the government and its functioning.