NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Civics Chapter 5 - Outcomes of Democracy

Q1. How does democracy produce an accountable, responsive, and legitimate government?
Ans:   In a democracy, citizens have the power to choose their leaders and influence decisions that impact their lives. This system ensures that the government is:

• Accountable to the people, meaning it must respond to their needs and concerns.
• Responsive to public demands, allowing for citizen participation in decision-making.
• Legitimate, as it is elected by the people, reflecting their will.

Key features of a functioning democracy include:

• Regular, free, and fair elections.
• Open public debates on significant issues.
• Citizens' right to access information about government actions.

Although democracies may sometimes be slower in decision-making due to the need for deliberation and transparency, they are generally more effective in ensuring that the government remains in touch with the populace. This process helps to minimise corruption and enhances the overall quality of governance.

Q2. What are the conditions under which democracies accommodate social diversities?
Ans:  Democracies are designed to respect and accommodate social diversities. They evolve mechanisms to negotiate differences, as seen in the case of Belgium. However, the example of Sri Lanka highlights two essential conditions for a democracy to effectively manage social diversities:

• Collaboration between Majority and Minority: The majority must engage with the minority to ensure that the government represents the general view. This collaboration is crucial for a functioning democracy.
• Inclusivity in Majority Rule: Majority rule should not equate to dominance by a specific community based on religion, race, or language. Democracy thrives when every citizen has the opportunity to be part of the majority at some point.

Therefore, a successful democracy must foster cooperation and inclusivity to accommodate diverse social groups effectively.

Q3. Give arguments to support or oppose the following assertions:
(a) Industrialised countries can afford democracy but the poor need dictatorship to become rich.
(b) Democracy can’t reduce inequality of incomes between different citizens.
(c) The government in poor countries should spend less on poverty reduction, health, and education and spend more on industries and infrastructure.
(d) In democracy all citizens have one vote, which means that there is an absence of any domination and conflict.
Ans: 

(a)There is no direct link between a country’s democracy and its wealth. A nation’s economic growth depends on its resources, government policies, and how open the government is to attracting investment. If dictatorship alone could create wealth, then countries like Nigeria would be full of rich people, but that is not the case in reality.
(b) Yes, democracy cannot reduce income inequality, as there are sectional communities which have different professions. Income equality is not a value of democracy, as democracy brings social and political equality. People have the right to vote and can access fundamental rights, but income is self-generated, and that depends on their ability to work.
(c) The statement is incorrect. For a country to develop, the main focus should be on human resources. Since a country’s strength lies in its people, if its citizens are uneducated, unhealthy, and lack basic needs, the nation cannot progress. The Human Development Report in itself measures a country’s progress based on the education, health, and income of its people. Therefore, investing in health and education infrastructure is essential for a country’s growth.
(d) The statement is partly true. Yes, democracy offers one vote to each of its citizens; however, it is not a fool-proof system that does not invite any conflicts. Take the example of India, which has a diverse diaspora. The social divisions in the society are reflected in the form of riots, protests and strikes. Hence, no democracy can eliminate social divisions.

Q4. Identify the challenges to democracy in the following descriptions. Also, suggest policy/institutional mechanism to deepen democracy in the given situations:
(a) Following a High Court directive a temple in Orissa that had separate entry doors for Dalits and non-Dalits allowed entry for all from the same door.
(b) A large number of farmers are committing suicide in different states of India.
(c) Following allegation of killing of three civilians in Gandwara in a fake encounter by Jammu and Kashmir police, an inquiry has been ordered.
Ans: 

(a)  (i) The challenge relates to social diversity. There are separate doors for Dalits and Non-Dalits to enter the temple.
(ii) To deepen democracy, there should be a law banning discrimination on account of caste, religion or other factors. People should also be encouraged to come forward and support abolishing this practice.
(b) This relates to economic inequalities with special reference to the poor condition of farmers in different states of India. The government should take the following steps to improve their condition:
(i) To give financial help or loans for the purchase of seeds, urea, etc.
(ii) Irrigation and other facilities should be increased to avoid the situation of droughts.
(iii) The MSP of crops should be increased.
(c)  (i) The dignity and freedom of citizens have been challenged.
(ii) There should be transparency in the working of the police departments to avoid fake encounters. Only then there will be trust of the people in the government’s activities and democracy will be deepened.

Q5. In the context of democracies, which of the following ideas is correct - democracies have successfully eliminated: 
(a) conflicts among people
(b) economic inequalities among people
(c) differences of opinion about how marginalised sections are to be treated
(d) the idea of political inequality
Ans: d) the idea of political inequality

Democracies aim to reduce political inequality by ensuring that all citizens have equal rights to participate in the political process, such as voting and running for office. However, they have not completely eliminated conflicts, economic inequalities, or differences in opinions about how marginalized sections should be treated. 

Q6. In the context of assessing democracy which among the following is odd one out. Democracies need to ensure:
(a) free and fair elections
(b) dignity of the individual
(c) majority rule
(d) equal treatment before the law
Ans: c) majority rule

While free and fair elections, dignity of the individual, and equal treatment before the law are essential components for evaluating the health of a democracy, majority rule alone does not guarantee a functioning democracy. Democracy requires not only that decisions be made by majority rule but also that minority rights are protected, and all individuals are treated with dignity and equality. 

Q7. Studies on political and social inequalities in democracy show that
(a) democracy and development go together
(b) inequalities exist in democracies
(c) inequalities do not exist under dictatorship
(d) dictatorship is better than democracy
Ans: b) inequalities exist in democracies

Studies on political and social inequalities reveal that while democracies aim to promote equality and justice, inequalities can still persist within democratic systems. This is due to various factors such as economic disparities, social stratification, and unequal access to opportunities.

Q8. Read the passage below:
Nannu is a daily wage earner. He lives in Welcome Mazdoor Colony, a slum habitation in East Delhi. He lost his ration card and applied for a duplicate one in January 2004. He made several rounds to the local Food and Civil Supplies office for the next three months. But the clerks and officials would not even look at him, leave alone do his job or bother to tell him the status of his application. Ultimately, he filed an application under the Right to Information Act asking for the daily progress made on his application, names of the officials, who were supposed to act on his application, and what action would be taken against these officials for their inaction.
Within a week of filing an application under the Right to Information Act, he was visited by an inspector from the Food Department, who informed him that the card had been made and he could collect it from the office. When Nannu went to collect his card next day, he was given a very warm treatment by the Food and Supply Officer (FSO), who is the head of a Circle. The FSO offered him tea and requested him to withdraw his application under the Right to Information since his work had already been done.
What does Nannu’s example show? What impact did Nannu’s action have on officials? Ask your parents their experiences when they approach government officials to attend to their problems.
Ans: (a) Nannu’s example shows that ordinary people should be aware of their rights. They should exercise their rights without any fear as has been done by Nannu.
(b) Nannu’s action had a significant effect on the officials, who not only made his ration card but also offered him a cup of tea at the office of the Food and Supply Officer. He was given proper respect. However, the Food and Supply Officer requested him to withdraw his application because his ration card had been prepared.
(c) The experiences of the parents are not satisfactory. Generally, the govt officials do not bother about the people who visit them. Their problems are not solved. They are asked to come again and again. However, now there is some improvement due to Right to Information.