What is Democracy? Why Democracy? Summary Class 9 Social Science Chapter 1

What is Democracy?

• A simple Definition: Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people.

Features of Democracy

• The rulers are elected by the people.
• Free and competitive elections are held.
• Each adult irrespective of religion, education, caste, colour, wealth have one vote, one value.
• The elected rulers take decisions within limits set by constitutional law and citizens’ rights.
• Rule of Law
• The rights of the citizens must be protected through Constitution.
• There must be an independent judiciary.

Major Decisions by Elected Leaders

• In Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf led a military coup in October 1999 and overthrew democratically elected government and became President of the country.
  • In 2002, he held a referendum in the country which was based on malpractices and fraud granted him a five-year extension.
  • After passing law, ‘Legal Framework Order’ which gave the president power to dismiss the national and provincial assemblies, elections were held to the national and provincial assemblies.
• In this case, Pakistan has had elections, elected representatives have some powers. But the final power rests with military officers and General Musharraf himself. So,this should not be called a democracy.
• In a democracy, the final decision-making power must rest with those elected by the people.

Free and Fair Electoral Competition

• In China, elections are regularly held after every five years for electing the country’s parliament called National People’s Congress.
  • Before contesting elections, a candidate needs the approval of the Chinese Communist Party.
  • The government is always formed by the Communist Party.
• Mexico holds elections after every six years to elect its President.
  • But until 2000 every election was won by a party called PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party). 
  • Opposition parties did contest elections, but never managed to win as PRI was known to use many dirty tricks to win elections.
• Both the cases should not be called a democracy.
• A democracy must be based on a free and fair election where those currently in power have a fair chance of losing.

One Person, One Vote, One Value

• There are many instances of denial of equal right to vote.
  • In Saudi Arabia women do not have the right to vote.
  • Estonia has made its citizenship rules in such a way that people belonging to Russian minority find it difficult to get the right to vote.
  • In Fiji, the electoral system is such that the vote of an indigenous Fiji has more value than that of an Indian-Fijian.
• In a democracy, each adult citizen must have one vote and each vote must have one value.

Rule of Law and Respect For Rights

• Since independence, Zimbabwe ruled by ZANU-PF.
  • Its leader, Robert Mugabe has been ruling the country. He is popular but also uses unfair practices in elections.
  • Elections have been held regularly and always won by ZANU-PF.
  • Opposition party workers are harassed and their meeting disrupted.
  • Public protests and demonstrations against the government are declared illegal.
  • Television and radio are controlled by the government and give only the ruling party’s version.
  • Independent newspapers are there but the government harasses those journalists who go against it.
  • The government has ignored some court judgments that went against it and has pressurised judges.
• In this case, government is not democratic as there is no there is no citzen' basic rights, no political opposition, no judiciary.
• A democratic government rule within limits set by constitutional law and citizens’ rights.

Why Democracy?

• Leaders keep changing in a democracy. This leads to instability.
• Democracy is all about political competition and power play. There is no scope for morality.
• So many people have to be consulted in a democracy that it leads to delays.
• Elected leaders do not know the best interest of the people. It leads to bad decisions.
• Democracy leads to corruption for it is based on electoral competition.
• Ordinary people don’t know what is good for them; they should not decide anything.

Arguments for democracy

• A democratic government is a better government because it is a more accountable form of government.
• Democracy improves the quality of decision-making.
• Democracy provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts.
• Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens.
• Democracy allows us to correct its own mistakes.

Broader Meanings of Democracy

• The most common form that democracy takes in our times is that of a representative democracy where majority is allowed to take decisions on behalf of all the people.
  • The majority of people rule through their elected representatives.
• A democratic decision involves consultation with and consent of all those who are affected by that decision.
• Democracy is a principle that can be applied to any sphere of life.
  • Democracy can apply to a government or a family or any other organisation.