Class 10 Civics Chapter 5 Previous Year Questions - Outcomes of Democracy

Ans: (c)
The correct answer is (c) because in a democracy, it promotes equality among citizens, protects human rights, and ensures a system of checks and balances to prevent any one group from having too much power. Statement (II), which says "Government by few individuals," does not apply to democracy, as it implies a system like an oligarchy, not a democratic government.

Ans: (1) Democracy produces an accountable government because in a democracy, people have the right in choosing their representatives through the electoral process.
(2) Elected representatives participate in the decision-making  process on behalf of  the people. They are accountable to the people who elect them.
(3) If these elected representatives do not work properly, people have a chance to correct them in the next elections. Thus, it is an legitimate government because it is chosen by people through free and fair elections.
(4) Democratic governments are elected by the people and are responsible towards the Constitution and the Parliament.
(5) A democratic government is people’s own government. It is popular and responsible for making favourable laws for the collective good of the society.

Ans: Accommodation of social diversity is the key feature of democracy because:
(1) Constitutional Framework: All Indian citizens, regardless of caste, religion, gender, or ethnicity, are guaranteed fundamental rights by the Indian Constitution. In order to remedy the past injustices that minority people have endured, it also contains provisions for affirmative     action measures like reservations.
(2) Federal Structure: India's federal structure provides for decentralised governance, allowing states to have autonomy in matters pertaining to language, culture, and regional identity.
(3) Representation in Government: India's parliamentary democracy ensures representation of diverse social groups in government institutions.
(4) Reservation Policies: India has implemented reservation policies to ensure the representation of marginalised communities in elected bodies, educational institutions, and government jobs.
(5) Cultural Pluralism: The diversity of languages, faiths, traditions, and customs that makeup India's cultural landscape is remarkable. India's democratic culture promotes cultural plurality, enabling people to freely practice their various cultural identities as individuals and communities.

Ans: (d)
The correct answer is (d) Democratic Government because, today, most countries around the world practice democracy, where the people have the power to elect their leaders and make decisions. In contrast, the other options like dictatorial, military, or constitutional monarchy governments are less common and do not give the same level of power to the citizens.

Ans: Democracy produces an accountable, responsive and legitimate Government. This statement can be explained on the following grounds:

• The government can be responsible when people start taking actions when the government becomes insensitive about their aspirations. People can hold protests, carry out campaigns and organise rallies and force the government to respond to them.
• A democratic government is a legitimate government, as it is elected by citizens and enjoys the confidence and trust of the citizens.
• People have the right to choose their rulers and they have control over their rulers. Citizens can participate in decision making.
• Democracy makes the point that decision making is based on norms and procedures. So, a citizen who wants to know if a decision was taken through the correct procedures, can find out this information.
• A democratic government is the people's own government and it is run by the people. People are ruled by representatives elected by them.

Ans: Despite any shortcomings that we might witness in a democratic model of governance, it is still the most preferred form of government all over the world including in South Asia. Some reasons for this are given below:
(i) People have the right to choose who governs them through regular elections.
(ii) The elected government is answerable to the people and to ensure its stability, and has to deliver its promises.
(iii) Democracy ensures transparency.
(iv) It accommodates diversity and promotes inclusion and equality.
(v) It gives an equal chance of participation to all the citizens.
(vi) An important pillar of democracy is ensuring the dignity and freedom of people.
(vii) The true power lies with people.
(viii) Lastly, democracy has proven to be a better mode than dictatorship, aristocracy, or any other form ol governance.

Ans: "Democracy stands much superior in promoting dignity and freedom of the citizens":

• Every individual wants to receive respect from fellow beings. Democracy provides fundamental rights to every citizen.
• Freedom from coercion is the basis of any democracy, where everyone can have faith in choice.
• In a democracy, people have equal opportunities so they can come up in life. They are not discriminated against on the basis of caste or gender.
• Long struggles by women have got them respect and equal treatment. In many democracies, women were deprived of their right to vote for a long time which they have achieved now. In India, 1/3rd of seats have been reserved for women in local bodies.
• Democracy has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and equal opportunity.

Ans: 
1. Promotes freedom: Democracy is based on the principle of individual freedom and liberty. People in democratic societies have the freedom to express their opinions, choose their leaders, and participate in decision-making processes.

2. Ensures equality: Democracy provides equal opportunities for all citizens, regardless of their social or economic status. It ensures that everyone has an equal voice in decision-making processes.

3. Allows peaceful transitions of power: In a democratic system, power is transferred through elections, which provides a peaceful way for people to change their leaders and express their opinions.

4. Protects human rights: Democracy promotes the protection of human rights and ensures that citizens have access to justice and equality before the law.

5. Fosters stability and development: Democracy provides a stable and predictable environment for businesses, investors, and individuals to operate in. It also encourages economic growth and development.

6. Reflects popular will: In a democratic system, the government is accountable to the people and reflects the will of the majority. This ensures that policies and decisions made by the government reflect the needs and desires of the people.
Overall, the overwhelming support for democracy all over the world can be attributed to its ability to promote individual freedom, equality, peaceful transitions of power, human rights protection, stability, development, and reflect the popular will.

Ans: Democracy's ability to generate its own support is indeed an important outcome that cannot be ignored. Here are three examples to illustrate this:

• Example 1: The United States of America
  In the United States, democracy has been able to generate its own support through the electoral process. The citizens have the right to vote and choose their representatives, which gives them a sense of ownership and participation in the government. The high voter turnout during elections is evidence of the support democracy receives from the people.
• Example 2: India
  India is the world's largest democracy and has successfully generated its own support through a vibrant electoral system. Despite its diverse population and numerous challenges, democracy has been able to sustain itself in India. The regular elections, where millions of people participate, reflect the support and belief in the democratic system.
• Example 3: South Africa
  South Africa's transition from apartheid to democracy is a remarkable example of how democracy can generate its own support. The majority of South Africans fought for the end of racial segregation and the establishment of a democratic government. The democratic system in South Africa has been able to address historical injustices and promote equality, garnering support from the people.

Therefore, these examples demonstrate that democracy's ability to generate its own support is a significant outcome that cannot be overlooked.

Ans: A democratic government is called legitimate  government because it is people's own government.
(i) It may be slow, less efficient and may have other flaws but it is people's government.  
(ii) There is an overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world. People of South Asia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Nepal have no j doubt about the suitability of democracy for their country,
(iii) People wish to be ruled by representatives elected by them. Democracy's ability to generate its own support makes it more legitimate

Ans: A democratic government has to be responsive to the needs of its citizens.
(i) Through discussions and public opinions the democratic government can check the popularity of its decisions and mechanism of administering justice.
(ii) A government which is able to respond to grievances faster is able to avoid confrontation and provide good governance. Such governments are said to be responsive

Ans: Democracy must fulfill two conditions to achieve a harmonious social life. Firstly, there should be a respect for the principles of equality, justice, and human rights. This means that all individuals should have equal opportunities, equal protection under the law, and their basic rights and freedoms should be safeguarded. Secondly, there should be a culture of dialogue, inclusiveness, and compromise. This involves fostering an environment where different opinions and perspectives are respected, conflicts are resolved through peaceful means, and consensus is built through open and constructive discussions.

Ans: Democracy enhances the dignity and freedom of individual. This statement is supported on the basis of
(i) The societies which have been built on the basis of subordination and domination, democracy recognise that all individuals are equal.
(ii) For women, most societies are male dominated. But democracy recognise the equality of women as well.
(iii) Same in the case of caste inequalities. Democracy give equal status and opportunities to all sections of society.

Ans: “Democracy stands much superior in promoting dignity and freedom of the citizens”:
(i) Every individual wants to receive respect from fellow beings. Democracy provides fundamental rights to every citizen.
(ii) Freedom from coercion is basis of any democracy, where everyone can have faith of choice.
(iii) In a democracy people have equal opportunities so they can come up in life. They are not discriminated on the basis of caste or gender.
(iv) Long struggles by women have got them respect and equal treatment. In many democracies, women were deprived of their right to vote for a long time which they have achieved now. In India l/3rd of seats have been reserved for women in local bodies.
(v) Democracy has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and equal opportunity.

Ans: Democracy promotes dignity and freedom of the people:
(i) Democracy stands much superior to any other form of government in promoting dignity and freedom of the people.
(ii) It promotes equality among citizen and hence increases respect for each other among citizen.
(iii) Respect and freedom have been recognised as the basis of democracy. (iv) Freedom and equality to women
(v) Strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and equal opportunity.
(vi) Majority-minority coordination.

Ans: Following are the ways by which democratic government ensures transparency:
(i) Democratic government ensures that the decision i making process is based on proper norms and procedures,
(ii) Citizens have the right to examine the process of decision making.
(iii) A democratic government develops mechanism for the citizens to hold the government accountable and mechanism for citizens to take part in decision making  whenever they think fit.

Ans: Democratic government can be said to be accountable and legitimate government. The following reasons can be scribed to it:
Accountable government:
(i) When people choose their representatives, they are expected to be accountable, this is the basic outcome of democracy.
(ii) The citizens have the right and also the means to examine the process of decision making, that is high level of accountability is expected.
(iii) The government is expected to practice regular, free and fair elections and open discussions on important issues.
(iv) Democratic government can apparently be less efficient than a non-democratic government. This happens because a non-democratic government does not need to arrive at consensus among a diverse set of people. Democracy functions on the basis of deliberation and negotiation and hence decisions are often delayed. But this does not mean that a democratic government is less efficient. 

Legitimate government:
(i) A democratic government is people’s own government. That is why there is an overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world and I there is the element of legitimacy attached to it.
(ii) People wish to be ruled by representatives elected by them. They also believe that democracy is suitable for their country. Democracy's ability to generate support for itself is an outcome that cannot be ignored.
(iii) Though there are many reports of democracies ignoring the demands of people and there are routine tales of corruption but yet chances of governments improving only exists in democratic set-up.

Ans: Democracies fail to fulfill the expectations of economic development:
(i) Slow economic development and economic growth can be due to large population.
(ii) Basic needs of life, such as food, clothing, shelter are difficult to achieve in certain democracies.
(iii) Prevalence of economic inequalities are often seen.
(iv) Poverty is still a big issue.
(v) Allocation of resources in few hands.
(vi) Unjust distribution of goods and opportunities

Ans: A 'sectional interest group' refers to an organized association or organization that represents the common interests of a specific section or segment of society. These interest groups advocate for the concerns and issues that are specific to their particular section, such as labor unions representing workers' rights or farmer associations advocating for agricultural policies. Sectional interest groups aim to protect and promote the welfare of their members and influence decision-making processes that affect their respective sections.

Ans: Democracy is a system of government in which the entire population or all eligible members of a state have the power to participate in decision-making processes. This can be done directly, through direct voting on policies and laws, or indirectly, by electing representatives who make decisions on behalf of the people. In a democratic system, the government is accountable to the people, and citizens have the right to express their opinions, criticize the government, and participate in the political process.

Ans: 

• It is because democracy is an accountable, responsive and legitimate government. The most basic outcome of democracy should be that it produces a government that is accountable to the citizens, and responsive to the needs and expectations of the citizens.
• Democracy ensures that decision making will be based on norms and procedures and a citizen who wants to know if a decision was taken through the correct procedures can find this out.
• The actual performance of democracies shows that democracies have had greater success in setting up regular and free elections and in setting up conditions for open public debate.

Ans: The values that are associated with democracy producing a harmonious social life are; 

• Equality among all human beings.
• Respect for individual freedom.
• Democracies accommodate various social divisions.
• Democracies reduce the possibility of tensions becoming explosive or violent.
• Ability to handle social differences, divisions and conflicts.

Ans: Democracy promotes equality among citizens as it is the people’s own government.

• It enhances the dignity of the individual.
• It also improves the quality of decision-making.
• It provides methods to resolve conflicts if any.
• Only democracy allows room to correct mistakes.
• It is a legitimate government.
• Gives equal status and respect to women and weaker sections.
• It promotes transparency.
• Values of social justice, equality, fraternity.
• It gives importance to public opinion.
• It provides rights to people.
• It gives the feeling of collective belonging.
• It encompasses the feeling of integrity secularism and tolerance.
• It inculcates the feeling of integrity and dutifulness.
• It may be slow, less efficient, not always very responsive or clean. A democratic government is the people’s own government.
• There is overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world—in countries with democratic regimes as well as non-democratic regimes.

Ans: Democracy is accountable and responsive to the needs and expectations of the citizens

• The most basic outcome of democracy is that it produces a government that is accountable to the citizens, and responsive to the needs and expectations of the citizens. 
• Economic growth and development -level of economic development is slow because of delays in decision making. 
• Accommodation of social diversity - the majority should work with the minority. 
• Dignity and freedom of citizens-every individual want to receive respect from fellow beings. Equality for women.

Ans: Democracy stands better than any other form of government in promoting the dignity and freedom of citizens:

• Respect and Freedom: The passion for respect and freedom is the basis of democracy which is recognized throughout the world in principle.
• Dignity of women: Democracy provides dignity to women by giving them the freedom to fight for their rights.
• Right to equality: equal status and equal opportunity have a legal sanction in democracy.
• Individual freedom: In a democracy, every individual has the freedom to pursue his goal.

Ans: Democratic government is a legitimate government: It may be slow, less efficient, not always very responsive or clean. But a democratic government is peoples’ own government. That is why there is overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world. People wished to be ruled by representatives elected by them. They also believe that democracy is suitable for their country. Democracy’s ability to generate its own support is itself an outcome that cannot be ignored.
Democratic Government is known as legitimate government:

• Democracy produces a government that follows and is accountable to the people.
• It provides a mechanism for citizens to hold the government accountable and allows citizens to take part in decision making whenever they think fit.
• If you wanted to measure democracies on the basis of this expected outcome you would look for the following practices and institutions regular free and fair election, open public debate on major policies.

Ans: “Democracy accommodates social diversities”.
Democracy develops a mechanism which successfully negotiates difference among the ethnic population.

• Democracies develop a procedure to conduct their competition. This reduces the possibility of these tensions becoming explosive or violent.
• No society can fully and permanently resolve conflicts among different groups. But we can certainly learn to respect these differences and can evolve a mechanism to negotiate these differences. 
• The ability to handle social differences, divisions and conflicts is thus a definite plus point of democratic regimes. Democracy accommodates social diversity as it allows for equality, fair representation to all irrespective of their caste, creed, colour, race, religion, language or place of residence. 
• Democracy also ensures that the government should not be made by the majority but it should have the representation of minorities as well.  
• For example: Belgium has successfully negotiated differences among the ethnic population. This reduces the possibility of tensions.

Ans: One difference between a pressure group and a political party is that political parties contest elections and hold power in the government while pressure groups attempt to influence government policies.

Ans: In a democracy, decision making is based on norms and procedures. A citizen has the right and the means to examine the process of decision making. This is known as transparency.

Ans: Democracy may fail to achieve the same results as dictatorship in terms of efficiency and speed of decision-making. In a democracy, decision-making often involves extensive discussions, debates, and consultations, which can be time-consuming. On the other hand, in a dictatorship, decisions are made by a single ruler or a small group of individuals, allowing for quick and decisive actions. However, it is important to note that democracy provides greater transparency, inclusivity, and protection of individual rights, which are crucial for a just and equitable society.

Ans: Economic inequality refers to the disparities and uneven distribution of economic assets and income within a society. It is characterized by a significant gap between the wealthy and the poor, where a small portion of the population possesses a large share of wealth and resources, while the majority struggles with poverty and limited economic opportunities. Economic inequality can result from various factors such as unequal access to education, employment opportunities, social privileges, and discriminatory practices.

Ans: Two examples of sectional interest groups are Labor Unions and Farmer Associations. Labor Unions represent the collective interests and rights of workers, advocating for better working conditions, fair wages, and improved labor laws. Farmer Associations, on the other hand, represent the interests of farmers and agricultural workers, focusing on issues related to farming practices, agricultural policies, and rural development.

Ans: Democracy is a system that can reduce the possibility of tension and conflict among different groups of society. Through democratic processes such as open dialogue, inclusive decision-making, and respect for individual rights and freedoms, democracy provides a platform for different groups to express their opinions, negotiate their differences, and work towards common goals. By ensuring equal participation and representation, democracy encourages cooperation, compromise, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, thereby fostering social harmony and stability.

Ans: Some important political reforms should be done for improving democracy in India. These are:

• A law should be made to regulate the internal affairs of political parties. Political parties should maintain a register of its members, to hold open elections, to follow its own Constitution, etc.
• Political parties can be monitored by ordinary citizens, pressure groups, media, etc. Pressure on political parties can be done through petitions, publicity and agitation.
• The quality of democracy depends on the degree of public participation. It is difficult to reform politics if ordinary citizens do not directly participate in politics and simply criticize it from outside. 

Thus, the participation of common people in politics is necessary for democracy.

Ans: Democratic governments in practice are accountable:

• It is right to expect democracy to produce a government that follows procedures and is accountable to the people.
• It is also expected that the democratic government develops mechanisms for citizens to take part in decision making whenever they think it is fit.
• The democratic government is accountable to the people. If it ignores the will of the people, they will not elect their ruler in the next general election.
• The procedures and decision-making process should be transparent for democratic government to be accountable to the people.

Ans: Party system is not something any country can choose:

• It evolves over a long time, depending on the nature of society.
• It depends on social and regional divisions.
• It depends on the history of politics and its system, of elections.
• These cannot be changed very quickly.
• Each country develops a party system that is conditioned by its special circumstances.

Ans: 

• Complaints are treated as a testimony to the success of democracy as they highlight the awareness of people and their expectations from the system that has been put in place.
• In a democracy, the scrutiny is ongoing. As democracy passes over one test, it produces another test. As people get some benefits of democracy, they ask for more and want to make democracy even better.
• People always come up with more expectations and complaints.
• A public expression of dissatisfaction with democracy shows the success of the democratic project. It transforms people from the status of a subject into that of a citizen. 
• Most individuals today believe that their vote makes a difference to the way the government is run and to their own self-interest.

Ans: Democracy is a better form of government than any other form of government:

• Democracy promotes equality among citizens: In democracies, every citizen vote has the same value irrespective of gender, caste, religion, or race. This ensures political equality among its citizens.
• Democracy enhances the dignity of the individual:  Democracy is based on the the principle of political equality, on recognizing that the poorest and the least educated has the same status as the rich and the educated.
• Democracy improves the quality of decision making: Democracy is based on consultation and discussion. A democratic decision always involves many persons, discussions and meeting. When a number of people put their heads together, they are able to point out possible mistakes in any decision. Even though this takes time but taking time over important decisions is a must 
• Provides a method to resolve conflicts: Democracy provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts as different people have different opinions and interests. However, there are free and fair elections. In a democracy, no one is a permanent loser or a permanent winner. Different groups can live with one another in harmony and peace. 
• Accountable, responsive and legitimate government: In a democracy, the Government is always held accountable. If any of the policies, and laws are not implemented properly, then the citizens have the right to vote them out in the next elections. Moreover, in a democracy, citizens can approach the Judiciary, if the Government has taken any actions which are counter productive to the well-being of citizens. 
• Reduction of inequality and poverty: Governments can intervene to promote equity, and reduce inequality and poverty, through the tax and benefits system. This means employing a progressive tax and benefits system which takes proportionately more tax from those on higher levels of income, and redistributes welfare benefits to those on lower incomes. 
• Democracy promotes transparency:  Democratic government ensures that the decision-making process is based on proper norms and procedures. Citizens have the right to examine the process of decision making. A democratic government develops mechanisms for the citizens to hold the government accountable and mechanism for citizens to take part in decision making whenever they think fit.

Ans: Democracy must look after the interest of all because:

• Democracy believes in and work for equality.
• It has the ability to handle social differences irrespective of religion or race or linguistic group, etc.  
• It gives equal treatment to women.
• It cares equally for the majority and minority.
• Democracy in India has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged.
• It tries to provide equal opportunities to minority and depressed classes.
• Ordinary citizens value their democratic rights.
• Democracy shows that people have developed awareness.
• It has the ability to expect and look critically at power holders.

Ans: “Democracy stands much Superior in promoting dignity and freedom of the citizens”:

• Every individual wants to receive respect from fellow beings.
• The passion for respect and freedom are the basis of democracy.
• Democracies throughout the world have recognized this. It has been achieved in various degrees in various democracies.
• Long struggles by women have got them respect and equal treatment and now accepted as necessary ingredients of a democratic society.
• In many democracies, women were deprived of their right to vote for a long time which they have achieved new.
• In India, 1/3rd of seats have been reserved for women in local bodies.
• Democracy has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and equal opportunity.
• Legal basis which works on the principle of individual freedom and dignity.

Ans: If we consider all democracies and all dictatorships for the fifty years between 1950 and 2000, dictatorships have a slightly higher rate of economic growth.
Economic development depends on several factors: country's population size, global situation, cooperation from other countries, economic priorities adopted by the country, etc.
However, the difference in the rates of economic development between less developed countries with dictatorships and democracies is negligible. Overall, it cannot be said that democracy is a guarantee of economic development But we can expect democracy not to lag behind dictatorships in this respect.
When such a significant difference in the rates of ectopic growth between countries under dictatorship and democracy, it is better to prefer democracy as it has several other positive outcomes.

Ans: “A public expression of dissatisfaction with democracy shows the success of the democratic project”:

• As democracy passes one test, it produces another test. As people get some benefits of democracy they ask for more and want to make democracy even better.
• That is why when we ask people about the way democracy functions, they will always come up with more expectations, and many complaints.
• The fact that people are complaining is itself a testimony to the success of democracy; it shows that people have developed awareness and the ability to expect and to look critically at power holders and the high and the mighty.
• A public expression of dissatisfaction with democracy shows the success of the democratic project; it transforms people from the states into citizens.
• Most individuals today believe that their vote makes a difference to the way the government is run and to their own self-interest.