Chapter 7
Outcomes of
Democracy
Q1. Is democracy a
better form of government when compared with dictatorship or any other
alternative?
Why democracy is
considered better form of government as compared to other form of government?
2. Democracy is better because it
enhances the dignity of the individual.
3. Democracy is better because it
improves the quality of decision making.
4. Democracy is better because it
provides a method to resolve conflicts.
5. Democracy is better because it allows
room to correct mistakes.
Q2. What features
are common to all the democracies in the world?
Ans. 1) They have formal constitutions.
2) They hold elections.
3) They have parties and they guarantee rights
of citizens.
Q3. What are the
expected outcomes from a democracy?
Ans. Democracy leads to Accountable,
responsive and legitimate government.
·
Democracy leads to economic growth of development.
·
Democracy leads to reduction of inequity and poverty.
·
Democracy leads to Accommodation of social diversity.
·
Democracy enhances dignity and freedom of the citizens.
Q4. “Democracy is
Accountable, responsive and legitimate government” Explain
Or
Justify that a govt. has an accountable and responsive.
Or
Why democratic govt. has to be accountable and responsible?
1. Democracy ensures that decision
making will be based on norms and procedures. So, a citizen has the right and
the means to examine the process of decision making. This is known as transparency.
Democracy follows procedures and is accountable to the people.
2. Democratic governments have a very
good record when it comes to sharing information with citizens and much better
than any non-democratic regime in this respect. Democracy is attentive to
the needs and demands of the people and is largely free of corruption.
3. There is one respect in which democratic government
is certainly better than its alternatives: democratic government is legitimate
government. It may be slow, less efficient, not always very responsive or
clean. But a democratic government is people’s own government.
Q5. Is the democratic government efficient? Is it
effective?
Or
Why democracy is considered slow and inefficient government?
Or
Why are decisions
delayed in a democracy?
1. This form of government may take
decisions very fast. But it may take decisions which are not accepted by the
people and may therefore face problems.
2. Democracy is based on the idea of
deliberation and negotiation. So, some delay is bound to take place.
3. In contrast, the democratic
government will take more time to follow procedures before arriving at a
decision.
4. But because it has followed
procedures, its decisions may be both more acceptable to the people and more
effective.
5. So, the cost of time that democracy
pays is perhaps worth it.
Q6. Justify the cost of time that democracy pays in decision making is
worth it.
Ans. 1). Although non democratic govt, may
take the decision faster.
2) But it may take decisions
that are not accepted by the people and may therefore face problems.
3) In contrast the democratic govt. Will take
out more time to follow procedures before arriving at a decision. But because
it has followed procedures, its decision may be both more acceptable to the
people and more affective.
4) Hence the cost of time that democracy pays
is worth it.
Q7. What is meant by transparency in democracy?
Or
Justify that a democratic govt.
Is a transparent government.
Ans. 1) Democracy means that decision making
will be based on norms and procedures.
2) So, a citizen who wants to know if a
decision was taken through correct procedures can find this out.
3) This is known as transparency.
4) This factor is often missing from non
democratic government.
Q8. Mention the institution by
which we judge the accountability and responsiveness of a democracy?
Ans.
The institutions are :-
1)
Regular free and fair elections.
2)
Open public debate on major policies and
legislation.
3)
Citizens right to information about the
government and its functioning.
Q9. Analyse the working of
democracies with respect to accountability and responsiveness.
Or
Is democratic govt. In actual accountable and responsive? Justify.
Ans. 1) The actual performance of democracies
showed a mixed record on this.
2) Democracies have had greater success in
setting up regular and free elections and in setting up conditions for open
public debate.
3) But most democratic fall short of elections
that provide fair chance to everyone and it subjecting every decision to public
debate.
4) Democratic govt. Do not have a very good
record when it comes to sharing information with citizens.
Ans. 1) The record of democracies is not
impressive on these two counts.
2) Democracies often frustrate the needs of
the people and often ignore the demands of a majority of its population.
3) The routine tales of corruption convince us
that democracy is not free of this evil.
Q11. Justify that democratic govt. Is a legitimate govt.
Ans. Democratic govt. Is a legitimate govt.
1.
It may be slow, less efficient, not always
responsive or clean.
2.
But a democratic govt. Is people’s own govt.
3.
There is an overwhelming support for the idea
of democracy all over the world.
Q12. Give reasons for overwhelming supports for democracy all over the
world.
OR
Democracy’s ability to generate
its own support is itself an outcome that cannot be ignored. Justify.
Ans. There is an overwhelming support for the
idea of democracy all over the world.
1. The accompanying evidence used for South Asia shows the support exists in countries with democratic regimes as well as countries without democratic regimes.
1. The accompanying evidence used for South Asia shows the support exists in countries with democratic regimes as well as countries without democratic regimes.
2. People wish to be ruled by representatives
elected by them.
3. They also believe that democracy is
suitable for their country.
Hence democracy’s ability to generate its own
support is itself an outcome that cannot be ignored.
Ans. 1. Although democracies are expected to produce good governments
but it is not fair to expect that they would also produce development.
2. If we consider all
democracies and all dictatorships for 0 years between 1950’s and 2000’s, dictatorship
has slightly higher rate and economical growth.
3. The difference in the
rate of economic development is negligible.
4. Overall we cannot say
that democracy is a guarantee of economic development.
Q14.Do democracies
lead to the reduction of inequality and poverty?
Ans.
Inequality: 1. We find growing economic inequalities.
2. Small no. of ultra-rich enjoy a highly
disproportionate share of wealth and incomes.
3. Those at
the bottom of the society have very little to depend upon.
4. Their
incomes can be declined.
5. In actual
life, democracies do not appear to be very successful in reducing economic inequalities.
Poverty: 1. Although the
poor constitute a large proportion of our votes and no party will like to lose
their votes.
2. Yet
democratically elected governments do not appear to be as keen to address the
question of poverty.
3. The situation is much worse in
some countries like Bangladesh.
4. In Bangladesh,
half of its population lives in poverty.
5. People in
several poor countries with democracy now dependent on the rich countries for
food supplies.
OR
Justify that a
democratic govt. leads to accommodation of social diversity.
Ans. 1. It will be fair to expect that democracy should produce a
harmonious social life.
2. Democracies usually
develop a procedure to conduct the completion among different ethnic groups.
3. This reduces the
possibilities between these tensions becoming explosive or violent.
4. In a democracy people
learn to respect differences and can also evolve mechanisms to negotiate the
differences.
5. Non-democratic regimes
often turn a blind eye to or suppress internal social differences.
6. Ability to handle social
differences, divisions and conflicts and conflicts is thus a definite plus
point of democratic system.
Ans. 1. It is necessary to understand that democracy is not simply rule
by majority opinion.
2. The majority always
needs to work with the minority so that governments function to represent the
general view.
3. It is also necessary
that rule by majority does not become rule by majority community.
4. Rule by majority means
that in case of every decision or in case of every election, different persons
and groups may and can form a majority.
OR
Justify that a
democratic govt. Enhances he dignity and freedom of its citizens.
Ans. 1. Democracy stands much superior to any other forms of govt. Is
promoting dignity and freedom of the individual.
2. The passion for respect
and freedom are the basis for democracy.
3. I a democracy poor and
uneducated have got equal rights as rich and educated.
5. Hence democracy surely
enhances the dignity and freedom of citizens.
Q18. Justify that
for a democratic govt. Its examinations never get over.
Ans. 1. As democracy passes one test, it produces another test.
2. As people get some
benefits of democracy, they ask for more and want to make even better.
Q19. Expectations
from democracy also function as the criterion for judging any democratic
country. Explain.
Ans. 1. The fact that people are complaining is itself a testimony to
the success of democracy.
2. It shows that people
have developed awareness and the ability to expect and to look critically at
power holder and the high and the mighty.
3. A public expression of
dissatisfaction with democracy shows the success of the democratic project.
4. It transforms people
from the status of a subject into that of citizen.
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