class 9 political science ch2 what is democracy ?why democracy? Follow any one newspaper for tv one month and collect news or articles that have anything to do with democracy
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Answer:
Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people.
Myanmar where the army rules, Dictator Pinochet’s rule in Chile, or President N.krumah’s rule in Ghana was not democratic. They were not chosen by the people.
Hereditary kings, like the king of Nepal or Saudi Arabia, are also not democratic rulers.They rule because they were born into noble families.
2. In a democracy final decision making power must rest with those elected by the people.
In Pakistan, President Musharraf has the power to dismiss national and state assemblies;so the final powers rest with the army and the General himself. We cannot call it a democracy.
3. A democracy must be based on a free and fair election where those currently in power have a fair chance of losing.
In China, elections are held for its Parliament. But all the candidates are either members of Chinese Communist Party or eight smaller allies of the party.
In Mexico, elections have been held every six years since 1980. But the same party, PRI, has won the elections. Obviously, there has been rigging and mal-practices, with freedom, denied to opposition.
In both the examples elections are held but one can not claim that they are free and fair.
4. In a democracy, people’s will is ascertained by each adult citizen having one vote and each vote has one value. Democracy is based on the fundamental principle of political equality.
Countries like Saudi Arabia, Estonia and Fiji in some or other way deny voting rights to certain sections of its population.
5. A democratic government rules within limits set by constitutional and citizens’ rights.
A democratic government cannot do what it likes after winning the elections. It has to respect certain basic rules and is accountable not only to the people but also to other independent officials.
Robert Mugabe is President of Zimbabwe. He is ruling there for last 38 years. But in many incidences, he has behaved in an undemocratic way and even above the law.