Equality is the soul of democracy - Elaborate
Answers
Answer:
Let us take the most popular definition of Democracy:
“Democracy is the government by the people, of the people and for the people”.
Now, remove the concept of EQUALITY. We get,
not by all the people equally,
not of all the people equally and
not for all the people equally.
Now, it does not at all sound like democracy. This will fit any government like monarchy, oligarchy and aristocracy etc.
Equality is implicit from the very fact that the word ‘people’ has been used which implies common man.
‘People’ implies everybody, irrespective of race, religion, caste (in the Indian context), region, gender etc. The rich, the poor, the educated and the uneducated are to be treated equally.
Equality is explicit in the principle of Universal Adult Franchise, main characteristic of democracy.
Therefore, it is justified that ‘equality is the soul of democracy’.
However,
there is an important pre-requisite that often goes missing, in several democratic countries specially in the third world.
That is * E D U C A T I O N *
And if Universal Adult Franchise and through it Democracy, should actually bring out good results, efforts should be made that every citizen living in a democracy should be provided compulsory school education.
This education must include training of the students to transform them into citizens in the real sense.
It implies that such education must create awareness among the citizens about the rights and duties they enjoy in a democracy.
They also must learn about the constitution and government and politics of their country.
Overall, education must make a citizen participate in all the decision making processes which include voting, debates and discussions, policy formulation and implementation and therefore reap the benefits of Democracy.
Therefore, equality is the soul of democracy, provided education acts as the catalyst.
EQUALITY ————————-> Procedural DEMOCRACY (namesake or only in the words)
EQUALITY + EDUCATION —————→ Substantive DEMOCRACY (real or in the spirit).
Answer:
Explanation:
et us take the most popular definition of Democracy:
“Democracy is the government by the people, of the people and for the people”.
Now, remove the concept of EQUALITY. We get,
not by all the people equally,
not of all the people equally and
not for all the people equally.
Now, it does not at all sound like democracy. This will fit any government like monarchy, oligarchy and aristocracy etc.
Equality is implicit from the very fact that the word ‘people’ has been used which implies common man.
‘People’ implies everybody, irrespective of race, religion, caste (in the Indian context), region, gender etc. The rich, the poor, the educated and the uneducated are to be treated equally.
Equality is explicit in the principle of Universal Adult Franchise, main characteristic of democracy.
Therefore, it is justified that ‘equality is the soul of democracy’.
However,
there is an important pre-requisite that often goes missing, in several democratic countries specially in the third world.
That is * E D U C A T I O N *
And if Universal Adult Franchise and through it Democracy, should actually bring out good results, efforts should be made that every citizen living in a democracy should be provided compulsory school education.
This education must include training of the students to transform them into citizens in the real sense.
It implies that such education must create awareness among the citizens about the rights and duties they enjoy in a democracy.
They also must learn about the constitution and government and politics of their country.
Overall, education must make a citizen participate in all the decision making processes which include voting, debates and discussions, policy formulation and implementation and therefore reap the benefits of Democracy.
Therefore, equality is the soul of democracy, provided education acts as the catalyst.
EQUALITY ————————-> Procedural DEMOCRACY (namesake or only in the words)
EQUALITY + EDUCATION —————→ Substantive DEMOCRACY (real or in the spirit).