What is democracy Why democracy Class 9 Notes explain that democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people.
In a democratic system, major decisions are taken by elected representatives, and citizens have the right to choose and change their rulers through free and fair elections.
Democracy is based on political equality, which means every adult citizen has one vote with equal value.
A democratic government functions according to the Constitution and respects the rights and freedoms of the people.
Although democracy has some limitations, such as slow decision-making and political competition,
it is considered the best form of government because it is accountable, improves the quality of decisions, resolves conflicts peacefully, enhances the dignity of citizens, and allows people to correct their mistakes through elections.
What is Democracy Why Democracy Class 9 Notes
The notes given below on What is Democracy and Why Democracy are designed to help Class 9 students understand the topic clearly and perform well in exams.
What IS Democracy?
Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the choice of the people. In this system, citizens participate in governance by electing their representatives.
Examples of Non-Democratic Governments
Myanmar: In Myanmar, the army controls the government and becomes the ruler. The people do not have any role in electing their representatives.
Saudi Arabia: In Saudi Arabia, the representatives belong to royal families, and citizens do not elect their rulers.
Features of Democracy
Democracy has certain basic features that help us identify whether a country is truly democratic or not. These features ensure people’s participation, equality, and protection of rights in a democratic system.
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Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people through free and fair elections.
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In a democratic system, all major decisions are taken by representatives who are chosen by the citizens.
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Democracy allows people to change their rulers peacefully through regular elections.
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Every adult citizen has the right to vote, and each vote has equal value, which ensures political equality.
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Elections in a democracy provide real choices to the people, and no one is forced or pressured while voting.
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A democratic government functions according to the Constitution, which limits the powers of the rulers.
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Democracy respects fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, equality before law, and freedom of the press.
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Citizens in a democracy are free to express their opinions and criticize the government.
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Democracy ensures accountability, as elected leaders are answerable to the people for their actions.
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In a democratic country, the rule of law prevails, and no one is above the law.
Major Decisions by the Elected Leaders
In October 1999, Pakistani General Pervez Musharraf led the military and overthrew a democratically elected government. He declared himself the ‘Chief Executive’ of the country. In 2002, he changed his designation and became the President of Pakistan. In August 2002, he passed the ‘Legal Framework Order’, which stated that the President had the power to dismiss the national and provincial assemblies.
Even after elections were held, the elected representatives were given limited powers, while the final authority remained with the military officers and General Musharraf. This clearly shows that Pakistan was not a democratic country at that time.
Free and Fair Electoral Competition
In China, elections are held every five years to elect members of the country’s parliament, called the Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui, also known as the National People’s Congress. However, to contest elections, a candidate must be a member of the Chinese Communist Party or one of its eight allied parties. As a result, the Communist Party continues to form the government, which limits free and fair electoral competition.
Since its independence in 1930, Mexico has been holding elections every six years to elect its President.
The country has never been ruled by a military or dictator. However, until the year 2000, every election was won by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which raised doubts about the fairness of elections.
Examples of democratic countries include India and the United States.
One Person, One Vote, One Value
Political equality is the basis of democracy. In a democratic system, every adult citizen must have one vote, and each vote should have equal value. However, there have been several instances where equal rights were denied. Until 2015, women in Saudi Arabia did not have the right to vote. In Estonia, citizenship laws made it very difficult for people from the Russian minorities to gain voting rights.
In Fiji, the electoral system gave more value to indigenous Fijians than to Indian-Fijians. These examples clearly contradict the democratic principle that every adult citizen should have one vote with equal value.
Rule of Law and Respect for Rights
In 1980, Zimbabwe became an independent nation, and Robert Mugabe, the leader of the ZANU-PF party that led the freedom movement, came to power. Over the years, unfair methods were used during elections to ensure that the ruling party remained in power.
Laws were made to control the media, due to which television and radio showed only the views of the government. Citizens were not allowed to criticize the President freely. Journalists who reported against the government were threatened and troubled. This situation clearly shows that democratic rights and the rule of law were not properly followed.
Hence, in a Democratic Government :
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Important decisions are taken by leaders who are chosen by the people through elections.
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Citizens have the freedom to replace their rulers through fair and regular elections.
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Every citizen is given an equal chance to participate in the election process.
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The authority of the government is restricted by the Constitution and legal rules.
Why Democracy?
Arguments Against Democracy :
Political rivalry in a democracy often focuses more on gaining power than on moral values.
The process of decision-making becomes slow because many opinions are involved. Sometimes, people do not have enough knowledge about public issues, which may lead to poor decisions.
Since democracy depends on elections, corruption can increase during campaigns. Voters may also choose leaders without fully understanding what is best for them.
Arguments in Favour of Democracy :
Democracy is considered a better system because the government is answerable to the people. It helps in improving the quality of decisions by encouraging discussion and debate.
Democracy provides peaceful ways to resolve disagreements and conflicts.
It respects the dignity of individuals by treating all citizens equally. Unlike other systems, democracy gives people the power to correct mistakes by changing the government.
Broader Meaning of Democracy
In a representative democracy, people do not directly participate in every decision. Instead, they elect representatives who make decisions on their behalf.
Modern democratic countries have very large populations, which makes direct participation impractical. Many citizens may lack the time, interest, or skills to take part in all decision-making processes.
Understanding democracy helps people recognize the limitations of existing democratic systems and distinguish between a basic democracy and an ideal democracy.
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What is Democracy Why Democracy class 9 Notes PDF
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CBSE Class 9 Political Science Notes |
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CBSE Class 9 Civics Chapter 1: What Is Democracy? Why Democracy? |