CHAPTER- 1 WHAT IS DEMOCRACY? WHY DEMOCRACY?
NOTES
1. In the contemporary world, democracy is the most popular form of governance.2. Democracy- Democracy is a system of governance for the people, run by the people.
- Democracy is derived from the Greek word Demokratia. In Greek, Demos means people, and Kratia means rule or governance. Thus, democracy means rule of the people.
- Democracy is a form of governance in which rulers are elected by the people.
3. Features of Democracy-
- In a democracy, the ultimate decision-making power should rest with the representatives elected by the people.
- Democracy should be based on free and fair elections so that those in power have equal opportunities to win or lose.
- In a democracy, every adult citizen should have one vote, and each vote should have equal value.
- A democratic government functions within the boundaries set by constitutional laws and citizens rights.
4. Democracy is a form of governance in which—
- The rulers elected by the people make all the major decisions.
- Elections provide people with a fair opportunity and enough choices to replace the existing rulers if they wish.
- These choices and opportunities should be equally available to all people.
- The government formed through this election operates within the framework of fundamental laws and citizens rights defined by the constitution.
5. Arguments Against Democracy-
- In democracy, leaders keep changing, which leads to instability.
- Democracy is merely a political struggle and a game of power, leaving no room for morality.
- In a democratic system, extensive debates and discussions with many people are required, causing delays in decision-making.
- Elected leaders are often unaware of people's interests, leading to poor decision-making.
- Elections in a democracy are competitive and expensive, which results in corruption.
- Common people do not always know what is good or bad for them, so they should not be responsible for making decisions.
6. Arguments in Favor of Democracy-
- Democratic governance is better than others because it is a more accountable form of government.
- Democracy increases the likelihood of better decision-making.
- Democracy provides a way to manage differences and conflicts.
- In democracy, there is no permanent winner or permanent loser.
- No other system gives citizens the same status as democracy does.
- Democracy enhances the respect of citizens.
- Democratic systems are better than others because they provide an opportunity to correct mistakes.
7. The broader meaning of democracy– In our time, the most common form of democracy is representative democracy.
- In a modern democratic system, there are so many people that it is not possible to gather everyone and make collective decisions on every matter.
- Even if this were possible, not every citizen would have the time, willingness, ability, or skill to participate in every decision.
8. A democratic decision means making decisions after discussing with all those affected by it and with their consent. This ensures that the opinion of someone who is not very powerful holds as much importance in a decision as that of someone who is very powerful.
9. The future of a country depends more on the actions of its citizens than on the actions of its rulers. This is what sets democracy apart from other forms of governance.
10. Most non-democratic governments do not want people to participate in politics.
