Democracy

Democracy

Open Ended

Why do you think Democractic Government is better than other forms of government?

Democracy

• Promotes equality among citizens

• Enhances the dignity of the individual

• Improves the quality of decisionmaking

• Provides a method to resolve conflicts

• Allows room to correct mistakes

Open Ended

Do you feels that we have an efficient democracy in India ? Provide reasons for your opinion.

 Is the democratic government efficient? Is it effective? 

Some people are of the opinion that democracy produces less effective government. It is, of course, true that non-democratic rulers do not have to bother about deliberation in assemblies or worry about majorities and public opinion. So, they can be very quick and efficient in decision making and implementation. Democracy is based on the idea of deliberation and negotiation. So, some delay is bound to take place

Open Ended

Delay in decision making makes a democractic Government ineffective.Do you agree provide reasons for your choice

Cost of Democracy

Imagine a government that may take decisions very fast. But it may take decisions that are not accepted by the people and may therefore face problems. In contrast, the democratic government will take more time to follow procedures before arriving at a decision. But because it has followed procedures, its decisions may be both more acceptable to the people and more effective. So, the cost of time that democracy pays is perhaps worth it.

Democracy - Transperancy

democracy ensures that decision making will be based on norms and procedures. So, a citizen who wants to know if a decision was taken through the correct procedures can find this out. She has the right and the means to examine the process of decision making. This is known as transparency. This factor is often missing from a non-democratic government

Track Record of Actual Democracies

The actual performance of democracies shows a mixed record on this. Democracies have had greater success in setting up regular and free elections and in setting up conditions for open public debate. But most democracies fall short of elections that provide a fair chance to everyone and in subjecting every decision to public debate. Democratic governments do not have a very good record when it comes to sharing information with citizens. All one can say in favour of democratic regimes is that they are much better than any non-democratic regime in these aspects.

Track record of actual democracies

Democracies often frustrate the needs of the people and often ignore the demands of a majority of its population. The routine tales of corruption are enough to convince us that democracy is not free of this evil. At the same time, there is nothing to show that non-democracies are less corrupt or more sensitive to the people.

Overwhelmig support for democracy

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. That is why there is an overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world. As the accompanying evidence from South Asia shows, the support exists in countries with democratic regimes as well as countries without democratic regimes. People wish to be ruled by representatives elected by them. They also believe that democracy is suitable for their country. Democracy’s ability to generate its own support is itself an outcome that cannot be ignored.

Multiple Choice

If a government provides its citizens a right and means to examine the process of decision, it is

• An accountable government

• A responsible government

• A transparent government

• A stable government

Multiple Choice

What do democracies ensure regarding decision making?

• Process of transparency

• Decisions taken by the head of the country

• Decision by the Council of Ministers

• Restricted popular participation in decision making

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is not true about democracy?

• It always worries about majorities and public opinion.

• It improves the quality of decision making.

• Decision making is faster and quicker.

• It allows a room to correct mistakes.

Multiple Choice

Why is democracy considered as the better form of government than dictatorship?

• Promotes equality and enhances dignity of the individual.

• Never allows room to correct mistakes.

• Majority community rule

Multiple Choice

Political outcome of a democracy signifies:

(i) Accountable and responsible government .

(ii) Military rule

(iii) Legitimate government

(iv) Restricted popular participation

• (z), (iii) and (iv)

• (iii), (i) and (ii)

• (i) and (ii)

• (i) and (iii)

Open Ended

"Democracy is a best form of government.So democracies all ensures high economic growth." Do you agree with this statement. Give examples to support your answer.

Democracy and Economic Growth

If you consider all democracies and all dictatorships for the fifty years between 1950 and 2000, dictatorships have slightly higher rate of economic growth. 

When we find such significant difference in the rates of economic growth between countries under dictatorship and democracy, it is better to prefer democracy as it has several other positive outcomes.

Econ Growth and Democracy

• All democratic regimes - Economic growth rate ( 3.95 )

• All dictatorial regimes - Econ Growth (4.42)

• Poor countries under dictatorship- Econ Growth ( 4.34)

• Poor countries under democracy (4.28)

Debate on Economy Vs Growth

 an average dictatorial regimes have had a slightly better record of economic growth. But when we compare their record only in poor countries, there is virtually no difference

Democracy and Income Inequalities

Table 2 shows that within democracies there can be very high degree of inequalities. In democratic countries like South Africa and Brazil, the top 20 per cent people take away more than 60 per cent of the national income, leaving less than 3 per cent for the bottom 20 per cent population. Countries like Denmark and Hungary are much better in this respect.

Open Ended

What would be your verdict on democracy if you had to base it purely on economic performance of democratic regimes in terms of growth and equal distribution? Give reasons/ justification

Multiple Choice

Economic growth depends on which of the following?

• Size of the population of the country

• Territory or area of the country

• Global scenario

• Co-operation among various nations

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

Among the following which country tops in inequality of income?

• Hungary

• Russia

• South Africa

• UK

Multiple Choice

Among the following regimes which tops the rate of economic growth?

• All democratic regimes

• All dictatorial regimes

• Poor countries under dictatorship

• Poor countries under democracy

Multiple Choice

To measure democracies on the basis of expected outcomes, which of the following practices and institutions would one look for?

• Regular, free and fair elections

• Open public debate on major policies

• Citizens’ right to information about the government

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

The basic elements of democracy are:

A. Universal Adult Franchise

B. Fraternity and national unity

C. Liberty and equality

D. Dignity and freedom of an individual

• A, B & D

• A, C & D

• B, C & D

• A, B, C & D

Open Ended

"Democracy is the rule of the majority. The poor are in majority. So democracy must be a rule of the poor" Do you agree with this point of view. Justify

Democracy and Economic Inequality

A small number of ultra-rich enjoy a highly disproportionate share of wealth and incomes. Not only that, their share in the total income of the country has been increasing. Those at the bottom of society have very little to depend upon. Their incomes have been declining. Sometimes they find it difficult to meet their basic needs of life, such as food, clothing, house, education, and health

Democracy and Economic Inequality

 The poor constitute a large proportion of our voters and no party will like to lose their votes. Yet democratically elected governments do not appear to be as keen to address the question of poverty as you would expect them to. The situation is much worse in some other countries. In Bangladesh, more than half of its population lives in poverty. People in several poor countries are now dependent on rich countries even for food supplies.

Multiple Choice

This picture represent

• Political inequality

• Social inequality

• Economic inequality

• None of the above

Accommodation of social diversity

It is necessary to understand that democracy is not simply rule by majority opinion. The majority always needs to work with the minority so that governments function to represent the general view. Majority and minority opinions are not permanent.

Accommodation of social diversity

• It is also necessary that rule by majority does not become rule by majority community in terms of religion or race or linguistic group, etc. 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. Democracy remains democracy only as long as every citizen has a chance of being in majority at some point of time. 

Multiple Choice

This picture is representing positive example of democratic politics on

• Social divisions

• Economic division

• Religious group

• None of the above

• Democracy stands much superior to any other form of government in promoting dignity and freedom of the individual. Every individual wants to receive respect from fellow beings. Often conflicts arise among individuals because some feel that they are not treated with due respect. The passion for respect and freedom are the basis of democracy. Democracies throughout the world have recognised this, at least in principle

Open Ended

What is the problem when what is not right is not backed by law of the country? Discuss in context to the video.

• Equal treatment of women are necessary ingredients of a democratic society. That does not mean that women are actually always treated with respect. But once the principle is recognised, it becomes easier for women to wage a struggle against what is now unacceptable legally and morally. In a non-democratic set up, this unacceptability would not have legal basis because the principle of individual freedom and dignity would not have the legal and moral force there. The same is true of caste inequalities. Democracy in India has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and equal opportunity