What is Democracy?

Why Democracy?

LIJIN GOLDEN

Background (previous chapter)

Some stories related with Democracy
Difference- Democratic and Non Democratic
This Chapter- What is Democracy? And its features.
After that we can distinguish- Democratic and Non

Democratic country
Democracy- is the most prevalent form of Govt, and
expanding more cuntries.
What are the reasons behind this?

Major Aspects
Where did the word Democracy originate?
What is Democracy?- Meaning and Definition.
Features of Democracy
Merits and Demerits of Democracy
Difference between Democratic and Non Democratic

form government.
Democracy- Direct & Indirect Democracy

Case Studies about different nations.

Myanmar - Army rule

Chile
Pinochet
Nepal & Saudi - Monarchy
Pakistan - Military (Parvez Musharraf)
Poland &Iraq- USSR & USA (external)
China- Communist party (One party)
Mexico - PRI(Insti- Revo-party) (,,)
Zimbabwe - Mugabe (president)

Broader meaning of Democracy

Minimum understanding- we can identify

Democratic or Non Democratic country

But Democracy and good Democracy
Features of good Democracy
Conclusion
Consolidation

From where the word democracy is

derived
The word democracy is derived from the Greek word

Demos- People
Kratos- Power or rule

Meaning of Democracy
Democracy is a form of government in which the

rulers are elected by the people.

Who are the rulers?
What kind of election?
Who are the people?
What kind of form of government?
Abraham Linkon- Democracy is a government of the
people, by the people and for the people.

Features of Democracy
In a democracy the final decision making power must rest

with those who elected by the people.

A democracy must be based on a free and fair election
where those currently in power have a fair chance of losing.
In a democracy, each adult citizen must have one vote
and each vote must have one value.
A democratic government rules within limits sets by
constitutional law and citizens right.
The opposition parties are allowed to function freely before
and after the elections.
The democratic governments are based on fundamental
principles of political equality.

Merits of Democracy
A democratic government is a better government

because it is a more accountable form of government.

Democracy improves the quality of decision making.
Democracy provides a method to deal with differences
and conflicts. It is suitable the countries like India. India
having diversity of language, religion and cultures.
Democracy in India made it possible to keep unity in
diversity.
In a democracy no one is a permanent winner or loser.

Democracy is better than other forms of government

because it allows us to correct its own mistakes.

Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens, because
it is based on the principle of political equality, on
recognizing that the poorest and least educated have
the same status as the rich and the educated.

Demerits or Drawbacks of Democracy

Leaders keep changing in a democracy. This leads to

instability.
Democracy is all about political competition and
power play. There is no scope for morality.
Elected leaders do not know the best interest of the
people. It leads to bad decisions.
Democracy leads to corruption for it is based on
electoral competition.
Ordinary people dont know what is good for them;
they should not decide anything.

Distinguish between Democratic and

Non Democratic government
Democratic Govt

Non Democratic Govt

Democracy is the best form of government as

the rulers are accountable to the people and

have to fulfill their needs.

The rulers are not accountable to the

people and their needs.

Comparison
Democratic

Non Democratic

In democratic govt people elect their rulers

and have right in decision making.

The parliament is a separate body and has no
interference of army.
People don not elect their rulers and

have no right in decision making.

The parliament cannot pass a law about
the army without the consent of the chief
of army.

Comaparison
Democartic

Non Democratic

Any citizen can aspire to contest election for

any post irrespective of his or her caste,

religion, socio- economic and educational
background which means the right of vote is
available to all citizens.

The citizens of the country have no right

to vote.

Comparison
Democratic

Non Demcratic

Democracy is based on consultation and in

democratic govt people enjoy their right of

discussion.
There are free and fair elections. Elections
offer a choice and fair opportunity to the
people to change the current rulers.

Non democratic govt is based on

dictatorship. The ruler does what he

wishes.
In a democratic government elections
are either not held and if held they are
not fair enough rather they are
imposing.

Comparison
Democratic

Non Democratic

There is a freedom of expression and people

enjoy their fundamental rights.

Example- India

There is no freedom of expression and

people do not enjoy their fundamental

rights.
Example- Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe.

Two Types of Democracy- Direct &Indirect

Direct Democracy
It is a political setup, where the people themselves
makes the laws and parliament directly in the
functioning of the govt.
Decisions are taken on the base of the majority of
opinion.
It is suitable for the geographically small countries with
less population.
Eg : Ancient Greek/ Rome and India
Modern period- Switzerland

In Direct Democracy
In the modern world most of the countries are

following the in direct democracy.

It is system, in which the representatives are
elected by the people and they act on behalf of the
people.
They are so sensitive to cater the needs and opinion of
the people.
Eg ; India/ France/ USA

CASE STUDIES
PAKISTAN SAUDI ARABIA
CHINA
ESTONIA
MEXICO FIJI
ZIMBABWE SRI LANKA

PAKISTAN
General Parvez Mushraff led a military coup in oct 1999.
He overthrew the democratically elected govt.
He declared the chief executive of the country.
In 2002 he changed his position to president
Then held a referendum- five years extension
Media, Human right organisations and democratic

activist said- referendum was based on malpractices and

fraud.
In Aug 2002- he issued Legal Frame Work orderamended the constitution of Pakistan.
According to this order- president can dismiss the
national or provisional assemblies.

The work of civilian cabinet supervised by national

Security Council dominated by military officers.

After passing this law the election held to the national
and state assemblies.
The elected representatives have some powers.
But final power rest with military officers and General
Parvez Mushrraf
(Check this incidents along with the features of Democracy
and find out which aspects violated)

CHINA
In China elections are regularly held after every five years for

electing the Countrys parliament- Quanguo Renmin Diabiao

Dahui (National peoples congress)
They have the power to appoint the president
It have nearly 3ooo peoples elected from all parts
Some members are elected by the army
Before contesting the elections the candidates needs the
approval of Chinese Communist party.
Only those who member in communist party or eight smaller
parties allied to it were allowed to contest election held in 20022003.
The government is always formed by the communist party
(Check this incidents along with the features of Democracy and find
out which aspects violated)

MEXICO
Since its independence in 1930, Mexico holds

elections after every six tears to elect its president.

The country has never been under military rule or
dictator rule.
But until 2000 all election was won by a party called
PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party)
Opposition parties did contest the elections but
never win the election
The PRI use many dirty tricks to win the election
All those who employed in govt offices had to attend
its party meetings.
Teachers of govt school forced parents to vote PRI

Media ignored the activities of opposition parties

except to criticise them.

Some times the polling booths were shifted from one
place to another place in the last minutes, which made
difficult to the people cast their votes.
The PRI spent a large sum of money in the campaign
for its candidates
(Check this incidents along with the features of
Democracy and find out which aspects violated)

Saudi Arabia/ Estonia/ Fiji

Saudi Arabia women do not have the right to vote.
Estonia made its citizenship rules in such a way that

people belonging to Russian minority find it difficult

to get the right to vote.
In Fiji, the electoral system such that the vote of an
indigenous Fiji has more value than that of an Indian
Fijian
(Check this incidents along with the features of
Democracy and find out which aspects violated)

Zimbabwe
Attained independence from white minority- 1980
Since then the country has been ruled by ZANU-PF, the

party led the freedom struggle.

Leader- Robert Mugabe, has been ruling the country since
independence.
Elections have been held regularly- always won- ZANU
President is popular- but uses unfair practices in election
Changed the constitution and increased the power of
president and makes him less accountable.
Opposition party workers harassed and disrupted.
There is a law that limits the right to criticise the president

T V and radio were controlled by govt and give only

ruling party version.

There are independent news papers but the govt
harasses those journalists who go against this.
The govt has ignored some court judgments and went
against it and has pressurised judges.
(Check this incidents along with the features of
Democracy and find out which aspects violated)

Try to find out on which aspects are violated

in Democracy and which are preserved
Bhutan- King declared that in future he will be guided

by the advice given to him by elected representatives.

Sri Lanka- Many Tamil workers migrated from India
were not given to the right to vote.
Nepal- King imposed a ban on political gatherings,
demonstrations and rallies.

Bihar- The Indian Supreme Court held that the

dissolution of Bihar assembly was unconstitutional

Bangladesh- Political parties agreed that a neutral
govt should rule the country at the time of elections

Major decision by elected leaders.

One person, One vote and one value
Respect for rights
Rule of law
Free and fair electoral competitions.

BROADER MEANING OF
DEMOCRACY

LIJIN

On this chapter we understood the meaning of

Democracy in a limited and descriptive sense.

We have understood Democracy is a form of govt.
The most common form that democracy takes in our
times is that of a representative democracy.
In the countries we call democracy, all the people do
not rule.
A majority is allowed to take decisions on behalf of all
the people.
Even majority does not rule directly.

In Democracy majority of people rule through

their elected representatives- Why?
Modern democracies involves such a large number of

people that it is physically impossible for them to sit

together and take a collective decision.
Even if they could, the citizen does not have the time,
the desire or the skills to take part in all the decisions.

Aims of Good Democracy

True democracy will come to this country only when

no one goes hungry to bed.

In a democracy every citizen must be able to play
equal role in decision making. For this you dont
need just an equal right to vote. Every citizen needs
to have equal information, basic education, equal
resources and a lot of commitment.