Chapter 7 -Outcomes of Democracy Q.1. Democratic governments are attentive to the needs of people and less corrupt.

Do you agree to this point? Write your opinion. Ans.Democratic government is expected to be attentive to the needs of people and less corrupt. But in really, it does not happen so. Democracies often frustrate the needs of the people and often ignore the demands of a majority of its population. Democracy is also not free of corruption. Our politicians are indulged in money making. Our top officials are also doing the same. Q.2. Democratic governments are less effective, slow, not very responsive or clean. How far do you agree with this view ? Ans.Democracy means rule by the people. The government is formed by the people. for the people and of the people. Every citizen takes part in the decision making process directly or indirectly through their elected representatives. All policies of the government are debated in the parliament before making them final decisions. This takes a lot of time and leads to delays in the decision making process. Q.3. How are complaints treated as testimony to the success of democracy? Explain. Ans. Democracy supports dignity and freedom of the citizens. Every man wants to get respect from fellow persons in the society. A lot of conflicts take place among human beings because some feel they are not treated with due respect. The passion for respect and freedom are the basis of democracy. Democracy in India has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for has equal status

and equal opportunity. As democracy passes one test, it produces another test. As people get some benefits of democracy, even better. That is why , when we ask people about the way democracy functions, they will always come up with more expectations. And many complaints, The fact that people are complaining is itself a testimony to the success of democracy. Q.4. Why is democracy preferred to others forms of government ? Ans.Democracy is better than other forms of government such as dictatorship monarchy etc because it : - Promotes equality among citizens. - Enhances the dignity of the individuals. - Improves the quality of decision making. - Provides a method to resolve conflicts. - Allows room to correct mistakes. - Is a Legitimate government. - Is peoples own government . - Gives equal status to women and weaker sections. Q.3. Democracy is based on dignity and freedom. Explain. Or How does democracy stand much superior to any other form of government in promoting dignity and freedom of the individual? Explain with suitable examples. Ans. Democracy supports dignity and freedom of the citizens. Every man wants to get respect from fellow persons in the society. A lot of conflicts take place among human beings because some feel they are not treated with due respect. The

passion for respect and freedom are the basis of democracy. Democracies throughout the world have recognized this, At least in principle. This has been achieved in various degrees in various democracies. We can take the case of dignity of women. Most societies across the world were historically male dominated . Long struggles by women have created some sensitivity today that respect to and equal treatment of women are necessary ingredients of a has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and equal opportunity. Democratic government is legitimate government. It may be slow, less efficient, not always very responsive or clean. But a democratic government is peoples own government. That is why there is an overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world. Chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy Q.5 How could the influence of money be decreased in politics? Ans. The financial accounts of every political party should be examined by government auditors . There should be state funding of elections. Citizens should be encouraged to give more donations to parties and to political workers. Such donations should be exempted from income tax. Q.6. What is the challenge of expansion ? Ans.Countries already having the democratic set-up face the challenge of expanding it to various social groups and varios institutions. Such countries need to ensure that more and more social groups, regions and institutions follow democracy in their functioning . This involves

- Ensuring greater power to local government. - Extension of federal principle to all the units of the federations. - Inclusion of women and minority groups etc. - It also means that less and less decision should remain outside the domain of democratic control. - Most countries including India and US face this kind of challenge. Q.7. Discuss two challenges that Indian democracy is facing. Ans.Casteism. People from different castes form different communities and they have different interests. Under the caste system, work is divided on the basis of the cast of the person. The high-paying and respectable jobs are usually given to the higher caste groups and low-paying jobs are given to the low caste groups. Castes have led to caste discrimination in the country. communalism. communalism means promoting the ideas of a particular religion with a view to divide the society on religious grounds. It believes that people belonging to one religion belong to one community. The British followed the policy of divide and rules and crated differences in two major communities, the Hindus and the Muslims. This sowed the seeds of communalism in the society. Q.8. How can democracy be improved in practical form?

Ans.Democratic principles should be reformed in practical form by strengthening the democratic practices and traditions. There is a need to enhance the value of political involvement by common citizens. The efforts of political organizations. parties and movements can do this. Q.9. Discuss some ways and means for political reform in India. Ans.Some broad guidelines that can be kept in mind while divising ways and means for political reforms in India are :
1.

2.

Legal ways of reforming politics. Carefully devised changes in laws can help to discourage wrong political practices and encourage good ones. But, Legalconstitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challenges to the democracy. Democratic reforms are to be carried out mainly by the political activists, parties, movements and politically conscious citizens. Careful study of consequences should be done. If there is any legal change, it must carefully look at what results it will have on politics. Sometimes the results may be counter-productive. For example, many states have banned people who have more than two children from contesting Panchayat elections. This has resulted in denial of political opportunity to many poor and women , which was not intended. Generally laws that seek to ban something are not successful in politics, instead laws that give political actors incentives to do good things are more successful.

- The best laws are those which empower people to carry out democratic reforms. The Right to Information Act is a good example of law that empowers people to find out what is happening in the government and act as watchdogs of the democracy. - Such a law helps to control corruption and supplements the existing laws that banned corruption and imposed strict penalties. 3. Ways to strengthen the democratic practice. Democratic reforms are to be brought about principally through political practice . Therefore, the main focus of the reforms should be on ways to strengthen the democratic practice. The most important concern should be to increase and improve the quality of political participation by ordinary citizens. 4. Any proposal of political reform should think not only about what is a good solution but also consider about who will implement it and how. It is not wise to think that legislatures will pass legislations tat will go against the interest of all political parties and MPs. But, measures that rely on democratic movements. citizens, organizations and the media are likely to succeed.