II Internal Assessment Political Science

SYMBIOSIS LAW SCHOOL,

PUNE

2ND INTERNAL ASSESSMENT

OF

POLITICAL SCIENCE
DEMOCRACY AS AN IDEOLOGY AND FORM OF
GOVERNMENT

SUBMITTED BY:
NUPUR JHOD
15010125209
DIV. :- C

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 II Internal Assessment Political Science

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION:..................................................................3
CONTENT: .............................................................................4
CRITICAL ANALYSIS:.........................................................8
CONCLUSION:.....................................................................10
BIBLIOGRAPHY:.................................................................12

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 II Internal Assessment Political Science

INTRODUCTION:

Democracy refers to a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. In
simple terms, democracy means that the people should rule themselves.

The term Democracy originates from the Greek δημοκρατία (dēmokratía) "rule of the

people",[4] which was found from δῆμος (dêmos) "people" and κράτος (krátos)
"power" or "rule", in the 5th century BC to denote the political systems then existing
in Greek city-states.

Inclusive democracy is a political theory and political project that aims for direct
democracy in all fields of social life: political democracy in the form of face-to-face
assemblies which are confederated, economic democracy in a stateless, moneyless and
marketless economy, democracy in the social realm, i.e. self-management in places of
work and education, and ecological democracy which aims to reintegrate society and
nature.

Democracy as an ideology Here, "ideology" simply means a political doctrine.

Political ideologies have two dimensions:-1) Goals: how society should work. And 2)
Methods: the most appropriate ways to achieve the ideal arrangement.
Marxist formulation of "ideology as an instrument of social reproduction".
Ideology, in the Althusserian sense, is "the imaginary relation to the real conditions of
existence" A political ideology is a set of related beliefs about political theory and
policy held by an individual, group of individuals or a particular social class.

Whereas in democracy and form of government people are governed by their own
elected representatives, it is the people who are supreme and sovereign. They control
the government. They are free to elect a government of their own choice. Freedom of
choice is the core of democracy.

Democracy, or democratic government, is "a system of government in which all the

people of a state or polity ... are involved in making decisions about its affairs,
typically by voting to elect representatives to a parliament or similar assembly," as
defined by the Oxford English Dictionary. Democracy is the form of government in
which people's will is supposed to be supreme. It conducts state business with public
support. It is, therefore, more stable than other forms of Government.

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CONTENT:

Democracy has very ancient origin. The primitive people probably elected the
headman that ruled over them, but there is no doubt that there were democratic forms
of government in ancient India. Democracy has gradually become universal because it
is inevitable. Man is born with an innate tendency to be free, and he cannot help
feeling that he should govern himself.

Democracy refers to a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. In
simple terms, democracy means that the people should rule themselves.

Let’s talk about India in India Indian democracy has very deep and strong
foundations. The credit for this strong democratic foundation rightly belongs to our
leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Pt. Jawaharlal Lai Nehru, Lai
Bahadur Shastri, and Indira Gandhi, etc. Their contributions to the success of Indian
democracy have been immeasurable.

India is a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic. India is the seventh

largest (by area) and the second most populous country in the world, with roughly
one-sixth of its population, of about a billion and a quarter. India is one of the world's
oldest civilizations, yet a very young nation. India became a democratic republic
infused with the spirit of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. The Preamble, the
Directive Principles of State Policy and the Fundamental Rights reflect the Indian
ideology as well as the caste, creed, religion, property, or sex have the right to cast
their vote. After and election, the majority party or coalition forms the government
and its leader become the Prime Minister.

India, as a democratic country, has progressed in many aspects. It has archived self-
sufficiency in food grains as a result of the green revolution. People vote for change
whenever a government fails to come up to the expectations of the people. India has
been a successful democratic country only because the people are law-abiding, self-
disciplined and have the sense of social and moral responsibilities.

1. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h "Constitution Amendment: Nature and Scope of the Amending

Process"  (PDF). Lok Sabha Secretariat. pp.  14–20. Retrieved  1 December  2013.   This article
incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

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In India Democracy provides to its people freedom of thought, speech, expression and
action. General elections are held after every five years for the new government.
These elections make clear the general opinion of the common people, according to
which the new government comes into existence with some promises, meant for the
citizens of the country.

It shows that the foundations of democracy here are stable. But we don't see this
stability in our neighbouring countries, like Pakistan, Bangladesh, where sudden
overthrow of governments have been witnessed. Army rule has been imposed in these
countries, which spoils the freedom of the common people.

The party system in India has been a great factor in giving meaning and life to
democracy.

Different political parties may have different ideologies but they all aim at the good of
the people and the country.

Democracy is further defined as (a:) "government by the people; especially : rule of

the majority (b:) " a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people
and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually
involving periodically held free elections.

Politics in India take place within the framework of its constitution, as India is

a federal parliamentary democratic republic in which the President of India is the head
of state and the Prime Minister of India is the head of government. India follows the
dual polity system, i.e. a double government which consists of the central authority at
the centre and states at the periphery. The constitution defines the organisation,
powers and limitations of both central and state governments, and it is well-
recognised, rigid and considered supreme; i.e. laws of the nation must conform to it.
There is a provision for a bicameral legislature consisting of an Upper House,
i.e. Rajya Sabha, which represents the states of the Indian federation and a lower
house i.e. Lok Sabha, which represents the people of India as a whole. The Indian
constitution provides for an independent Judiciary which is headed by the Supreme
Court. The court's mandate is to protect the constitution, to settle disputes between the
central government and the states, inter-state disputes, and nullify any central or state
laws that go against the constitution.[1] The governments, union or state, are formed
through elections held every five years,by parties that claim a majority of members in
their respective lower houses (Lok Sabha in centre and Vidhan Sabha in states). India
had its first general election in 1951, which was won by the Indian National Congress,
a political party that went on to dominate the successive elections up until 1977, when
the first non-Congress government was formed for the first time in independent India.

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The 1990s saw the end of single party domination and rise of coalition governments.
The elections for the 16th Lok Sabha, held from April 2014 to May 2014, once again
brought back single-party rule in the country, with the Bharatiya Janata Party being
able to claim a majority in the Lok Sabha.
Compared to other democratic countries, India has a large number of political parties.
It has been estimated that over 200 parties were formed after India became
independent in 1947.[3] Some features of the political parties in India are that the
parties are generally woven around their leaders, the leaders actively playing a
dominant role, and that the role of leadership can be transferred, thus tending to take a
dynastic route. Such parties include both national and regional parties, such as
the Indian National Congress (INC), which has been led by the Nehru-Gandhi

A except for the major political parties, most others lack an ideological basis. Instead
political parties in India are formed on the basis of religion, language, or Caste factors.
This is the reason for the large number of political parties in the country.

gradually politics has become a game of opportunism and corruption. Most political
parties are only interested in coming to power. Every party adopts different caste
politics. Some try to influence the people thought caste politics. Some try to raise the
religious sentiments of the people. The Indian ideology today is replaced by caste and
religion.

Some parties openly profess their focus on a particular group; for example,
the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam's focus on the Dravidian population.

Economic issues like poverty, unemployment, development are main issues that

influence politics. Garibi hatao (eradicate poverty) has been a slogan of the Indian
National Congress for a long time.

Nowadays, there is no ideology with any political party. Majority of the political
leaders in our country have become corrupt and selfish. They never care the fact that
they are the representatives of the public and they have some duties towards them.
Once elected, they forget their promises, which they make at the time of election.

Instead they get involved in criticising the ideologies of other political parties. These
tendencies are certainly not healthy for the continuance of democracy. What we need
today is clean public life of the politicians.

A political ideology is a set of related beliefs about political theory and policy held by
an individual, group of individuals or a particular social class. Ron and Liam's
respective political ideologies form the basis of how they view the world around them
and the proper role of government in the world.

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ideology is the set of societal beliefs, attitudes and habits of feeling which those who
hold the real power in a society inculcate in order to generate consensus and an
automatic reproduction of its structuring premises, preserving stratification and social
and political power in the absence of direct coercion. 
Liberalism is one of the major political ideologies of the world. It focuses on
individualism, self-reliance, personal responsibility, equality before the law and
limited government. . Liberals believe in relatively limited government and
governmental regulation. Property should be held privately and the government
should leave economic activity pretty much alone. He's suspicious of government and
wants it organized in a way to prevent abuse of its power.
Socialism is another major political ideology of the world. As a socialist, Liam shares
some of the same beliefs as Ron. Socialists believe that individuals should be equal
before the law, just like liberals. However, socialists don't believe that all people can
develop independently of each other. In other words, individual development is a
collective, or social, effort.

Ideology refers to the system of abstracted meaning applied to public matters, thus
making this concept central to politics. Implicitly, in societies that distinguish
between public and private life, every political or economic tendency entails ideology,
whether or not it is propounded as an explicit system of thought.

Political ideologies are concerned with many different aspects of a society, including
(for example): the economy, education, health care, labor law, criminal law,
the justice system, the provision of social security and social welfare, trade,
the environment, minors, immigration, race, use of the military, patriotism,
and established religion.
When a political ideology becomes a dominantly pervasive component within a
government, one can speak of an ideocracy. Different forms of government utilize
ideology in various ways, not always restricted to politics and society. Certain ideas
and schools of thought become favored, or rejected, over others, depending on their
compatibility with or use for the reigning social order. the traditional Marxist theory
of ideology and power that is based on the role of force and coercion as the basis of
ruling class domination.

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CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

India is the largest democratic country in the world. Democracy is defined as a

government of the people, by the people and for the people. It is considered the finest
form of government in which every individual participates consciously and in which
the people remain the sovereign power determining their destiny. So, in democracy
the people are the ultimate source of power and its success and failure depend on their
wisdom, consciousness and vigilance.

It is not possible for all the people in a big country like India to participate in the
government. This is why they are required to exercise their franchise and elect their
representatives at regular intervals. In India we have the federal form having both a
government at the center responsible to the parliament and governments in the states
elected and equally responsible to their legislative assemblies.

Factors such as education, corruption, women's issues, student politics, leadership

strategies and the design of political institutions affect national and local politics as
well as the democracy and ideology of government.

. The turnout of Indian voters has significantly increased during the past elections. It
was about 52% only during the Lok Sabha elections of 1952 which increased to 64%
during the ninth Lok Sabha elections held in 1989. Similarly during the last elections
for Parliament, the voter’s turnout has been quite encouraging. This phenomenon
reflects the growing political awareness and maturity of the Indian masses, which, in
turn, has made the various political parties more conscious of their responsibility and
accountability to the people.

The Election Commission, which is a Constitutional authority, is responsible for

conducting the elections. It is headed by the Chief Election Commissioner, whose
independence is sought to be preserved and protected by a special Constitutional
provision, to the effect that he cannot be removed from his office, except in like
manner, and on like grounds, as a. judge of the Supreme Court.

Different political parties may have different ideologies but they all aim at the good of
the people and the country. Equality of opportunity is an ideology that wishes to
eliminate discrimination that is based on age, gender, color, race, national origin,
religion, and disabilities that include physical and mental disabilities.
Work ethic is a set of beliefs that focus on the moral virtue of work and they way

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work can lead to a stronger character.

Religions are all ideologies and within each one is a variation of beliefs. Some
believers strictly follow all the tenets while others are more liberal and choose the
ones they feel are more important.
Common sense ideologies are based on locale. People in a rural or wilderness area
will share certain beliefs about safety and protection from animals. In urban areas,
people learn to cross streets safely.
Democracy is considered to be the best form of government these days as it
Safeguards the interests of the people, Based on the principle of equality as all enjoy
equal social, political and economic rights and state cannot discriminate among
citizens on the basis of caste, religion, sex, or property. All have equal right to choose
their government.it also maintains Stability, firmness and efficiency and responsibility
in administration and Helps in making people good citizens.Success of democracy lies
on its good citizens. Democracy creates proper environment for the development of
personality and cultivating good habits.
Based on public opinion Democratic administration is based on public will, public
opinion lends it strength. It is not based on fear of authority.

Ideologies are patterned clusters of normatively imbued ideas and concepts, including
particular representations of power relations. These conceptual maps help people
navigate the complexity of their political universe and carry claims to social truth. [8]

Political parties embody a range of ideals covering government, economics,

education, healthcare, foreign policy, and more. Some examples are Republican,
Democrat, Libertarian, and the Green Party.
Classical liberalism is a capitalistic ideology which stands for a limited government
with political freedom, civil liberties and laissez-faire economic policies.
Social or modern liberalism is liberalism which focuses on social and economic issues
while ensuring individual freedom. Gender ideology is concerned with the attitudes of
men and women on their place in society, their rights and responsibilities.
is based on age, gender, color, race, national origin, religion, and disabilities that
include physical and mental disabilities.
Work ethic is a set of beliefs that focus on the moral virtue of work and they way
work can lead to a stronger character.
Religions are all ideologies and within each one is a variation of beliefs. Some
believers strictly follow all the tenets while others are more liberal and choose the
ones they feel are more important.
Common sense ideologies are based on locale. People in a rural or wilderness area
will share certain beliefs about safety and protection from animals. In urban areas,
people learn to cross streets safely.
So, now you have examples of different ideologies. Think about some of your own
beliefs and principles to determine your personal ideologies. 

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CONCLUSION:

The truest definition of Democracy involves defining an ideology rather than a

method of government, although the government application is most frequently used.
Democracy as ideology represents the notion that the people, in their majority, will
decide all group issues or plans of action by voting. As a form of government,
Democracy describes the process of election or referendum by which law and policy
is passed, which is open to and representative of the entire populace.

That is about as far as pure Democracy goes, definitively, and that presents an
impossible method of government for any but the very smallest organizations. Very
large organizations or nations need, as a matter of simple practicality, some form of
representative body, elected by and representative of the whole populace, to make and
enforce law and national policy. In its truest and most effective governmental forms,
Democracy may be better described as a Republic, or it may be described as a Liberal
Democracy, or it may be described as a Social Democracy. In actual practice,
governments that describe themselves as Democratic are so diverse as to nearly defy
any all encompassing definition.

Absolute Democracy is quite impossible for all but small groups, as might fit around a
conference table.  Even then some external rule (such as a Constitution) is required to
keep proceedings from degenerating into chaos.  An example of an unrestrained
Democracy might be a lynch mob.  Do we hang this man or not?  The ayes have it;
get the rope. 

Truth suffers as much when the majority rules as when a dictator rules.  The majority
can be just as wrong as any dictator.  

Perfection is not of this world, but the next; and recognizing that a "pure" Democracy
is unlikely to exist, the Pure Democracy link will describe the IDEAL that the notion
of a pure Democracy represents.

For the counter-point ideal of those who oppose representative government, go to

the Pure Socialism link to see the current political positions of those who label
themselves Liberal or Leftist, or, these days, Moderate.

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In social studies, a political ideology is a certain ethical, set of ideals, principles,

doctrines, myths or symbols of a social movement, institution, class, or large group
that explain how society should work, and offer some political and cultural blueprint
for a certain social order. A political ideology largely concerns itself with how to
allocate power and to what ends it should be used. It can be a construct of political
thought, often-defining political parties and their policy. Studies of the concept of
ideology itself (rather than specific ideologies) have been carried out under the name
of systematic ideology.

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BIBLIOHRAPHY:
1. Indian Government Indian Politics
2. www.Indian-government-inian-democracy
3. The Indian Politics and Ideology
4. The official website of Democracy Foundation-INDIA

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