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The advantage in democracy is that mistakes made by a government cannot be hidden for long. There is a space for public discussion on these mistakes and there is room for correction.

Either the rulers have to change their decisions or they can be changed.

Right to vote to all adults

French Revolution

Lech Walesa was the leader of the Solidarity Movement in Poland.

The workers of Lenin Shipyard in the city of Gdansk went on a strike on 14 Aug 1980.

Michelle Bachelet

(1) Leaders keep changing in a democracy. This leads to instability. 

(2) Democracy is all about political competition and power play. There is no scope for morality. 

(3) So many people have to be consulted in a Democracy that it leads to delays. 

(4) Elected leaders do not know the best interest of the people. It leads to bad decisions.

In any society people are bound to have differences of opinions and interests. These differences are particularly sharp in a country like India which has lot of social diversity. The preference of one group may clash with those of the other groups. Democracy provides the only peaceful solution to this problem. In democracy, no one is a permanent winner or a permanent loser.

Different groups can live with one another peacefully. In a diverse country like ours, democracy keeps our country together.

Security Council

1948, democracy

1957 Ghana become independent and from Britain.

Polish United Workers’ Party

A democratic government cannot do whatever it likes simply because it has won an election. It has to respect some basic rules. In particular it has to respect some guarantees to the minorities. Every major decision has gone through a series of consultation. Every office bearer has certain rights and responsibilities assigned by the constitution and the law. Each is accountable not but only to law to other independent officials.

The President of the World Bank has always been from U.S.A.

General Assembly

Nobel Peace Prize

US, France, Britain, Russia, China

Democracies resolve conflict in a better way. Reasons — 

(i) It improves the quality of decision making. It has scope for consultation and discussion. 

(ii) In a Democracy conflicts are no solved by brutal force but by peaceful solutions. 

(iii) Even when people/associations/ government make mistakes for a democracy allows them to correct their mistakes; and 

(iv) Democracy provides a forum for consultations and discussions to resolve conflicts.

Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party

The U.S.A. contributes most of the money to U.N.

15 members does the Security Council consist of.

(i) The real power is with the five permanent members. 

(ii) These members have veto power.

(iii) Security Council cannot take a decision if these permanent members say No to it.

(a) The fact that the laws need to be passed by the parliament is democratic, while conformation to the WTO regulations is undemocratic.

(b) Re-polling is democratic, while rigging is undemocratic.

(c) Poor level of women’s representation is undemocratic, while the demand for one-third seats is democratic.

Following facts indicate towards a bright future of democracy in India: 

1. In spite of all the ills, democracy has survived in India 

2. Many incumbent governments have lost power which indicates towards people’s power in electing a government of their choice. 

3. Free and fair elections are held at fixed intervals.

Following are the three obstacles in the success of democracy in India: 

1. Economy is still in developing stage 

2. Rich-poor divide is very wide 

3. Lack of internal democracy in political parties

Some thinkers have accepted the democracy in the form of moral and spiritual philosophy of life. This moral perspective of democracy is called moral democracy. Moral democracy is the practical form of the whole democratic philosophy; which considers the human values as the root of society and government.

(d) All eligible voters

(a) September 15

Under indirect democracy, people elect their representatives. The representatives; in turn; govern on behalf of people. This system is practiced in most of the countries in modern times.

Social democracy is a form of democracy in society. The main goal of social democracy is the idea of social equality. In other words, social democracy means that there should be no discrimination on the basis of race, skin colour, caste, religion, language, gender, prosperity, birth, etc. and each citizen should be considered as equal in the society.

Social equality

The birth place of democracy is Greece

The elitist democracy means power is in the hands of the elite class. More often than not, the elite class does not give equal opportunity and rights to people from middle class or lower class. Civil liberties may also be suppressed in the name of protecting elitist values. Hence, elitist theory of democracy is always seen with suspicion.

Democracy has many demerits. For example decision making is slow because it takes time to reach consensus. Democracy involves wastage of public money and time; in the name of policies and election process. Democracy often ends up being a mobocracy. In spite of all the ills, democracy is the most accepted form of government. Hence, it can be said that democracy is the best form of government because we are yet to know a better form of government.

In a democratic state, power resides in the public and hence people have the complete and ultimate power to form the government, to control the government and to remove the government.

1. Constitution of India guides the Indians in all aspects and maintains law and order.

2. It ensures freedom, equality and justice to everyone.

3. It defines the political principles, the structure of government, the powers and responsibilities

4. It fixes the Rights and Duties and Directive Principles of the Citizens.

5. It is the longest written constitution in the world.

Following steps can be taken to remove the demerits of democracy: 

1. Internal democracy should be promoted in political parties. 

2. Political parties should be forbidden from asking for votes in the name of religion or caste. 

3. Right to information has helped in giving access of many important information to the people. It has helped in strengthening democracy. 

4. Local self-governance should be strengthened. 

5. Some time frame should be determined to formulate policies.

Following are the three demerits of democracy: 

1. Decision making is often very slow 

2. Political parties pursue self interest rather than pursuing national interest 

3. It promotes the rule of foolish people because foolish people are in majority in any society.

(b) Vast Population

There are many forms of government, viz. monarchy, autocracy, democracy, etc. Different forms of government have their own sets of features, merits and demerits. 

Democracy is one of the forms of government.

1. Democracy not only talks about the type of government in a nation. It is also about the way the society functions. Democratic government promotes social equality by providing fundamental rights and freedoms. Hence, democracy can be termed as a theory of social organization. 

2. Democracy influences the lifestyle of people in a state. By learning the virtues of socio-economic equality, morality, patriotism, in discrimination, etc. people learn to follow a particular lifestyle. Hence, democracy can be termed as type of lifestyle. 

3. In the context of above arguments it can be said that democracy is considered to be a form of government, a theory of social organization, and a type of lifestyle.

(i) A direct democracy or pure democracy is a form of government wherein the citizens have a direct say in the formation of laws and issues that affect them. In a representative democracy form of government, the citizens vote for or elect a representative to represent them in Congress or Senate.

(ii) In a direct democracy the decisions are always upheld. In a representative democracy, the representative may or may not consider their decisions and act on his own.

(iii) Direct democracy in suitable for small communities or countries while most countries with large population opt for a representative government.

(iv) In a direct democracy, citizens are more actively involved in their government. The citizens of a representative democracy often let their representatives decide on issues for them.

In a Direct Democracy, only the Citizens can make laws

1. hunters 

2. Independence 

3. Indirect democracy 

4. Democracy 

5. Justice

6. Drafting 

7. India 

8. New Zealand 

9. 18 

10. Mahatma Gandhi

(b) Sanmerinos Democracy

(a) Parliamentary procedure

1. Direct democracy is not possible in India, because of its large population. It is not possible to sit together and make decisions. 

2. All Indians are not literate. So India has representative democracy.

3. India cannot practice direct democracy. Some people might lack interest in decision making process. Unavailability of proper resources, heavy work load might cause the whole system to slow down.

The merits of democracy are :

1. A democratic government is better form of government because it is more accountable form of government.

2. Democracy improves the quality of decision making,

3. Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens.

4. Poor and least educated has the same status as the rich and educated.

5. Democracy allows us to correct own mistake.

Demerits:

1. Leaders keep on changing leading to instability.

2. Democracy in all about political competition and power play and there is no scope for mortality.

3. So many people have to be consulted in a democracy that it lead to delays.

4. Democracy leads to corruption for it is based on electoral competition.

5. Ordinary people do not know what is good for them, they should not decide anything

A process by which a representative is chosen is called election.

1. When man lived in groups, tribes were formed.

2. The victorious tribes formed kingdoms by uniting the other tribal groups.

3. These kingdoms later integrated to form empires.