Democratic Politics Ii Chapter 8 Challenges To Democracy

Features:

 • How did I like this exercise:
I liked this exercise very much.
• Was it enjoyable?
It is enjoyable because we have been asked to give a good definition of democracy. We have read in different chapters of the book about democracy.
• Very demanding? It is not very demanding because definition and features of democracy are very easy.
• A little frustrating? It is not at all frustrating. I am habitual to live in democratic country and Indian democracy is the largest democracy in the world.
• And a little scary?: Our democracy is not a scary. India is an indirect democracy and there are opened wide gates for criticising the government.
• Are you a little resentful that the text book did not help in this crucial task?
No, not at all. Text book is very good. It has dealt systematically the topics on democracy in seven chapters.
• Are you worried that your definition may not be ‘correct’?: Such apprehension does not arise because I am a confident student without wavering mind.

(a) Doctor’s absenteeism: Doctor's absenteeism can be controlled by making it compulsory for the doctors to live in the village of their posting. Secondly, they should be debarred from doing private practice. These rules should be part of their terms and conditions for appointment. These conditions must be strictly followed. Surprise checks by the department should be made. The erring doctors should be punished by the department.

(b) Political funding: Role of money in elections in India has been increasing for the last few years. It is necessary to curb the role of money to make democracy more successful. The first, two proposals i.e. auditing of accounts of the political parties and state funding are good because these reforms will bring transparency in the finances of the political parties. Secondly, state funding will reduce the expenditure on elections. Role of money will be less and the poor candidates may also be fight elections.

C.

D.

C.

B.

Regionalism

B.

Literate

B.

A.

D.

D.

D.

A.

B.

D.

A.

C.

C.

Saudi Arabia

C.

A challenge is a difficulty that carries within it an opportunity for progress.

(i)The foundational challenge of making transition to democracy involves bringing down the existing non-democratic regime.
(ii) It aims keeping military away from controlling government and administration.
(iii) The foundational challenge also wants to establish a sovereign and functional state.

The states are:
(i) Orissa 
(ii) Bihar
(iii) Uttar Pradesh 

The obstacle are: (i) Casteism, (ii) communalism, (iii)economic inequality (iv) illiteracy, (v) poverty, (vi) unemployment.

This challenge involves applying the basic principle of democratic government across all the regions, different social groups and various institutions. Ensuring greater power to local governments, extension of federal principle to all the units of the federation, inclusion of women and minority groups falls under the challenge.
This also means that less and less decisions should remain outside the arena of democratic control. Most countries including India and old democracies like the US face this challenge.

The three important challenges before democracy are:
(i) The foundational challenge of making transition of democracy.
(ii) The challenge of expansion of democracy.
(iii) The deepening of democracy.

The challenge of deepening of democracy is faced by every democracy in one form or another. This involves strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracy. This should happen in such a way that people can realise their expectations of democracy. Every democratic country has a large number of ordinary people. They have different expectations from democracy in different societies. Therefore, this challenge takes different meaning and paths in different parts of the world. In concrete terms, it usually means strengthening those institutions that help people's participation and control. This requires an attempt to bring down the control and influence of the rich and powerful people in making govermental decision.

The measures include:
(i) Reservation of seats in colleges and other educational institutions.
(ii) Some constituencies of the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies are reserved for the Scheduled Caste and Tribe candidates.
(iii) Government jobs are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

In the modernworld, democracy is not limited to its very narrow definition but its aspect has been widened.
(i) Democratic rights are not limited to the right to vote, to stand in elections and form political organisation. A Democracy should grant some social and economic rights to its citizens.
(ii) The very spirit of power sharing in democracy is extended to the 'power sharing between governments and social groups”.
(iii) Modern democracy cannot value only the voice of majority but it respects the voice of minority as well.
(iv) The democracy has extended its scope from government and its activities to eliminating discrimination based on caste, religion and gender.
(v)Democracy has added one more feature in its scope, i.e. the “outcome of democracy”.

No, the idea of democracy is not shrinking. Democracy is the dominant form of government in the contemporary world. We have traced the expansion of democracy all over the world in the last hundred years.

The foundational challenge includes:
(i) making the transition to democracy and then instituting democratic government
(ii) involves bringing down the existing non-democratic regime, and keeping the military away from controlling the government
(iii) establishing a sovereign and functional state

The ways for political reforms in India are:
(i) The best way to bring out reform in political system is to adopt a proper constitutional basis according to the public opinion or mandates.

(ii) There should be people's participation in the politics from grass-root to superstructure level. The best example is Panchayati Raj System and its election processes are now a law.

(iii) It is very tempting to think of legal ways of reforming politics, to think of new laws to ban undesirable things. Carefully devised changes in law can help to discourage wrong political practices and encourage good ones.
Generally, laws that seek to ban something are not very successful in politics. Laws that give political actors incentives to do good things have more chances of working. The best laws are those which empower people to carry out democratic reforms. The Right to Information Act is a good example of a law that empowers the people to find out what is happening in government and act as watchdogs of democracy. Such a law helps to control corruption.

(iv) Democratic reforms are to be brought about principally through political practice. Therefore, the main focus of political reforms should be on ways to strengthen democratic practice. The most important concern should be to increase and improve the quality of political participation by ordinary citizens.

Broad guidelines for political reforms:
(i) As legal-constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challenges to democracy, democratic reforms need to be carried out mainly by political activists, parties, movements and politically conscious citizens.

(ii) Any legal change must carefully look at what results it will have on politics. Generally, laws that seek to ban something are rather counter-productive. For example, many states have debarred people who have more than two children from contesting Panchayat elections. This has resulted in denial of democratic opportunity to many poor and women, which was not intended. The best laws are those which empower people to carry out democratic reforms. For example, the Right to Information Act which acts as a watchdog of democracy by controlling corruption.

(iii) Democratic reforms are to be brought about principally through political parties. The most important concern should be to increase and improve the quality of political participation by ordinary citizens.

(iv) Any proposal for political reforms should consider not only about what is a good solution, but also about who will implement it and how. Measures that rely on democratic movements, citizens' organizations and media are likely to succeed.

3.The executive is not answerable to legislature

1.Political reform

2.Right to information Act

4.none of this

4.all of these

3.Chile

1.Yugoslavia

Pressure groups and movements exert influence on politics in following ways:

(i) They try to gain public support and sympathy for their cause by carrying out information campaigns, organising meetings, filing petitions, etc.

(ii) They often organise protest activity like strikes or disrupting government programmes, in order to force the government take note of their demands.

(iii) Business Groups often employ professional lobbyist or sponsor expensive advertisements.

(iv) Some political parties grow out of movements. The issues raised by them often influence the policies of political parties. 
(v) Most of the new leadership of political parties comes from the interest or movement groups.

The reasons for this:

(i) The decision making process in democracy is delayed.

(ii) Democracies often frustrate the needs of the people.

(iii) It often ignore the demands of majority of its population.

(iv) The routine tales of corruption associated with it.

(v) Most democracies fall short of elections that provide fair chance to everyone and in subjecting every decision to public debate.

The arguments:
(i) Democracies often frustrate the needs of the people and often ignore the demands of a majority of its population.

(ii) Deliberations and debates bound to delay decisions.

(iii) The routine tales of corruption are enough to convince us that democracy is not free of this evil.

Most countries including India and other democracies like US is facing this challenge.

(i) This involves applying the basic principles of democratic governance across all regions, social groups and various institutions.

(ii) Extension of federal principles to all units of the federation.

(iii) Ensuring greater power to local government.

(iv) This also means that less and less decision should remain outside the arena of democratic control.

B. Keeping military away from controlling government.

Laws that seek to ban something are not very successful in politics as the results of these laws may be counterproductive. For example, many states have banned people who have more than two children from contesting panchayat elections. This has resulted in denial of democratic opportunity to many poor people and women, which was not intended. Laws that give political actors incentives to do good things have more chances of working. The best laws are those which empowers people to carry out democratic reforms.

Ways in which democracy have succeeded in maintaining the dignity and freedom of the individual are explained below :

i. Economic disparity in society has been minimised to a great extent in recent times.

ii. Long drawn struggles were launched by women groups to gain voting rights in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Eventually, democracies of the world did acquiesce to these demands and women got the right to vote and the right to equal treatment by the State.

iii. The Indian democracy has taken to positive action by extending various benefits to the historically disadvantaged sections of society, i.e. the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. Various benefits are provided by the State to these sections for them to attain equal status and opportunities.

iv. In a democracy, all adult citizens have a right to vote and elect their political representatives.

v. Democracy evolves a mechanism which takes into account the differences of various ethnic groups within its population. In a democracy, the majority has an added responsibility of assimilating the minority community in the decision-making process so that the minority does not feel alienated.

A challenge is not just any problems. We usually call only those difficulties a ‘challenge’ which are significant and which can be overcome. If the challenge is overcome there is an opportunity of progress. Once we overcome a challenge we go up to a higher level than before. At least one forth of the globe is still not under democratic goverment. The challenge for democracy in these parts of the world is very stark. The three types of challenges are: foundational challenge, challenge of expansion and deepening of democracy.

The reasons:
(i) Democracies often frustrate the needs of the people and often ignore the demands of a majority of its population.

(ii) Deliberations and debates bound to delay decisions.

(iii) The routine tales of corruption are enough to convince us that democracy is not free of this evil.

RTI is the best law which empowers people to carry out democratic reforms. The Right to Information (RTI) Act empowers every citizen of India to seek information from public authorities, including central, state and local governments; parliament, judiciary, police, etc.

Under RTI, a citizen can ask questions regarding the official work, see information, take copies of official documents and inspect govenment work and its progress.

The impacts of Right To Information Act are:

(i) It empowers the people to find out what is happening in the system of the government.

(ii) It acts as a watchdog of democracy.

(iii) It supplements the existing laws that banned corruption.

The challenge of deepening of democracy is faced by every democracy in one form or another.

(i) This involves strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracy.

(ii) Helping people’s participation and control in democratic institutions.

(iii) This requires an attempt to bring down the influence of the rich and powerful people in the decision-making of the government decision.

D.

The Right to Information Act

B.

Pakistan

These countries are facing the foundational challenge of making the transition to democracy and instituting democratic government. ThIse involves-

(i) bringing down existing non-democratic regimes.

(ii) Keeping military away from controlling.

(iii) Establishing a sovereign and functional state.