Question 9 - NCERT Questions - Chapter 1 Class 9 Political Science - What Is Democracy? Why Democracy - Political Science

Consider the following facts about a country and decide if you would call it a democracy. Give reasons to support your decision.

a) All the citizens of the country have right to vote. Elections are held regularly. 

b) The country took loan from international agencies. One of the conditions for giving loan was that the government would reduce its expenses on education and health. 

c) People speak more than seven languages but education is available only in one language, the language spoken by 52 percent people of that country. 

d) Several organisations have given a call for peaceful demonstrations and nation wide strikes in the country to oppose these policies. Government has arrested these leaders. 

e) The government owns the radio and television in the country. All the newspapers have to get permission from the government to publish any news about government’s policies and protests

Answer:

Let’s check all the parts

• Statement 1 :All the citizens of the country have the right to vote. Elections are held regularly. The above statement is an example of a Democratic country where citizens are allowed to vote and choose their government.

• Statement 2 :The country took loans from international agencies. One of the conditions for giving loans was that the government would reduce its expenses on education and health. The above statement is an example of an Undemocratic country as the country is reducing its expenditure on education and health while taking a loan from an international agency.

• Statement 3 : People seek more than seven languages but education is available only in one language, the language spoken by 52 percent of people of that country. The above statement is an example of an Undemocratic country  as the people have the right to an education and it is the duty of the government to provide it to them in their native language.

• Statement 4 : Several organizations have called for peaceful demonstrations and nationwide strikes in the country to oppose these policies. The government has arrested these leaders. The above statement is an example of an Undemocratic country as the right to assemble and peacefully demonstrate is a basic right of an individual.

• Statement 5: The government owns the radio and television in the country. All the newspapers have to get permission from the government to publish any news about the government’s policies and protests. The above statement is an example of an Undemocratic country as it is a violation of people’s right to a free press when the government owns radio and television.