6 Short Questions and Answers on Democracy
1. Which of the following statements is true about today’s world?
(а) There are more people living under king’s rule.
(б) There are more judges appointed by the kings.
(c) There are more rulers elected by the people.
Ans. (c).
2. Which of the following statements is true about the world now?
(а) There are more people living in the democracies.
(б) There are no more kings in the world.
(c) There are no more military dictators in the world.
Ans. (a).
3. In a democracy government is accountable to people. Accountability means people can ask answers to questions about the decisions and actions of the officials and ministers. Which of the following will not be an example of people demanding accountability?
i. Filing a case in the judiciary against a law passed by the parliament.
ii. Election commission organises free and fair elections.
iii. Organising public meetings to sensitise government about peoples’ problems.
Ans. Election commission organises free and fair elections.
4. What is Direct Democracy?
Ans. Direct Democracy:
Is that form of government in which people directly participate in the affairs of the State. In this system, public opinion is expressed directly in Assemblies or queral meetings. All the adult citizens have the right to participate in the meetings of the Assembly where all the laws are passed taxes are assessed appointments to execute the decisions taken in the Assembly are made.
Since this system is possible only in those states where the population is small and it is possible for all the citizens to participate directly in the affairs of the state, nowadays this system exists only in a few cantons of Switzerland and some states in U.S.A.
5. What do you understand by Indirect Democracy?
Ans. Indirect Democracy:
Since the modern states are much larger in size and population, it is not possible for all the citizens to participate directly in the affairs of the state, indirect democracy has been established in almost all the modern states. Under this system, people elect their representatives for a period who run the administration.
If they do not work according to the wishes of the people and for their welfare, they are changed at the time of next elections. People do not directly take part in the affairs of the state. They elect their representatives who conduct the affairs of the state.
Indirect democracy exists in India, England, U.S.A. and France etc.
6. Word ‘Democracy’ has been derived from which word and of which language?
Ans. Word ‘Democracy’ is derived from the Greek words-‘Demos’ and ‘Cratia’. ‘Demos’ means ‘People’ and ‘Cratia’ means ‘Power’. Thus, Democracy means a form of government in which the power to rule lies in the hands of the people.