JAC Class 10 Social Science Notes Civics Chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy

JAC Board Class 10th Social Science Important Questions Civics Chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1.
Which one of the following statements is true?
(a) The promise of democracy is far from being realised anywhere in the world.
(b) Democracy is better than any other form of government.
(c) Democracy faces many challenges.
(d) All of the above
Answer:
(c) Democracy faces many challenges.

Question 2.
What is not true regarding a challenge?
(a) Any sort of problem or difficulty is called a challenge
(b) A challenge is a difficulty which is significant and which can be overcome.
(c) A challenge is a difficulty that carries within it an opportunity for progress.
(d) Once we overcome a challenge, we go up to a higher level than before.
Answer:
(a) Any sort of problem or difficulty is called a challenge

Question 3.
Which one of the following countries is facing the foundational challenge of democracy?
(a) Ghana
(b) China
(c) Myanmar
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

Question 4.
Which one of the following countries is facing the challenge of expansion of democracy?
(a) India
(b) US
(c) Sri Lanka
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

Question 5.
Democracy in Nepal is facing which type of problem?
(a) Challenge of expansion
(b) Challenge of deepening of democracy
(c) Foundational challenge of democracy
(d) None of these
Answer:
(d) None of these

Question 6.
How many parts of the globe is not under democratic government?
(a) One – sixth
(b) One – fourth
(c) One – third
(d) None of these
Answer:
(b) One – fourth

Question 7.
Which of the following statements is/are correct in the context of the foundational challenge of democracy?
(a) Making the transition to democracy and then instituting democratic government.
(b) This involves bringing down the existing non-democratic regime and keeping military away from controlling the government.
(c) Establishing a sovereign and functional state
(d) All of the above
Answer:
(d) All of the above

Question 8.
What is the tempting way of reforming politics?
(a) Legal ways
(b) Illegal ways
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
Answer:
(a) Legal ways

Question 9.
Which type of challenge is being faced by most of the democracies of the world?
(a) Foundational challenge
(b) Challenge of expansion
(c) Challenge of deepening of democracy
(d) None of these
Answer:
(b) Challenge of expansion

Question 10.
Which one of the following is not true regarding ‘Democratic Reforms’?
(a) Legal measures can sometimes prove to be counter-productive.
(b) The media should play an active role.
(c) Legal measures always help in reforming politics.
(d) Political empowerment and participation of citizens can help.
Answer:
(c) Legal measures always help in reforming politics.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1
Define challenge.
Answer:
A challenge is not just any problem. We usually call only those difficulties a ‘challenge’ which are significant and which can be overcome. A challenge is a difficulty that carries within it an opportunity for progress. Once we overcome a challenge we go up to a higher level than before.

Question 2.
Mention the three main challenges faced by a democracy.
Answer:
The three main challenges are the foundational challenge, the challenge of expansion and the challenge of deepening democracy.

Question 3.
What is the foundational challenge of democracy?
Answer:
The foundational challenges of democracy are bringing down the existing non – democratic regime, keeping military away from controlling government and establishing a sovereign and functional state.

Question 4.
How is challenge of ‘deepening of democracy’ faced by democracies?
Answer:
This involves straightening of the institutions and practices of democracy. This should happen in such a manner that people can realise their expectations of democracy.

Question 5.
Give importance of a law in forms of democracy.
Answer:
‘The Right to Information’ Act is a law that empowers the people to find out what is happening in government and act as watch dog of democracy.

Question 6.
How do we define a true democracy?
Answer:

The rulers elected by the people must take all the major decision.
Elections must offer a choice and fair opportunity to the people to change the current rulers.

Question 7.
What are the basic rights of citizens for exercising voting rights?
Answer:

The rulers elected by the people must take all the major decisions.
Elections must offer a choice and fair opportunity to the people to change the current rulers.
The choice and opportunity should be available to all the people on an equal basis.
The exercise of this choice must lead to a government limited by basic rules of the constitution and citizens rights.

Question 8.
What kind of challenge is facing by one – fourth countries of the world?
Answer:
One – fourth countries of the world are facing the foundational challenge of democracy.

Question 9.
What are reforms?
Answer:
The suggestions or proposals about overcoming various challenges to democracy are called ‘democracy reform’ or ‘political reforms’.

Question 10.
Which law empowers the people to act as watch dogs of the government in a democracy?
Answer:
Right to Information Act is the law that empowers the people to act as watch dogs of the government in a democracy.

JAC Class 10 Social Science Important Questions

JAC Board Class 10 Social Science Notes Civics Chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy

→ Thinking about challenges

Democracy is the dominant form of government in the contemporary world. It does not face a serious challenge or rival.
The promise of democracy is far realized anywhere in the worlds
Democracy does not have a challenger, but that does not mean that it does not face any challenges.
A challenge is not just any problem. We usually call only those difficulties a ‘challenge’ which is significant and which can be overcome.
A challenge is a difficulty that carries within it an opportunity for progress.
The first challenge is a foundational challenge, of making the transition to democracy and then instituting democratic government.
The second challenge is the challenge of expansion. This involves applying the basic principle of democratic government across all the regions, different social groups and various institutions.
The third challenge is of deepening of democracy is faced by every democracy in one ‘form or another. This involves the strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracy.

→ Thinking about political reforms

Generally, all the suggestions or proposals about overcoming various challenges to democracy are called ‘democratic reform’ or ‘political reform’.
If all the countries do not have the same challenges, it follows that everyone cannot follow the same recipe of political reforms.
We can develop some proposals for reforms at the national level.
But the real challenge of reforms may not lie at the national level.
Instead of that let us think of some broad guidelines that can be kept in mind while devising ways and means for political reforms in India:
It is very tempting to think of legal ways of reforming politics, to think of new laws to ban undesirable things. But this temptation needs to be resisted.
Any legal change must carefully look at what results it will have on politics. Sometimes the results may be counter-productive.
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.
Any proposal for political reforms should think not only about what is the good solution but also about who will implement it and how.
Let us keep these general guidelines in mind and look at some specific instances of challenges to democracy that require some measure of reform.

→ Redefining democracy

We began this tour of democracy last year with a minimal definition of democracy.
We then looked at many cases and expanded the definition slightly to add some definitions:
- The rulers elected by the people must take all the major decisions;
- Elections must offer a choice and fair opportunity to the people to change the current rulers;
- This choice and opportunity should be available to all the people on an equal basis; and
- The exercise of this choice must lead to a government limited by basic rules of the Constitution and citizens’ right.
You may have felt disappointed that the definition did not refer to any high ideals that we associate with democracy.
You may have noticed that in the course of our discussions of various aspects of democratic government and politics, we have gone beyond that definition:
We discussed democratic rights at length and noted that these rights are not limited to the rights to vote, stand in elections and form political organizations.
We have taken up power sharing as the spirit of democracy and discussed how power sharing between governments and social groups is necessary for a democracy.
We saw how democracy cannot be the brute rule of the majority and how a respect for minority voice is necessary for democracy.
Our discussion of democracy has gone beyond tfie government and its activities.
Finally, we have had some discussion about some outcomes that one can expect from democracy.
In doing so, we have not gone against the definition of democracy offered last year. We began then with a definition of what is the minimum a country must have to be called a democracy.