Features of democracy

Where did the word Democracy originate?
What is Democracy?- Meaning and Definition.
Features of Democracy
Merits and Demerits of Democracy
Difference between Democratic and Non Democratic form
government.
Democracy- Direct & Indirect Democracy

• Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers
are elected by the people.
• Abraham Lincoln- Democracy is a government of the
people, by the people and for the people.
• The word democracy is derived from the Greek word
- Demos- People
- Kratos- Power or rule

• In a democracy the final decision making power must rest
with those who elected by the people.
• A democracy must be based on a free and fair election
where those currently in power have a fair chance of losing.
• In a democracy, each adult citizen must have one vote and
each vote must have one value.
• A democratic government rules within limits sets by
constitutional law and citizen’s right.
• The opposition parties are allowed to function freely before
and after the elections.
• The democratic governments are based on fundamental
principles of political equality.

True democracy will come to this country only when no
one goes hungry to bed.
In a democracy every citizen must be able to play equal
role in decision making.
 For this you don’t need just an equal right to vote. Every
citizen needs to have equal information, basic education,
equal resources and a lot of commitment.

• A democratic government is a better government
because it is a more accountable form of
government.
• Democracy improves the quality of decision
making.
• Democracy provides a method to deal with
differences and conflicts. It is suitable the
countries like India. India having diversity of
language, religion and cultures. Democracy in
India made it possible to keep unity in diversity.

• Leaders keep changing in a democracy. This leads to
instability.
• Democracy is all about political competition and power
play. There is no scope for morality.
• Elected leaders do not know the best interest of the
people. It leads to bad decisions.
• Democracy leads to corruption for it is based on electoral
competition.
• Ordinary people don’t know what is good for them; they
should not decide anything.

Democratic Govt
• Democracy is the
best form of
government as the
rulers are
accountable to the
people and have to
fulfill their needs.
Non Democratic Govt
• The rulers are not
accountable to the
people and their
needs.

Democratic
• In democratic govt
people elect their rulers
and have right in
decision making.
• The parliament is a
separate body and has
no interference of
army.
Non Democratic
• People don not elect their
rulers and have no right
in decision making.
• The parliament cannot
pass a law about the
army without the consent
of the chief of army.

Democratic
• Any citizen can aspire to
contest election for any
post irrespective of his or
her caste, religion, socio-
economic and educational
background which means
the right of vote is
available to all citizens.
Non Democratic
• The citizens of the country
have no right to vote.

Democratic
• There is a
freedom of
expression and
people enjoy
their fundamental
rights.
• Example- India
Non Democratic
• There is no
freedom of
expression and
people do not enjoy
their fundamental
rights.
• Example- Saudi
Arabia, Zimbabwe.

Direct Democracy
It is a political setup, where the people themselves makes
the laws and parliament directly in the functioning of the
govt.
Decisions are taken on the base of the majority of opinion.
It is suitable for the geographically small countries with less
population.
E.g. : Ancient Greek/ Rome and India
Modern period- Switzerland

• In the modern world most of the countries are
following the indirect democracy.
• It is system, in which the representatives are
elected by the people and they act on behalf of the
people.
• They are so sensitive to cater the needs and
opinion of the people.
E.g. ; India/ France/ USA

PAKISTAN
General Parvez Mushraff led a military coup in oct
1999.
He overthrew the democratically elected govt.
He declared the chief executive of the country.
In 2002 he changed his position to president
Then held a referendum- five years extension
Media, Human right organizations and democratic
activist said- referendum was based on malpractices and
fraud.
In Aug 2002- he issued Legal Frame Work order-
amended the constitution of Pakistan.
According to this order- president can dismiss the
national or provisional assemblies.

CHINA
In China elections are regularly held after every five
years for electing the Country’s parliament- Quanguo
Renmin Diabiao Dahui (National peoples congress)
They have the power to appoint the president
It have nearly 3ooo peoples elected from all parts
Some members are elected by the army
Only those who member in communist party or eight
smaller parties allied to it were allowed to contest
election held in 2002-2003.
The government is always formed by the communist
party

MEXICO
Since its independence in 1930, Mexico holds elections
after every six tears to elect its president.
The country has never been under military rule or
dictator rule.
But until 2000 all election was won by a party called
PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party)
Opposition parties did contest the elections but never win
the election
The PRI use many dirty tricks to win the election
All those who employed in govt offices had to attend its
party meetings.
Teachers of govt school forced parents to vote PRI

Saudi Arabia/ Estonia/ Fiji
Saudi Arabia women do not have the right to
vote.
Estonia made its citizenship rules in such a way
that people belonging to Russian minority find
it difficult to get the right to vote.
In Fiji, the electoral system such that the vote of
an indigenous Fiji has more value than that of
an Indian Fijian

Zimbabwe
Attained independence from white minority- 1980
Since then the country has been ruled by ZANU-PF, the
party led the freedom struggle.
Leader- Robert Mugabe, has been ruling the country since
independence.
Elections have been held regularly- always won- ZANU
President is popular- but uses unfair practices in election
Changed the constitution and increased the power of
president and makes him less accountable.
Opposition party workers harassed and disrupted.
There is a law that limits the right to criticise the president

• we understood the meaning of Democracy in a limited
and descriptive sense.
• We have understood Democracy is a form of govt.
• The most common form that democracy takes in our
times is that of a representative democracy.
• In the countries we call democracy, all the people do not
rule.
• A majority is allowed to take decisions on behalf of all
the people.
CONCLUSION

Features of democracy

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