Outcomes of Democracy:
Analyze how democracy delivers accountability, ensures inclusiveness,
accommodates social diversity, and addresses challenges like economic
inequality.
Chapter 5 Outcomes of Democracy
Class 10 NCERT Civics: Democratic Politics-II
Updated for 2024-2025 Exams
Q.1 How does democracy produce an
accountable, responsive, and legitimate government?
Ans.
- Accountability: Democracy ensures that the
government is accountable to the people through regular elections, where
people can choose or change their leaders. - Responsiveness: It ensures that the government
responds to the needs and demands of the citizens by allowing for public
debate and transparency in decision-making. - Legitimacy: Democratic governments derive
legitimacy as they are elected by the people, making them a reflection of
the people’s will.
Q.2 What are the conditions under which
democracies accommodate social diversities?
Ans.
- Respect for Minorities: Democracies must ensure that the
majority does not dominate the minority, and the interests of different groups
are considered in decision-making. - Rule of Law: A democratic system needs to
function based on the rule of law where every individual, regardless of
background, is treated equally. - Inclusiveness: Various social divisions must be
accommodated, and different groups should have the opportunity to share
power and contribute to governance.
Q.3 Give arguments to support or oppose
the following assertions:
(a) Industrialised
countries can afford democracy but the poor need dictatorship to become rich.
Ans. Oppose: Dictatorships may deliver
rapid decisions, but history shows that democracy provides long-term stability
and inclusive development. Countries like India have shown that even developing
nations can function democratically.
(b) Democracy
can’t reduce inequality of incomes between different citizens.
Ans. Support: While democracy ensures
political equality, economic inequality often persists. Wealth is concentrated
in the hands of a few, as democratic processes do not always prioritize
redistribution of wealth.
(c) Government
in poor countries should spend less on poverty reduction, health, education,
and more on industries and infrastructure.
Ans. Oppose: Investments in health,
education, and poverty reduction are essential for sustainable economic growth.
Without a healthy and educated population, industrial development cannot be
fully realized.
(d) In
democracy all citizens have one vote, which means that there is absence of any
domination and conflict.
Ans. Oppose: While democracy ensures one person,
one vote, domination can still exist due to socio-economic inequalities, lack
of representation, and political manipulation.
Q.4 Identify the challenges to democracy
in the following descriptions. Also suggest policy/institutional mechanisms to
deepen democracy in the given situations:
(a) Following
a High Court directive, a temple in Orissa that had separate entry doors for
dalits and non-dalits allowed entry for all from the same door.
Ans. Challenge: Social inequality based on
caste.
Solution: Strengthen anti-discrimination laws, raise awareness, and
ensure social justice mechanisms.
(b) A large
number of farmers are committing suicide in different states of India.
Ans. Challenge: Economic distress among
farmers.
Solution: Provide better agricultural support policies, loan waivers,
crop insurance, and access to affordable credit.
(c) Following
an allegation of killing of three civilians in Gandwara in a fake encounter by
Jammu and Kashmir police, an enquiry has been ordered.
Ans. Challenge: Misuse of power and human
rights violations.
Solution: Implement stronger accountability mechanisms, independent
investigations, and human rights oversight bodies.
Q.5 In the context of democracies, which
of the following ideas is correct– democracies have successfully eliminated:
(a) Conflicts
among people
(b) Economic inequalities among people
(c) Differences of opinion about how marginalized sections are to be treated
(d) The idea of political inequality
Ans. (d) The idea of political inequality
Q.6 In the context of assessing democracy,
which among the following is the odd one out. Democracies need to ensure:
(a) Free and
fair elections
(b) Dignity of the individual
(c) Majority rule
(d) Equal treatment before law
Ans. (c) Majority rule
Q.7 Studies on political and social
inequalities in democracy show that:
(a) Democracy
and development go together.
(b) Inequalities exist in democracies.
(c) Inequalities do not exist under dictatorship.
(d) Dictatorship is better than democracy.
Ans. (b) Inequalities exist in democracies.
Q.8 Read the passage below:
Nannu is a
daily wage earner. He lives in Welcome Mazdoor Colony, a slum habitation in
East Delhi. He lost his ration card and applied for a duplicate one in January
2004. He made several rounds to the local Food and Civil Supplies office for
the next three months. But the clerks and officials would not even look at him,
let alone do his job or bother to tell him the status of his application.
Ultimately, he filed an application under the Right to Information Act asking
for the daily progress made on his application, names of the officials, who
were supposed to act on his application and what action would be taken against
these officials for their inaction. Within a week of filing the application
under the Right to Information Act, he was visited by an inspector from the
Food Department, who informed him that the card had been made and he could
collect it from the office. When Nannu went to collect his card the next day,
he was given a very warm treatment by the Food and Supply Officer (FSO), who is
the head of a Circle. The FSO offered him tea and requested him to withdraw his
application under the Right to Information since his work had already been
done.
What does
Nannu’s example show?
Ans. Nannu’s example shows that when
citizens are empowered with tools like the Right to Information Act, they can
hold the government accountable and ensure that their rights are respected.
Nannu’s action compelled officials to act quickly and efficiently on his
request.
What impact did
Nannu’s action have on officials?
Ans. Nannu’s action made the officials
realize that they could be held accountable for their inefficiency. It
compelled them to complete the task they had delayed, fearing repercussions.