Class 9 civics Chapter 1 – what is democracy

1.1 What is Democracy?

1.2 Features of Democracy

Feature 1: Major Decisions Must Be Taken by Elected Leaders

1. In Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf seized power through a military coup in October 1999, overthrowing a democratically elected government.
2. He declared himself the ‘Chief Executive’, later changed his title to President, and held a referendum in 2002 to extend his rule by five more years.
3. This referendum was widely criticised by the media, human rights groups, and pro-democracy activists for being full of malpractices and fraud.
4. In August 2002, Musharraf passed a Legal Framework Order, amending Pakistan’s Constitution:
• It gave the President the power to dismiss national and provincial assemblies.
• It gave military officers dominance in the National Security Council, which supervised the civilian cabinet.
5. Although elections were held for the national and provincial assemblies, and elected representatives had some powers, the final decision-making authority remained with General Musharraf and military officers, who were not elected by the people.
6. This kind of arrangement exists in many dictatorships and monarchies:
• They may have elected parliaments, but real power lies with non-elected authorities.
• In some countries, real power is even held by external forces, not by locally elected leaders.
7. Such a system cannot be called people’s rule, because elected representatives do not have the final say.

Feature 2: Free and Fair Electoral Competition

1. In China, elections are held every five years to elect members of the National People’s Congress (Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui) — the national Parliament.
2. The National People’s Congress has the authority to appoint the President of the country.
3. It has nearly 3,000 members elected from across the country, including some elected by the army.
4. However, only candidates approved by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or its eight allied parties were allowed to contest the 2002–03 elections.
5. This means the government is always formed by the Communist Party, and voters do not have a real choice between political alternatives.

1. In Mexico, since its independence in 1930, elections have been held every six years to elect the President.
2. The country was never ruled by the military or a dictator.
3. However, until the year 2000, every election was won by a single party: the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party).
4. Although opposition parties did contest, they never won due to several undemocratic practices:
• Government employees were forced to attend PRI meetings.
• Teachers in government schools pressured parents to vote for PRI.
• The media ignored opposition parties and only promoted the ruling party.
• Polling booths were shifted last minute to reduce voting.
• The PRI spent large amounts of money in campaigning, gaining unfair advantage.

1. In China, people have no real choice, as all candidates must be approved by the ruling party.
2. In Mexico, although people seemed to have a choice, in reality, the system was heavily manipulated to ensure PRI's victory.
3. These elections do not meet the standard of fairness and competition.

Feature 3: One Person, One Vote, One Value

1. In earlier chapters, we read how the struggle for democracy in different countries was closely linked to the demand for universal adult franchise.
2. This principle means that every adult citizen, regardless of caste, class, religion, gender, or ethnicity, must have the right to vote.
3. Today, the idea of political equality — where each person’s vote has equal value — is widely accepted as a core principle of democracy.
4. However, in practice, there are still many instances across the world where this principle is violated.

1. Saudi Arabia:
• Until 2015, women in Saudi Arabia were not allowed to vote.
• This denied political equality to half the population.
2. Estonia:
• Citizenship laws have been framed in such a way that people from the Russian minority find it difficult to get voting rights.
• This means certain ethnic groups are excluded from democratic participation.
3. Fiji:
• The electoral system was designed in a way that gave more value to the vote of an indigenous Fijian than to that of an Indian-Fijian.
• This violates the principle that each vote should carry equal weight.

Feature 4: Rule of Law and Respect for Rights

1. Zimbabwe became independent in 1980, ending white minority rule.
2. Since then, the country was ruled by ZANU-PF, the party that led the freedom struggle.
3. Its leader, Robert Mugabe, remained in power from 1980 until 2017.
4. Although elections were held regularly, ZANU-PF always won, but used unfair means:
• The Constitution was amended multiple times to increase the powers of the President and reduce accountability.
• Opposition party workers were harassed, and their meetings were disrupted.
• Public protests and demonstrations were declared illegal.
• A law was passed that limited citizens’ right to criticise the President.
• Television and radio were controlled by the government, showing only ZANU-PF’s viewpoint.
• Independent newspapers existed, but journalists were harassed if they criticised the government.
• The government ignored court judgments and pressurised judges to act in its favour.
5. Mugabe remained in power until he was forced out of office in 2017.

1. Zimbabwe shows that popular approval or winning elections is not enough for a country to be called a democracy.
2. A popular government can still be undemocratic or autocratic.
3. To truly assess democracy, one must look at what happens:
• Before elections – Is there freedom for opposition and political activities?
• After elections – Are citizens’ rights respected and is the government accountable?

1. Citizens must have the freedom to think, form opinions, and express them publicly.
2. They should have the right to form associations, organise protests, and participate in political action.
3. All people must be equal before the law.
4. These basic rights must be protected by an independent judiciary, whose orders are obeyed by everyone.
5. After elections, the government cannot act without limits. It must:
• Follow constitutional rules.
• Respect guarantees to minorities.
• Take decisions through consultation processes.
• Ensure that office bearers act according to constitutional rights and responsibilities.
• Be accountable not just to the people but also to other independent bodies.

Four Features of Democracy

A democracy is not just about elections — it is a system of government that follows certain essential principles. Based on the discussion and examples in this section, we understand democracy as a form of government in which:

1. Rulers elected by the people take all the major decisions
   → In a democracy, the final decision-making power must rest with leaders who are elected by the citizens, not with military officials or hereditary rulers.
2. Elections offer a choice and fair opportunity to the people to change the current rulers
   → A democracy must conduct free and fair elections, where people can freely choose among different political alternatives.
3. This choice and opportunity is available to all the people on an equal basis
   → Every adult citizen must have the right to vote, and every vote must carry equal value, without discrimination.
4. The exercise of this choice leads to a government limited by basic rules of the constitution and citizens’ rights
   → A democratic government must respect the Constitution, follow the law, and protect the fundamental rights of all citizens, including minorities.

🔴 1.3 WHY DEMOCRACY?

✅ Arguments in Favour of Democracy

1. Democracy ensures accountability to the people
   • Example: The famine in China (1958–1961) caused the death of nearly three crore people. At the same time, India, though economically weaker, avoided such a large-scale crisis.
   • Why? India’s democratic structure forced its leaders to respond to food scarcity. Free press, public criticism, and opposition pressure made it necessary for the government to act.
   • Conclusion: In democracy, rulers are accountable to the people. They must respond to the people’s needs. A non-democratic government may or may not do so — it depends solely on the will of the ruler.
   📌 Key Point: A democratic government is more accountable to its citizens than any other form of government.
2. Democracy improves the quality of decision-making
   • In democracy, decisions are taken through consultation and discussion.
   • A democratic decision involves multiple perspectives, debates, and reviews, which help avoid major errors.
   • Though slow, this process helps prevent rash or harmful decisions.
   📌 Key Point: Involving many people in decision-making leads to wiser and more thoughtful governance.
3. Democracy provides a peaceful way to resolve conflicts
   • In every society, people have different views, religions, castes, regions, and languages.
   • These differences can lead to serious conflicts.
   • In non-democratic systems, the stronger group dominates, creating resentment and unrest.
   • Democracy, on the other hand, offers a peaceful platform for conflict resolution.
   📌 Key Point: Democracy ensures that no group is permanently defeated, and all can coexist peacefully through compromise and negotiation.
4. Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens
   • In democracy, everyone is treated as politically equal, regardless of wealth, caste, gender, or education.
   • Even the poorest person has the same vote and voice as the richest.
   • People are not ruled as subjects, but instead are active participants in governance.
   • Even if people make wrong choices, they are responsible for their decisions, which makes them mature and dignified citizens.
   📌 Key Point: Democracy gives citizens a sense of self-respect and control over their own lives.
5. Democracy allows us to correct our own mistakes
   • Mistakes happen in all governments, but in a democracy:
   • Mistakes are openly discussed,
   • Rulers can be questioned,
   • Decisions can be changed, or
   • Rulers can be removed through elections.
   • Non-democratic governments suppress dissent and hide their failures.
   📌 Key Point: Democracy creates space for correction, reform, and change — it is a self-improving system.

✅ 1.4 Broader Meanings of Democracy