Important Questions for Chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy Class 10 Political Science
Important Questions1
What is democratic or political reform?
Answer
All suggestions for overcoming the challenges of democracy are called democratic reform.
VSAQ
2
A country holds election to elect peopleās representatives to form the government but the elections are not fair. Identify the kind of challenge faced by the people in such a country.
Answer
People face the challenge of expansion of democracy.
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3
Which challenge to established democracies ensures more participation of women and minority groups in a democratic country?
Answer
The challenge of expansion.
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4
What does deepening democracy mean?
Answer
Deepening democracy means strengthening institutions that help peopleās participation in governance.
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5
What is involved in foundational challenge in a democracy?
Answer
Bringing down the existing non-democratic government is the foundational challenge involved.
VSAQ
6
Which law empowers the people to act as watch dogs of the government in a democracy?
Answer
Right to Information Act.
VSAQ
7
What kind of challenge is facing by one-fourth countries of the globe?
Answer
One-fourth countries of the world are facing the foundational challenge of democracy.
VSAQ
8
"Women not allowed to take part in public activities, no freedom of religion for minorities". The above statement shows which type of challenge to democracy?
Answer
The above statement shows challenge of expansion to democracy.
VSAQ
9
What is the basic characteristics of modern democracy?
Answer
Modern democracy can not value only the voice of majority, but it also respects the minority as well.
VSAQ
1
How do some countries face foundational challenge of democracy? Explain with example.
Answer
ā¢ To bring down the existence of non-democracy regime.
ā¢ Keep away military rule.
ā¢ Establishing a sovereign and functional state.
SAQ
2
Elaborate the challenge of expansion of democracy. Give an example.
Answer
Most of the established democracies face the Challenge of Expansion:Ā
ā¢ Citizens have great expectations from the government.Ā
ā¢ Government tries its best for the upliftment of the society.Ā
ā¢ Ensuring greater power to the local government.Ā
ā¢ Extension of federal principles to all the units of the federation including women and minority groups.
SAQ
3
āThe challenge of deepening of democracy is being faced by every democracy in one form or another.ā Support the statement with arguments.
Answer
Deepening of democracy:Ā
ā¢ Deepening of democracy involves strengthening the institutions and the practices of democracy.Ā
ā¢ The ordinary people have different expectations from democracy in different societies.Ā
ā¢ It wants more of peopleās participation and control.Ā
ā¢ They want to bring down the control of rich and powerful people in the making of the governmental decision.
SAQ
4
What are the features of a good democracy?
Answer
Features of a good democracy are:Ā
ā¢ Rulers are elected by the people to take all decisions.Ā
ā¢ Elections give an opportunity and choice to the people.Ā
ā¢ Democracy ensures that rights are given to the citizens.
SAQ
5
Explain the challenges faced by countries which do not have a democratic form of government.
Answer
ā¢ These countries face the foundational challenge of making the transition to democracy and then instituting democratic government.Ā
ā¢ They also face the challenge of bringing down the existing non- democratic regime and keeping the military away from controlling the government.Ā
ā¢ Such countries have to make great efforts to establish a sovereign and functional state.
SAQ
6
How are the challenges to democracy linked to the possibility of political reforms? Explain.
Answer
ā¢ Carefully devised changes in law can help to discourage wrong political practices.Ā
ā¢ Democratic reforms are to be carried out by political activists, parties, movements and politically conscious citizens.Ā
ā¢ Political participation by ordinary citizen should be there.
SAQ
7
āA challenge is an opportunity for progress.ā Support the statement with your arguments.
Answer
ā¢ A challenge is a difficulty that carries within it an opportunity for progress.Ā
ā¢ Once we overcome a challenge we go up to a higher level than before.Ā
ā¢ Legal challenges alone cannot overcome challenges to democracy like inequality, poverty, unemployment illiteracy, regionalism, casteism, communalism etc.
SAQ
8
What type of financial reforms should be brought to strengthen democracy and why?
Answer
ā¢ The financial accounts of every political party should be made public.Ā
ā¢ These accounts should be examined by government auditors.Ā
ā¢ There should be state funding of elections.Ā
ā¢ Citizen should be encouraged to give more donations to parties.
SAQ
9
What is a democratic reform? Mention a few broad guidelines for devising political reforms in India.
Answer
All suggestions or proposals about overcoming various challenges to democracy are called democratic reform or political reform.Ā
Broad guidelines for devising political reforms in India are:Ā
ā¢ Legal ways of reforming politics.Ā
ā¢ The Right to Information Act.Ā
ā¢ Reforms through political practiceĀ
ā¢ Implementation of reforms.
SAQ
1
When was the āRight to Information Actā implemented? How does it act as the watch-dog of democracy? Explain.
Answer
āThe Right to Information Actā was implemented in 2005.Ā
ā¢ It empowers the people to find out what is happening in government.Ā
ā¢ It acts as the watchdogs of democracy.Ā
ā¢ It helps in controlling corruption and supplements the existing laws that banned corruption and imposed strict penalties.Ā
LAQ
2
What are the guidelines to be kept in mind while adopting political reforms?
Answer
ā¢ Involving political parties, political activists and people in bringing about reforms rather than impose reforms through laws.Ā
ā¢ Legal measures should be positive, more like incentives.Ā
ā¢ Improving the quality of political practices by increasing peopleās participation.
ā¢ Laws being considered may meet with resistance in the legislatures and by political parties. So the best way to bring about the change is through democratic movements and media.
LAQ
3
Explain any five major challenges being faced by the Indian democracy.
Answer
Major challenges are:Ā
ā¢ Foundational challengeĀ
ā¢ Challenge of expansionĀ
ā¢ Challenge of deepening of democracy.Ā
The main challenge to democracy in India is the challenge of expansion. Decentralisation of powers and applying the basic principle of democratic government across all the regions, have been developed; but still more is to be done. Inclusion of women and minority groups is still a challenge. All the decisions should be in the arena of democratic control. To get this thing to be done and possess is a big challenge.Ā
LAQ
4
How would you define democracy?
Answer
ā¢ The rulers elected by people should only take major decisions.
ā¢ There should be free and fair elections. Elections must offer free and fair opportunity to change leaders.
ā¢ This choice and opportunity should be available to all on equal basis.
ā¢ Government should be limited by basis rules of constitution and citizenās right.
LAQ
1
'Legal reforms may sometimes be counter productiveā. Support the statement with suitable arguments.
Answer
ā¢ Any legal change must carefully look at the results it will have on politics. Sometimes, the results can be counter-productive. For example, many states have banned people who have more than two children from contesting panchayat elections`.Ā
ā¢ This has resulted in the denial of democratic opportunity to many poor men and women, which was not intended. Generally, laws that seek to ban something are not very successful in politics.Ā
ā¢ The best laws are those which empower people to carry out democratic reforms. For example, Right to Information Act.
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