CIVICSLn.1 – THE STORY OF DEMOCRACY

OUTCOMES OF FOCUSED LEARNING: What is democracy? History of democracy

The British of Democracy-Greece – Europe in the Middle Ages – The Renaissance – Democracy in England – The American revolution – The French Revolution – The March to Democracy

KEY TERMS:1. Obscurity: The state in which somebody or something is not well

known or has been forgotten 2. Monarchical: Related to a form of government that has a king as the

head of the state and in whom all power is vested 3. Aristocratic: Related to a form of government in which power is held

by the nobles4. Legislative: Related with the act of making an passing laws5. Republican: A form of government where the head of the state is

elected6. Precursor: Something that comes before something similar and that

influences its development7. Fraternity: A feeling of friendship and support that exists between

the members of a group8. Colonize: To take control over a country that is not your own, especially

using force9. Decolonization: The process of a colony becoming independent10. Culmination: point of highest development5. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN ONE OR TWO SENTENCES:a. What are the two guiding principles of democracy?

Equality and freedom are two guiding principles of democracy.

b. What is representative democracy?Representative democracy was a form of indirect democracy,

where people democratically elected government officials to make decisions on their behalf.c. Name the two bills by which the power of the monarch was curtailed.

The two bills by which the powers of the monarch were curtailed are 1. the Petition of Rights (1628 CE) and 2. Bill of Rights (1689 CE).d. Who wrote the American Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson wrote the American Declaration of Independence.e. Name the three guiding principles of the French Revolution.

The three guiding principles of the French Revolution are Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.6. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN FOUR OR FIVE SENTENCES:a. What do you understand by the term democracy?DEMOCRACY:

I. Democracy means the ‘rule of the people’.II. A very famous quote of Abraham Lincoln describes democracy as

‘government by the people, for the people and of the people’.III. Democracy offers people the choice of how they want to be

governed and by whom they want to be governed.IV. In other words, it allows participation of the people in the

functioning of the government.V. Equality and freedom are two guiding principles of democracy.b. In what ways is democracy today different from that followed in the Greek city states?

I. The democracy that was prevalent in ancient Greece was quite different from the democracy as we know it today.

II. In ancient Greece, o states were as small as the cities of today and hence were known as

city-states.o all citizens (except slaves, women and foreigners) participated

in the day-to-day governance.o They took part in the political decisions and were entitled to

speak and vote in the assembly, which framed laws.o This form of democracy is known as direct democracy where

people directly participated in the process of governance without any intermediaries or representatives.

III. Today,o Democracy is the most favoured form of government.o It allows people to choose their own representatives to form

the government.o Equality and freedom are two guiding principles of

democracy.[

c. What is the significance of the Magna Carta?MAGNA CARTA:

I. A significant milestone in the development of democracy was a document called the Magna Carta which was passed in 1215 CE in England.

II. It paved the way for the creation of a law-making body called the Parliament.

III. The nobles of England forced the reigning monarch of the time, King John to sign this historic document which also stated that written laws held a higher power than the king.

IV. The influence of the parliament increased gradually.

d. How did the French Revolution play an important role in the evolution of democracy?FRENCH REVOLUTION:

I. The French Revolution of 1789 marked a turning point in the journey of democracy.

II. The people of France were divided into three estates:A. First Estate – Clergy (priest)B. Second Estate – NoblesC. Third Estate – Common people

III. The revolution with its slogan of liberty, equality and fraternity was directed against the clergy and the nobles.IV. In August 1789, it adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens.

V. It declared that all men are born free and have equal rights.e. What were the main developments in the journey of democracy in the 19th and 20th centuries?Developments in 19th Century:

I. A series of revolutions swept Europe as people demanded greater rights and participation in the government.

II. By the end of the 19th century, almost all governments had adopted various forms of constitutions that limited the power of monarchs.

Developments in 20th Century:I. As the voice for democracy grew louder, more developments took

place worldwide.II. The Women’s Suffrage movement gained pace with women

demanding the right to vote.III. After the end of the Second World War in 1945, decolonization

and civil rights movements took place all over the world.

IV. Many countries in Asia, Africa and South America declared their independence.

V. The Declaration of Human Rights 1948 was signed by most countries of the world which was the culmination of a long struggle for human dignity.

Ln.2 – WHAT IS DEMOCRACY? OUTCOMES OF FOCUSED LEARNING:

Features of democracy Different Forms of Government

Authoritarian Government – Totalitarian Government or Dictatorship – Military Dictatorship – Absolute Monarchy – Constitutional Monarchy – Communist Governments

What makes Democracy popular? Formal Equality – Decision-making Mechanisms – Accommodation of Differences – Enhancing Individual DignityKEY TERMS:1. Dissent: Expressing opinions that are different from those that are officially accepted 2. Crusade: A long and determined effort to achieve something that you believe to be right or wrong3. Unflagging: Remaining strong; not becoming weak or tired4. Ethnic: Connected with or belonging to a nation, race or people that shares a cultural tradition5. Conciliation: To help an angry person to calm down6. Hereditary: Given to a child by its parents before it is born7. Ceremonial: Relating to or used in a ceremony

5. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN ONE OR TWO SENTENCES:

a. What is most essential feature of a democratic form of government?

The most essential feature of a democratic form of government is that it gives power to people to elect their government, control it and remove it from power.b. What do you understand by the term military dictatorship?

In a military dictatorship, the reins of power are controlled by the military.c. What is meritocracy?

A system in which advancement is based on individual ability or achievement. A meritocracy is a form of government where appointments to government positions are made on the basis of talent and intelligence.d. Name the three organs of the government.

The three organs of the government are – 1. The legislature, 2. The executive and 3. The judiciary.e. What are fundamental rights?

Fundamental Rights safeguard the dignity of the individual and also allows a person to perform his duties to the best of his ability.6. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN FOUR OR FIVE SENTENCES:a. What are the features of an authoritarian government?AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENT:

I. It is a non-democratic form of government.II. Under such a government a leader or a group of people, who are not

elected by the citizens wield all the powers of the state.III. Typically, power is concentrated in the hands of a single

individual.

IV. The government does not give importance to the views and aspirations of the people.

V. While the government enjoys unlimited power, the citizens do not have any freedom or liberty.

b. Write a short note on the struggle for democracy in Myanmar.DEMOCRACY IN MYANMAR:

I. In 1962, democratic rule came to an end in Myanmar (Burma), when General Ne Win led the military overthrow of the democratically elected government.

II. Almost all aspects of life such as business, media, education etc., were brought under government control.

III. Right from the beginning, there were protests against military rule.

IV. The crusade(energetic organized campaign) for democracy was led by Aung San Sui Kyi.

V. She has been fighting relentlessly for democracy to be restored in Myanmar.

VI. She was placed under house arrest since 1989 and was released only in November 2010.

VII. On 1 April 2012, her opposition party, the National League for Democracy, announced that she was elected to the bicameral legislature of Burma, the lower house of the Burmese parliament, representing the constituency of Kawhmu (a Burmese township).

c. What is a constitutional monarchy? How is it different from an absolute monarchy?CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY:

I. It is a monarchy wherein the king or queen operates within a written or unwritten set of laws that limits his/her power.

II. Most constitutional monarchies have a parliamentary form of government, with a directly or indirectly elected head of government called the Prime Minister.

III. A constitutionally elected government through a legislature forms and implements laws in the country.

IV. Example: United Kingdom, Japan, etc.ABSOLUTE MONARCHY:

I. Whereas an absolute monarchy is a form of government where absolute power resides in the hands of a king or a queen.

II. It is a hereditary form of power and after the death of the monarch, power passes on to the next person in the royal family. In such a government the ruler has unlimited powers.

III. Example: Brunei, Swaziland, etc.[

d. How do checks and balances shape the decision making system in a democracy?DECISION MAKING SYSTEM IN A DEMOCRACY:

I. In a democracy the decision-making power lies with the three organs of the government – the legislature, executive and the judiciary.

II. Powers are also distributed at all levels of government so that centre does not have excessive powers.

III. Criticism and feedback are two vital mechanisms of democracy to control the government.

IV. The government’s policies and measures are closely scrutinized and evaluated by the people through the media and the opposition parties.

e. How are social differences accommodated in a democracy?ACCOMODATION OF SOCIAL DIFFERENCES:

I. The accommodation of political, social, linguistic and religious differences is the hallmark of the democratic set up in India.

II. All religions are treated with equal respect.III. The Indian Constitution guarantees the right to equality to all

citizens and thus ensures no citizen is discriminated against on account of caste, colour, religion, sex or place of birth.

IV. The groups of people who are socially and economically backward due to centuries of exploitation are given special concessions by the Indian government.