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Read the following passage and pick out any one of the prudential reasons for power sharing offered in this. “We need to give more power to the panchayats to realise the dream of Mahatma Gandhi and the hopes of the makers of our Constitution. Panchayati Raj establishes true democracy. It restores power to the only place where power belongs in a democracy – in the hands of the people. Giving power to Panchayats is also a way to reduce corruption and increase administrative efficiency. When people participate in the planning and implementation of developmental schemes, they would naturally exercise greater control over these schemes. This would eliminate the corrupt middlemen. Thus, Panchayati Raj will strengthen the foundations of our democracy.”

Power sharing will bring out better outcomes is the prudential reason. When people participate in the planning and implementation of... View Article

Arrange the following statements in a logical sequence and select the right answers by using the code given below. A) But all political expression of social divisions need not be always dangerous. B) Social divisions of one kind or the other exist in most countries. C) Parties try to win political support by appealing to social divisions. D) Some social differences may result in social divisions. i) D, B, C, A ii) D, B, A, C iii) D, A, C, B iv) A, B, C, D

Answer: The correct answer is option (i) - D,B,C,A. D) Some social differences may result in social divisions. B) Social divisions of one kind... View Article

Between 1880 and 1920 forests cover in the Indian subcontinent declined by 9.7 million hectares, from 108.6 million hectares to 98.9 million hectares. Discuss the role of the following factors in this decline: a) Railways b) Shipbuilding c) Agricultural expansion d) Commercial farming e) Tea/Coffee plantations f) Adivasis and other peasants users

a)Railways  A new demand was created in the 1850s due to rapid expansion of Railways. For the movement of imperial soldiers and to carry... View Article

Are the following statements in keeping with democracy as a value? Why? a) Father to daughter: I don’t want to hear your opinion about your marriage. In our family children marry where the parents tell them to. b) Teacher to student: Don’t disturb my concentration by asking me questions in the classroom. c) Employee to the officer: Our working hours must be reduced according to the law.

a)No, it is not in line with democratic values People should respect others' basic rights. As a father, he will have a moral obligation and... View Article

Consider the following facts about a country and decide if you would call it a democracy. Give reasons to support your decision. a) All the citizens of the country have the right to vote. Elections are held regularly. b) The country took loans from international agencies. One of the conditions for giving loan was that the government would reduce its expenses on education and health. c) People speak more than seven languages but education is available only in one language, the language spoken by 52 per cent people of that country. d) Several organisations have given a call for peaceful demonstrations and nationwide strikes in the country to oppose these policies. Government has arrested these leaders. e) The government owns the radio and television in the country. All the newspapers have to get permission from the government to publish any news about the government’s policies and protests.

a)Yes, this country is definitely a democracy. As per the principle of Universal Adult Franchise, everyone should have one vote and equal value... View Article

Here are some reports of electoral malpractices from different parts of the world. Is there anything that these countries can learn from India to improve their elections? What would you suggest in each case? a) During an election in Nigeria, the officer in charge of counting votes deliberately increased the votes of one candidate and declared him elected. The court later found out that more than five lakh votes cast for one candidate were counted in favour of another. b) Just before elections in Fiji, a pamphlet was distributed warning voters that a vote for former Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry will lead to bloodshed. This was a threat to voters of Indian origin. c) In the US, each state has its own method of voting, its own procedure of counting and its own authority for conducting elections. Authorities in the state of Florida took many controversial decisions that favoured Mr. Bush in the presidential elections in 2000. But no one could change those decisions.

Answer:  a)  The Election Commission should be given independent powers, it should not come under control of the Government or the... View Article

There are 40 villages in a district where the government has made no provision for drinking water. These villagers met and considered many methods of forcing the government to respond to their need. Which of these is not a democratic method? a) Filing a case in the courts claiming that water is part of the right to life. b) Boycotting the next elections to give a message to all parties. c) Organising public meetings against the government’s policies. d) Paying money to government officials to get water.

Answer: The correct answer is option (D) - It is undemocratic to bribe Government officials to get water. It is their right. It is the duty of... View Article

Read the following passage from a famous speech by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963. Which social division is he talking about? What are his aspirations and anxieties? Do you see a relationship between this speech and the incident in Mexico Olympics mentioned in this chapter? “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character. Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring—when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children—black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics—will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: ‘Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’ I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal’.”

Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 was talking about Racial Discrimination against the Blacks in United States of America. Yes, there is a strong... View Article

List all the different election-related activities mentioned in the chapter and arrange them in a time sequence, beginning with the first activity and ending with the last. Some of these activities are given. (releasing election manifestos counting of votes, making of voters’ list, election campaign, declaration of election results, casting of votes, ordering of re-poll, announcing election schedule, filing nomination)

Answer: The sequence from beginning to end is listed below: Making of voters list Announcing election schedule Releasing election... View Article

When Madhurima went to the property registration office, the exercises Registrar told her, “You can’t write your name as Madhurima Banerjee d/o A. K. Banerjee. You are married, you must give your husband’s name. Your husband’s surname is Rao. So your name should be changed to Madhurima Rao.” She did not agree. She said, “If my husband’s name has not changed after marriage, why should mine?” In your opinion who is right in this dispute? And why?

The Right to Equality is the fundamental right of Madhurima which has been violated by the Registrar. Men and women have equal rights over the... View Article