I.
Fill in the blanks:
i. State or the monarch
ii. Constitution
iii. Constitutional monarchies
iv. Pericles
v. Justice and equality
II. Write true or false
i. False
ii. False
iii. True
iv. False
v. True
III. Multiple choice questions
i. c
ii. c
iii. b
iv. c
v. b
vi. c
vii. b
viii. b
IV. Answer in brief
i. A government is the body that governs or administers a political unit, like a country or a state. The government
has the authority to make laws, settle disputes, maintain security and enforce public order and discipline.
ii. Totalitarian Governments can be of various types such as Monarchies, Oligarchies, Theocracies and Dictatorships.
iii. Yes, India got its first experience of democracy after independence in 1947. Democracy means where the people
have all power vested with them which they express through elections. In almost all democracies there is
constitution. So in India right to vote and constitution came into existence only after independence.
iv. In 510 BCE, Cleisthenes abolished monarchy and established the first democratic government in the world. Under
the able statesmanship of the democratic leader Pericles, Athenian democracy reached the height of its glory. So
we can say democracy was established in Athens before Pericles however it reached its glory in Pericles’s time.
v. Direct democracy would not work better in India because in direct democracy everyone is directly involved in
governing the country. All powers are vested with them. With a huge population of our country direct democracy
is not possible. As individual participation in governing the country is not possible.
vi. Through the 1760s and 1790s, the Americans developed the concept of Republicanism. It is a political system that
believes in liberty, equality and the rule of law.
V. Answer in detail
i. In almost a democracies, there is a constitution (written or unwritten) which guarantees basic personal and
political rights, free and fair elections and independent courts of law. A constitution is a set of laws and rules based
on which a political unit is administered.
ii. The Renaissance swept through medieval Europe towards the end of the 14 th century. It was a movement where
the common people started questioning the control of the church and the monarch over their lives as they
rediscovered principles of ancient Athens and Rome.
During the age of enlightenment spanning the 17th and 18th centuries, the theory of modern democracy was
formulated. During this time, philosophers defined the essential elements of democracy- equality, fundamental
rights, religious freedom, separation of the church and state.
iii. The key elements of democracy are:
a) Rule by the people
b) Justice and equality
c) Guarantee of basic human rights to every human citizen
d) The rule of law
People are the highest political authority in a democracy because they choose the government through regular, free
and fair elections. During elections, people choose their representatives from competing parties. The people thus
decide who will represent them in parliament.
iv. The success of a democracy depends on citizen’s participation only if citizens participate actively in its functioning.
They should be well informed about the issues of the country and how they want to address the issues. People
should carefully choose their representatives .Once elected, the citizens should keep a watch on the leaders they
have chosen. Citizens participation must be peaceful, respectful of the law, tolerant of the different views of other
groups and individuals.
v. Democracy, while often considered the best form of government, isn't without limitations. One key limit is the
potential for majority tyranny, where the desires of the majority overshadow the rights of minorities. Another is the
challenge of uninformed or manipulated voters, which can undermine the integrity of the democratic process.
Additionally, democracy may struggle to address complex issues that require long-term planning and expertise.
However, despite these limitations, democracy provides avenues for accountability, representation, and peaceful
change, making it a crucial system for ensuring citizens' voices are heard and rights protected. Thus, while there are
limits, the benefits of democracy often outweigh its shortcomings, making it a necessary and valuable system of
governance.
