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Democracy - Notes

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11 views4 pages

Democracy - Notes

Uploaded by

mdmarwan
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What is Democracy? Why Democracy?

NOTES
What is Democracy?
• A simple definition can be that democracy is a form of government in which the
rulers are elected by the people.

Features of Democracy
• In a democracy, the decision-making power is upon the people who elected the
participants. A case in Pakistan violates this feature.

• Free and fair elections must be held in a fair manner where those who are
currently in power can have a fair chance of losing. Cases on China and Mexico
violate this feature.

• In a democracy, each adult irrespective of their religion, education, caste, color,


or wealth have one vote, one value. Cases on Saudi, Estonia and Fiji violate this
feature.

• The elected rulers take decisions within limits set by constitutional law and
citizens’ rights. A case on Zimbabwe violates this feature.

Major Decisions by Elected Leaders


• In Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf led a military coup in October 1999 and
overthrew democratically elected government and became President of the
country.

→ In 2002, he held a referendum in the country which was based on granting him
a five-year extension on his position. Pakistani media and many activists said
that the referendum was based on negligence and fraud.
→ Musharraf implemented about 29 amendments to the constitution which
completely gave him the power to eradicate the parliament and throw the prime
minister out of his position.

→ After passing law in 2002, ‘Legal Framework Order’ which gave the president
power to dismiss the national and provincial assemblies, and therefore elections
were held to the national and provincial assemblies.

• In this case, Pakistan has had elections, elected representatives have some
powers. But the final power rests with military officers and General Musharraf
himself. So, this should not be called a democracy.

• In a democracy, the final decision-making power must rest with those elected
by the people. We can’t call this a people’s rule when all the power rests within
the leader.

Free and Fair Electoral Competition


• In China, elections are regularly held after every five years for electing the
country’s parliament called National People’s Congress. This congress had the
power to appoint a new president.

→ Before contesting elections, a candidate needs the approval of the Chinese


Communist Party.

→ The government is always formed by the Communist Party. Only those who
are members of the Communist Party or the 8 other small parties allied to it were
allowed to contest the 2002-03 elections.

→ Its delegates elect the Central Committee with about 200 members. In turn,
this committee elects the Politburo and from that, the Standing Committee has
been chosen.

• Mexico holds elections after every six years to elect its President.
→ But until 2000 every election was won by a party called PRI (Institutional
Revolutionary Party).

→ Opposition parties did contest elections, but never managed to win as PRI was
known to use many dirty tricks to win elections.

→ All those who were employed in government offices had to attend its party
meetings.

→ Teachers at government schools used to force parents to vote for PRI. Media
largely ignored the activities of the opposition political parties except to criticize
them.

→ Sometimes the polling booths were shifted from one place to another at the
last minute, which made it difficult for people to cast their votes.

• Both cases should not be called democracy. A democracy must be based on a


free and fair election where those currently in power have a fair chance of losing.

One Person, One Vote, One Value


• There are many instances of denial of equal right to vote.

→ In Saudi Arabia women do not have the right to vote until 2015.

→ Estonia has made its citizenship rules in such a way that people belonging to
Russian minority find it difficult to get the right to vote.

→ In Fiji, the electoral system is such that the vote of an indigenous Fiji has more
value than that of an Indian-Fijian person.

• In a democracy, each adult citizen must have one vote and each vote must have
one value. This is the universal adult franchise.
Rule of Law and Respect for Rights
• Since independence, Zimbabwe ruled by ZANU-PF.

→ Its leader, Robert Mugabe has been ruling the country. He is popular but also
uses unfair practices in elections.

→ Elections have been held regularly and always won by ZANU-PF.

→ Opposition party workers are harassed, and their meetings were disrupted.

→ Public protests and demonstrations against the government are declared


illegal.

→ Television and radio are controlled by the government and gives only the
ruling party’s version.

→ Independent newspapers are there but the government harasses those


journalists who go against it.

→ The government has ignored some court judgments that went against it and
has pressurized judges.

• In this case, government is not democratic as there is no citizens' basic rights,


no political opposition, no judiciary.

• A democratic government rule within limits set by constitutional law and


citizens’ rights.

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