Key Elements of a Democratic Government
(Q and A)
Q1: Name the three key elements that influence the working of a democratic government?
Answer:
① people's participation,
② the resolution of conflict and
③ equality and justice.
Q2: What is the meaning of the word 'Apartheid'?
Answer: It means separation on the basis of race.
Q3: What were the Apartheid laws in South Africa?
Answer: South African people were divided into black, white and coloured races. According to the law, these races were not allowed to mingle with each other, to live near each other or even to use common facilities. e.g. there were separate trains for the blacks and the white people. Thus blacks and coloured people were not considered to be equal to whites.
Q4: Name the leader of African National Congress who led the struggle against apartheid.
Answer: Nelson Mandela
Q5: When did South Africa become democratic country.
Answer: In 1994 South Africa became a democratic country that ended Apartheid laws.
Q6: What were Hector and his classmates protesting about?
Answer: Hector and his classmates protested against learning the Africans language in school. This was the language that white spoke. They were forced to learn this language, but they wanted to learn their own language Zulu.
Q7: Name the language spoken by white people of South Africa.
Answer: Afrikaans
Q8: Name the native language of black people of South Africa.
Answer: Zulu
Q9: List five ways in which the non-whites were discriminated against.
Answer: The five ways in which non-whites were discriminated against:
(i) In South Africa, the government practised apartheid laws.
(ii) The different races were not allowed to mingle with each other, to live near each other or even to use common facilities.
(iii) Non-whites were not allowed to vote.
(iv) Hospitals and ambulances were separate. An ambulance meant for white people would always be well equipped while one meant for black people was not.
(v) There were separate trains and buses. Even bus-stops were different for black and white people.
Q10: What is ANC?
Answer: ANC stands for the African National Congress, a group of people who led the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.
Q11: How does the power of government get limited?
Answer: Elected government can rule for limted amount of time e.g. five years in India. After this, elections are held to re-elect the representatives.
Q12: Who is responsible for resolving conflicts in a country?
Answer: The government is responsible for helping to resolve conflicts.
Q13: Do you think it is important for all persons to be treated equally? Why?
Answer: All people are born equal and enjoy the right to life, property and liberty. If a section of the people are denied these rights, it will create conflicts in the society. No one has to right to surpress others.
Q14: Who is responsible for resolving conflicts in a country?
Answer: The government is responsible for helping to resolve conflicts.
Q15: Name the different ways ways in which people express their views and make governments understand what actions they should take.
Answer: Dharnas, rallies, strikes, signature campaign, debates on TV, radio and other media channels are different ways people express their views and opionions.
Q16: How can rivers become a source of conflict in a country?
Answer: Rivers can become a source of conflict between states. A river may begin in one place, flow through another and end in a third. The sharing of river water between different places that the river goes through becomes an issue
of conflict.
Q17: What actions does the government take to ensure that all people are treated equally?
Answer: The government ensures that the constitutional provisions are implied in the country. It makes laws and enforces them to abolish all sorts of discriminations. It makes provisions to provide equal facilities to all classes of people, promotion of education among girls and economically backwards. These are some of the actions that the government takes to ensure equality among people.
Q18: What is the key idea behind a democratic government?
Answer: The key idea of a democratic government is its commitment to equality and justice.
Q19: How is the power of the government checked through elections?
Answer: All governments are elected for fixed periods. Once elected, governments can stay in power only for that period. If they want to continue to be in power then they have to be re-elected by the people. This provides opportunity to the people to sense their power in a democracy and hence regular elections limit the power of the government.
Q20: How do you think lowering the school fees would help girls attend school?
Answer: Yes it can help very much as the girls are not allowed to go to school due to poverty and their parents are not willing to pay high school fees. Lowering fees prompt them to send girls attend their school.
Q21: Why did the government ban Untouchability? Name an important leader of this movement.
Answer: The earlier practice of untouchability is now banned by law in our country as group of people considered as untouchables were denied education, transport or medical facilities and even the chance to offer prayers. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar played an important role in this movement.
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