• Democracy is not merely a form of government .

It is also a form a
state as a well society. It is closely associated with participation,
competition and civil and political liberties. It is order of society.
• Democracy is defined as a form of government in which the supreme
power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or
indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodic
free elections.
Definition
 MacIver : Democracy is a form of state is merely a mode of
appointing, controlling and dismissing a government

 Gettel: Democracy is that form of government in which the

masses of the population possesses the right to share in the
exercise of sovereign power.

 Bryce:- Democracy really means nothing more or less than

the rule of the whole people, expressing their Sovereign will
by their votes.
 The word ‘democracy’ itself means ‘rule by the people.
 A democracy is a system where people can change their rulers in a peaceful manner and the
government is given the right to rule because the people say it may.
 Government by the people, especially- rule of the majority.
 A government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly
or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.
 A political unit that has a democratic government.
 The term ‘democracy’ comes from the Greek word demokratia which means “rule of the people”.
It was coined from two words: demos that means “people” and Kratos which refers to “power”.
That is, in a democracy the power rests with the people.
 Democracy refers to a political system in which government is
form by the people, exercised either directly or through elected
representative.
Main Points:
 People Elected government. There is freedom of speech.
 There is no one party government In the country.
 Right to give vote to elect their representatives.
 The common people, considered as the primary source of
political power.
 The principles of social equality and respect for the individual
within a community.
• It defines as government by the people in which the
supreme power is vested in the people and exercised
directly by them or by their elected agents under a free
electoral system.
• Abraham Lincoln:-Democracy is a government “of the
people, by the people, and for the people.”
• There is no clear – cut, universal definition of
democracy.
• Most definitions of democracy focus on qualities,
procedures, and institutions
Principals of democracy
 Constitution.
 Free elections .
 Government by consent of the people.  Majority Rule.
 Rule of law.
 Guarantees rights and freedoms.
 Change the Government.
 Open Society.
 Political Equality. Freedom to live or travel anywhere in the country.
 Importance of Public Opinion.
 Participation of people in decision making process.
 Role of opposition party.
Why we prefer Democracy?

 To lead the country to development.

 Element of decentralization.
 To rise of political institutions.
 Right to commerce.
 Spread of education.
 Free Media.
 Independent Judiciary.
Conditions necessary for successful working of democracy:
 A system can be termed as a genuine and comprehensive democracy only when it fulfills both political
and socio-economic aspects of people’ s participation and satisfaction.

 There may be two major categories:

(a)political conditions, and

(b) social and economic conditions – the fulfillment of the first leads to political democracy and the
second as social democracy .
social and economic conditions:
• A democratic system has to ensure that the social development is in tune with
democratic values and norms reflecting equality of social status and opportunities
for development, social security and social welfare.

• Citizens must avail opportunities of universal and compulsory education.

• They must also be enabled to utilize means of economic development.

• The fruits of economic development must reach all and especially to the poor and
the deprived sections of the society .

• Socio-economic development of the people strengths social democracy .

Features of Democracy
 In a democracy the final decision making power must rest with those who elected by the
people.

 A democracy must be based on a free and fair election where those currently in power have
a fair chance of losing.

 In a democracy, each adult citizen must have one vote and each vote must have one value.

 A democratic government rules within limits sets by constitutional law and citizen’s right.

 The opposition parties are allowed to function freely before and after the elections.

 The democratic governments are based on fundamental principles of political equality.

CHALLENGES BEFORE INDIAN DEMOCRACY

 Since independence India has been functioning as a responsible

democracy.

 It has successfully adapted to the challenging situations.

 There have been free and fair periodic elections for all political
offices from the panchayats to the President.

 There has been smooth transfer of political power from one political
party or set of political parties to others, both at national and state
levels on many occasions.
India is a very large country full of diversities –
 linguistically , culturally, religiously. At the time of independence it was economically
underdeveloped.

 There were enormous regional disparities, widespread poverty, illiteracy, unemployment,

and shortage of almost all public welfare means.

 Yet, there are various challenges that the country faces in terms of fulfillment of
expectations of various sections of society.

 The challenges come both from prevailing domestic and international conditions as well as
lack of adequate prerequisites for a smooth functioning of democracy.
Corruption

 Corruption in public life has been a major concern in India. In 2011, India was ranked 95(183
countries) defined as corrupt in Transparency International’ s Corruption Perceptions Index
(CPI).

 In fact, corruption is rampant in all walks of life, be it land and property , health, education,
commerce and industry, agriculture, transport, police, armed forces, even religious institutions
or so-called places of spiritual pursuits.

 Corruption continues to exist in covert and overt ways at all three levels - political,
bureaucratic and corporate sector.

 One can see the relation between the politicians, the bureaucrats and the industrialists which
has resulted into corruption and corrupt practices. The corruption have affected all organs of
government, including the judiciary.

 Corruption in electoral processes and bribing of voters who participate in elections at

different levels has now become a common practice.
 The caste system which presumably originated in the division of labour in the ancient society
has become a more or less rigid group classification, based on birth.
 Inhuman aspect of the caste system is the practice of untouchability which is continuing in
spite of the constitutional ban imposed on it. This has led to segregation of so called low castes
or ‘Dalits’, depriving them of education and other social benefits.
 The Dalits have been typically performing menial labour and some of the hardest physical
work in society. Casteism has played a negative role even in the democratic political processes.
 In fact, casteism has become notorious as a strategy of exploitation of caste consciousness for
narrow political gains. The caste system acts against the roots of democracy . The democratic
facilities - like fundamental rights relating to equality , freedom of speech, expression and
association, participation in the electoral process, free media and press, and even legislative
forums - are misused for maintaining casteist identity .
 Casteism has also been contributing towards continuation of socio-economic inequalities. It is
true that India has been an unequal society from times immemorial. The Scheduled Castes
(SCs), the Scheduled Tribes (ST s) and the backward classes have suffered down the ages from
socio-economic
There are enormous inequalities in our society which are
posing serious challenge to Indian democracy. What is
more alarming is the mixing of caste and politics resulting
into ‘politicization of caste’ and ‘casteization of politics’ in
contemporary Indian polity which has become a grave
challenge to our democracy .
 Despite the era of liberalization and globalization caste
consciousness has not been eroded in our society and
castes are being increasingly used as vote bank politics.
 Equality, like liberty is one of the fundamental pillars
of democracy. The American Declaration of
Independence in 1776 proclaims that " We hold these
truths to be self –evident that all men are created
equal ".

 The French Declaration of Rights of Man (1789) also

emphasizes " Men are born , and always continue ,
free and equal in respect of their rights".

 The Charter of United Nations also recognizes

equality in international sphere when it says :
" The organization is based on the principles of sovereign
equality of all its members”
 Equality means that all men are equal and should be entitled
equal , opportunity and treatment.

 Equality means all things that are equal when measured by

society's standards.

 Everyone or everything is on the same level in ability, rank,

quality, quantity or social standing.

 Fairness is an essential feature of equality.

 The objective is for all people to receive fair treatment

regardless of their background or social status.
 Government services are one measure of how equality
works in everyday life.
 For example, when applying for a driver's license, everyone
is given the same written and vehicle operation test
 Equality plays a role in both the public and private
sectors on issues of employment.
Workplaces commonly have non-discrimination
policies based on the principle of equality. Ideally,
employees are treated equally while on the job.
 Equality can also be applied to anything that is uniform

in nature.
Equality of Opportunity (Definition) :

Equality of opportunity is a political ideal that is opposed to caste hierarchy but not to
hierarchy.

 In a caste society, the assignment of individuals to places in the

social hierarchy is fixed by birth.

 Social mobility may be possible in a caste society, but the process

whereby one is admitted to a different level of the hierarchy is open
only to some individuals depending on their initial inscriptive social
status.

 In contrast, when equality of opportunity prevails, the

assignment of individuals to places in the social hierarchy is
determined by some form of competitive process (Merit), and all
members of society are eligible to compete on equal terms.

 Different conceptions of equality of opportunity construe this idea of

competing on equal terms variously.
Formal Equality of Opportunity :

Formal quality of opportunity requires that positions, posts &

superior advantages
should be open to all applicants. Applications are assessed on
their merits, and the applicant deemed most qualified according
to appropriate criteria is offered the position

Discrimination and Formal Equality of Opportunity :

Whimsical hiring violates formal equality of opportunity just as

much as discrimination against some applicants because the
applicant is a member of a socially disfavored group, the latter is
evidently a more serious violation of formal equality of
opportunity.
Whereas being the object of discrimination because one is a
group that has been targed for oppressive treatment in the
past is likely to be a wound to one's sense of dignity and self-
respect, being the victim of whimsical or idiosyncratic
(Individual)
hiring practices is less likely to inflict a significant psychic
wound over and above the loss of the job itself.
 The difficulty with formal equality of opportunity is that it is
merely formal. Imagine a society ruled by a hereditary
warrior class. Reformers bring about a change. From
now on, membership in the warrior class will not be
drawn exclusively from the wealthy stratum of the
society. Warriors will instead be selected on the
basis of a competitive examination. However, it turns out
that only scions of the wealthy stratum pass the exam
and become warriors.

 In this set up advocates for the non-wealthy strata of

society might object that none but members of the
traditional wealthy elite have a chance to satisfy the
eligibility requirements for admission to the warrior
class.