Consider the following facts about a country and decide if you would call it a democracy. Give reasons to support your decision.

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 o f the country have right to vote. Elections are held regularly.

(b)The country took loan 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 language but education is available only in one language, the language spoken by 52 percent people of that country. 

(d) Several organisations have given a call for peaceful demonstrations and nation wide 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 government's policies and protests. 

Ans.

(a) This is democracy as only democratic set-up allows right to vote and ensure that elections are held regularly.

(b) The condition of reducing expenses on health and education is against the principle of a welfare state which a democratic set-up follows. This is undemocratic condition.

(c) In a democracy, education can be imparted in all the languages inspite of language of the majority being the official language.

(d) In a democracy, people have the right to express their opinion in a peaceful manner. The government’s behaviour is undemocratic.

(e) This is undemocratic nature as in a democracy there is freedom of press and media : If the government owns radio and television, then the freedom is violated.