NCERT 7th Class (CBSE) Social Science: Democracy

Question: What is a village panchayat? How did it help Susheela?

Answer: Village panchayats are democratic institutions at local level. They provide a forum for the people to discuss and decide on issues concerning their lives in the village. It helped Susheela to get her own freedom and justice.

Question: How do citizens in a democratic country participate in the government?

Answer: Citizens in a democratic country participate in the government through elections. In a democracy an important means for people to exercise their political power are elections. All adult men and women vote to elect their representations. In doing so they are indirectly participating in governance of the country. The elected ones take part in the government directly but on behalf of the entire community. If people are not satisfied with the government they can remove it in the next elections. People not any elect their government, but also control it. The policies of the government are bound to reflect the wishes of the people that is the public opinion.

Question: Explain why democracy is much more than just a form of government.

Answer: Democracy is not just a form of government alone. It is also a form of society and a form of economy. In other words the values of democracy such as justice freedom and human dignity should be deeply embedded not only in the political system but also in the social and economic life of the people.

Question: What do understand by rule of law?

Answer: An important feature of democracy is the rule of law. It means that all are equal before the law. The president of a country and an ordinary citizen get the same protection. It makes no distinction between the rich and poor or the educated and the uneducated. It also ensures that there is no one above the law.

The rule of law also provides provides protection to individuals against social evils such as untouchability child marriage and other forms of discrimination.

Question: What is a democratic society?

Answer: When people enjoy the right to elect and to removes their rulers it political democracy. But the social life of people can still be filled with various forms of injustice. Thus a democratic government becomes meaningful only if the society is democratic. In other words there should be no discrimination of any kind in democratic society. All men and women should be treated equally and should have equal opportunities for growth and development.

Question: What is economic democracy?

Answer: Economic democracy means absence of all exploitation that is workers should not be exploited by owners and peasants should not be exploited by landlords. Equal wages should not be given for equal work. No desalination should be made between men and women. There should be no economic democracy if their is no fair distribution of wealth in the society. if wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few there can be no economic justice.