CBSE Class 10 Social Science Challenges to Democracy Assignment Set A

Short Answers Type Questions

Question. What are the basic rights of citizens for exercising voting rights?
Answer: 
1. The rulers elected by the people must take all the major decisions.
2. Elections must offer a choice and fair opportunity to the people to change the current rulers.
3. The choice and opportunity should be available to all the people on an equal basis.
4. The exercise of this choice must lead to a govt. limited by basic rules of the constitution and citizens right.

Question. How is the challenge of deepening of democracy faced by every democracy?
Answer: 
1. This involves string tuning of the institutions and practices of democracy.
2. This should happen in such a way that people can realize their expectations of democracy.
3. In general terms, it usually means string tuning those institutions that help people’s participation and control.
4. This requires an attempt to bring down the control and influence of the rich and powerful people in making governmental decisions.

Question. Enumerate there challenges which democracies in the world face today.
Answer: 
1. Fundamental challenge — Those countries which do not have democratic form of govt. face the fundamental challenge of establishing democracy in the country.
2. Challenge of Expansion.—Countries having democratic setup face the challenge of expansion.
3. Deepening of Democracy – This challenge is faced by almost all the democracies. This involves strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracies.

Question. What does fundamental challenge to democracy mean? Which two aspects are included in this challenge?
Answer: Those countries which do not have democratic form of govt. face the foundational challenge of establishing democracy in the country. This involves bringing down the existing non-democratic govt. to keep the military away from capturing power and establishing a sovereign democratic state.

Long Answers Type Questions

Question. Describe the major challenges to democracy in India.
Answer: Following can be described as the major challenge s to democracy in India.—
1. Social and economic inequality. 2. Poverty 3. Illiteracy 4. Casteism 5. Communalism 6. Regional imbalances.
7. Problem of language 8. Violence

Question. How is communalism become big challenge to Indian democracy?
Answer: India is a land of many religious which sum of differ from each other but all have a fundamental unity. All religious proclaim the fatherhood of god and Brotherhood of man. All of them lay great stress on truth, honesty and advice their followers to serve god by serving men. At the other hand the mixture of politics and religion has hampered the growth of progress and national unity. This creates religious intolerance which is the major hindrance in political stability and culture unity. In this way communalism become a challenge to Indian democracy.

Multiple Choice Questions

Question.The challenge of deepening of democracy involves –
(a) Applying basic principal of democracy govt. across all the regions.
(b) Strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracy.
(c) Inclusion of women and minority groups indecision making.
(d) Challenge of expansion.
Answer: B

​​​​​​​Question. The challenge of expansion of a democracy required –
(a) Keeping military a way from the govt.
(b) Less decisions should remain outside the democratic control.
(c) Bringing clown the influence of the rich.
(d) Establishing a functional state.​​​​​​​
Answer: B

​​​​​​​Question. Name of law which empowers people to carry out democratic reforms—
(a) Right to information Act.
(b) Companies Act.
(c) MRTP Act
(d) None of these.
​​​​​​​Answer: A

​​​​​​​Question. Which kind of lows are considered the best for democratic reforms?
(a) Laws that seek to bar something.
(b) Lows that seek to promote the benefit of a particular section of society.
(c) Lows that empower people to carry out democratic reforms.
(d) None of these.
​​​​​​​Answer: C

​​​​​​​Question. Which of the following countries disregards the UN and lakes unilateral decisions in the world affairs?
(a) France    
(b) India    
(c) U.K.    
(d) U.S.
Answer: D

Important Questions NCERT Class 10 Social Science Chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy
 

Question. How can you say that democracies are based on political equality?
Answer: Democracy gives political equality by granting every individual the right to vote. All citizens have equal rights to influence decision-making and have equal access to political power.

Question. “The challenge of deepening of democracy is being faced by every democracy in one form or another.” Support the statement with arguments.
Answer: Deepening of democracy :
(i) Deepening of democracy involves strengthening the institutions and the practices of democracy.
(ii) In different societies the ordinary people have different expectations from democracy and it needs to be fulfilled.
(iii) Deepening of democracy needs more of people’s participation and control on the functioning of the leaders.
(iv) The control of rich and powerful people in the making of the governmental decision has to come down.

Question. “Legal-constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challanges to democracy”. Justify the statement with an example.
Answer: There are many challenges to democracy, like economic inequality, poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, regional imbalances, casteism, communalism, etc. The Parliament has time and again passed many laws to remove all such hindrances and challenges.There is not a single field which has not been touched and reformed.
But legal challenges alone cannot overcome challenges to democracy.
As there are strict laws against dowry, but still this evil persists and there is not a single day when we do not hear about dowry deaths.
What is required is the cooperation of the citizens, i.e. change in mindset of the citizens. They need to be reasonable, active, cooperative and willing to perform their duties. Legal constitutional changes and the cooperation of the citizens are the need of the hour. Thus, legal constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challenges to democracy.

Question. ‘Legal reforms may sometimes be counter productive’. Support the statement with suitable arguments.
Answer: (i) Any legal changes must carefully look at the results it will have on politics. Sometimes, the results can be counter-productive. For example, many states have banned people who have more than two children from contesting panchayat elections.
(ii) This has resulted in the denial of democratic opportunity to many poor men and women, which was not intended. Generally, laws that seek to ban something are not very successful in politics.
(iii) The best laws are those which empower people to carry out democratic reforms. For example, Right to Information Act.

Question. When was the ‘Right to Information Act’ implemented? How does it act as the watchdog of democracy? Explain.
Answer: ‘The Right to Information Act’ was implemented in 2005.
(i) It empowers the people to find out what is happening in government departments.
(ii) It acts as the watchdogs of democracy.
(iii) It helps to control corruption and supplements the existing laws that banned corruption and imposed strict penalties.
(iv) It gives political leaders incentives to do good work.

Question. “A challenge is an opportunity for progress”. Support the statement with your arguments.
Answer: A challenge is an opportunity for progress because :
(i) A challenge is a difficulty that carries within it an opportunity for progress.
(ii) Once we overcome a challenge we go up to a higher level than before.
(iii) Some of the challenges include inequality, poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, regionalism, casteism, communalism, etc.
(iv) Legal constitutional changes and the cooperation of the citizen is the need of the hour.

Question. What is the challenge of expansion?
Answer: Countries already having the democratic set-up face the challenge of expansion. Such countries need to ensure that more and more social groups, regions and institutions follow democracy in their functioning. This involves:
1. Ensuring greater power to local government.
2. Extension of federal principle to all the units of the federations.
3. Inclusion of women and minority groups etc.
4. It also means that less and less decision should remain outside the domain of democratic control.
5. Most countries including India and US face this kind of challenge.

Question. Which are the two countries that face challenge of expansion of democracy?
(a) China and Nepal
(b) Myanmar and Pakistan
(c) India and US
(d) France and Nepal
Answer: C

Question. How could the influence of money be decreased in politics?
Answer: The financial accounts of every political party should be examined by government auditors. There should be state funding of elections. Citizens should be encouraged to give more donations to parties and to political workers. Such donations should be exempted from income tax.

Question. Which challenge is being faced by every democracy is one form or the other?
Answer: The challenge of deepening of democracy.

Question. How can democracy be improved in practical form?
Answer: Democratic principles should be reformed in practical form by strengthening the democratic practices and traditions. There is a need to enhance the value of political involvement by common citizens. The efforts of political organisations, parties and movements can do this.

Question. At least one-fourth of the globe is facing the .......... .
(a) foundational challenge
(b) challenge of expansion
(c) challenge of deepening of democracy
(d) all of the above.
Answer: A

Question. What is meant by the term “challenges to democracy”? Discuss few challenges faced by democracy in several parts of the world.
                                        Or
“Most of the democracies of the world face the challenge of expansion and challenge of deepening of democracy.” Justify the statement.
Answer: A challenge is not just a problem. It is a difficulty that carries within an opportunity for progress. Once we overcome a challenge we go up to a higher level than before. The serious challenges that democracy faces in different countries of the world for smooth running of government are called challenges to democracy.
Few challenges faced by democracy in several parts of the world:
1. Foundational Challenge: At least one-fourth of the globe is still not under democratic governments. Countries that do not have democratic setup face the foundational challenge of making a transition to the democratic style of government. They need to lay the foundation in terms of laws and policies that would be followed under the democratic setup. This involves—bringing down the existing non-democratic regime, keeping military away from controlling government and establishing a sovereign and functional state.
2. Challenge of Expansion: Countries already having the democratic setup face the challenge of expansion. Such countries need to ensure that more and more social groups, regions and institutions follow democracy in their functioning. This involves—ensuring greater power to local governments, extension of federal principle to all the units of the federations, inclusion of women and minority groups etc.. It also means that less and less decision should remain outside the domain of democratic control. Most countries including India and US face this kind of challenge.
3. Challenge of deepening: This challenge is faced by every democracy in this form or another. Every democratic country needs to strengthen the institutions that ensure democracy. This should happen in such a way that people can realise their expectations of democracy. This involves— strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracy and bringing down the control and influence of rich and powerful people in the making of governmental decision.

Question. What is the ratio of non-democratic countries in the world?
(a) One-third
(b) One-fourth
(c) Half of the countries
(d) Two-third
Answer: B

Question. Name two countries which face the challenge of expansion of democracy.
Answer: India and USA.

Question. “Different countries face different kinds of challenges”. Support the statement with suitable examples.
Answer: A challenge is not just a problem. It is a difficulty that carries within an opportunity for progress. Once we overcome a challenge we go up to a higher level than before. The serious challenges that democracy faces in different countries of the world for smooth running of government are called challenges to democracy.
Few challenges faced by democracy in several parts of the world:
1. Foundational Challenge: At least one-fourth of the globe is still not under democratic governments. Countries that do not have democratic setup face the foundational challenge of making a transition to the democratic style of government. They need to lay the foundation in terms of laws and policies that would be followed under the democratic setup. This involves—bringing down the existing non-democratic regime, keeping military away from controlling government and establishing a sovereign and functional state.
2. Challenge of Expansion: Countries already having the democratic setup face the challenge of expansion. Such countries need to ensure that more and more social groups, regions and institutions follow democracy in their functioning. This involves—ensuring greater power to local governments, extension of federal principle to all the units of the federations, inclusion of women and minority groups etc.. It also means that less and less decision should remain outside the domain of democratic control. Most countries including India and US face this kind of challenge.
3. Challenge of deepening: This challenge is faced by every democracy in this form or another. Every democratic country needs to strengthen the institutions that ensure democracy. This should happen in such a way that people can realise their expectations of democracy. This involves— strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracy and bringing down the control and influence of rich and powerful people in the making of governmental decision.