NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science Chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy

Thinking about Political reforms in India:
• It is very tempting to think of legal ways of reforming politics but legal constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome the challenges to democracy. Democratic reforms are to be carried out mainly by political activists, parties, movements and politically conscious citizens.
• Many a time law plays an important role in political reform.
• However political reforms are done mainly by the political parties.
Therefore the main focus of political reforms should be on ways to strengthening democratic practices.
• Any proposal for political reforms should think not only about what is good solution but also about who will implement it and how? It is not very wise to think that the legislature will pass legislations that go against the interest of all the political parties and MPs. But measures that rely on democratic movements, citizens’ organistions and the media are likely to succeed.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Civics for chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy Assertion-Reason Questions

The following questions consist of two statements — Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Answer these questions selecting the appropriate option given below:
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.

Question. Assertion (A) : Democratic reforms are to be brought about principally through political practice.
Reason (R) : Therefore, the main focus of political reforms should be on ways to strengthen democratic practice.
Answer. A

Question. Assertion (A) : It is not very wise to think that the legislatures will pass legislations that go against the interest of all the political parties and MPs.
Reason (R) : But measures that rely on democratic movements, citizens’ organisations and the media are likely to be unsuccessful.
Answer. C

Question. Assertion (A) : Carefully devised changes in law can help to encourage wrong political practices and discourage good ones.
Reason (R) : But legal-constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challenges to democracy.
Answer. D

Question. Assertion (A) : The best laws are those which empower people to carry out democratic reforms.
Reason (R) : The Right to Information Act is a good example of a law that empowers the people to find out what is happening in government and act as watchdogs of democracy.
Answer. A

Question. Assertion (A) : Democratic reforms are not to be brought about principally through political practice.
Reason (R) : Therefore, the main focus of political reforms should be on ways to strengthen democratic practice.
Answer. D

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Civics for chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy Very Short Answer type Questions 

Question. What does strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracy imply?
Answer. Challenges of deepening.

Question. What is the problem faced by any democratic systems called?
Answer. Challenges to democracy.

Question. What is the main challenge to democracy?
Answer. Challenge of Expansion.

Question. Which is the best law in enforcing poHtical reform by the people?
Answer. Right to Information Act -2005

Question. What do you understand by the political reforms?
Answer. Any suggestions about overcoming the challenges of democracies are called political reform.

Question. What type of challenge is being faced by most of the established democracies across the world?
Answer. The challenge of expansion.

Question. Not allowing women to take part in public activities refers to which kind of challenge to democracy?
Answer. Challenge of expansion to democracy.

Question. In what way does RTI help the people in a democracy?
Answer. Such a law helps to control consumption and supplements the existing laws that banned corruption and imposed strict penalties.

Question. Give examples of challenge of expansion to democracy.
Answer. To give more powers to local governments and expansion of federal principle to all the units of the federation.

Question. A country holds election to elect people’s representatives to form the government but the elections are not fair. Identify the kind of challenge faced by the people in such a country.
Answer. People face the challenge of expansion of democracy.

Question. If a non-democratic country wants to change into a democratic set up, then which kind of challenge would it face? 
Answer. The challenge faced is : Foundational Challenge

Question. If a non-democratic country wants to change over to a democratic setup, what kind of challenge for democracy would it face?
Answer. Foundational challenge.

Question. How can a challenge be overcome?
Answer. Challenge can be overcome by identifying your challenge, believing in your goal, strengthening will-power, and by trying consistently.

Question. Mention the three main challenges faced by a democracy.
Answer. The three main challenges are the Foundational challenge, the Challenge of expansion and the challenge of Deepening of democracy.

Question. What does deepening democracy mean?
Answer. Deepening democracy means strengthening institutions that help people’s participation in governance.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Civics for chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy Short Answer Questions

Question. How are the challenges to democracy linked to the possibility of political reform? Explain.
Answer. (a) Carefully devised changes in law can help to discourage wrong political practices.
(b) Democratic reforms are to be carried out by political parities activists, movements and politically conscious citizens.
(c) Ordinary citizens also participate in political affairs.
(d) Democratic movements, citizen’s organizations and media can play an important role in establishing democracy and thus reforming politics.
(e) Laws to empower citizens like RTI should be made accessible so that parties, their functioning and above all democracy can be reformed from time to time.

Question. ‘Most of the established democracies are facing the challenges of expansion.’ Justify.
Answer. (a) It involves applying the basic principles of democracy across all the regions, social groups and institutions.
(b) Ensuring greater power to local government, extension of federal principals to all the units of the federations and inclusion of women and minority groups.
(c) Less and less decisions should be remain outside the democratic arena. Most country including India faces this challenge.
Ex-In Saudi Arabia women are not allowed to take part in Public activities. In Myanmar, there is military rule.

Question. ‘The challenge of deepening of democracies is being faced by every democracy in one form or another.’ Evaluate.
Answer. (a) Strengthening of democratic institutions and principles.
(b) To check the influence of the wealthy and powerful people in democratic decisions.
(c) Empowering the general section of people through democratic institutions.

Question. ‘Legal constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challenges to democracy.’ Justify
Answer. Legal-constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challenges to democracy. This statement can be explained giving the following arguments:
(i) Democratic reforms need to be carried out mainly by political activities, political parties, movement groups and politically conscious citizens.
(ii) Any legal change must produce positive effects of politics. But sometimes the result may be counterproductive. For example many states have banned people from contesting election who have more than two children. This has resulted in denial of democratic opportunity to many poor and women, though it was not an intention.
(iii) Laws that seek to ban something need not be successful always.
(iv) Laws that give initiative to the politician actors have more possibilities of surviving.
(v) Laws that empower people and carry out democratic reforms are best. For example RTI Act.
(vi) At a larger scale, it will initiate a corruption fee society.

Question. (Write your name here) 's definition of good democracy.
Answer. A good democracy is where every section of the society is represented. There should be seats in the legislature for women, backward castes and religious/linguistic minorities. People must get a meaningful choice to choose from during elections. The exercise of this choice must lead to a government limited by basic rules of constitution and citizens' rights.
Features (use only as many points as you want. Try to compress it in as few points as possible)
1. All adults irrespective of caste, religion, language, sex, social and economic status should have the right to vote or contest in elections.
2. Democracy should not be the brute rule of majority. Respect for minority voice is necessary.
3. The democracy should offer some social and economic rights to the citizens.
4. Power sharing between social groups and the government should be the spirit of democracy.
5. Voters should get a meaningful choice.

Question. “The challenge of deepening of democracy is being faced by every democracy in one form or another.” Support the statement with arguments. 
OR
Which kind of government is dominant in the contemporary world ? Mention the issues that are involved in the challenge of ‘deepening of democracy’.
Answer. Deepening of democracy
(i) Deepening of democracy involves strengthening of the institutions and practice of democracy.
(ii) The ordinary people have different expectations from democracy in different societies.
Therefore, this challenge has different meanings in different parts of the world.
(iii) It wants more of people’s participation and control.
(iv) It controls and wants to bring down the control of rich and powerful people in making of the governmental decision.

Question. Name any two challenges to the working of democracy in India?
Answer. Social and Economic inequality and casteism.

Question. Define the term ‘Democratic Reform’.
Answer. Any proposal or suggestion about overcoming various challenges of democracy.

Question. What types of challenges are being faced by democracy?
Answer. Foundational challenge, challenge of expansion and deepening of democracy.

Question. How can democratic reforms be carried out?
Answer. Democratic reforms can be carried out by
(i) legally
(ii) by good quality of people’s participation
(iii) Development of democratic movement and the media.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Civics for chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy Long Answer Questions 

Question. Write the measures that can strengthen and deepen democracy.
Answer. (i) Decentralisation of authority should take place. Based on separation of powers, power should be decentralised at the local level. It would make government more responsive to the needs of the people.
(ii) Political parties using caste, religion, violence and separatism as vote-bank factors should be banned.
(iii) Right to Information (RTI) Act should be strengthened so that the rule of law should be implemented realistically.(iv) It is said that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. It means that people should always be alert to preserve their freedom. For this, it is essential to have an enlightened public opinion. Agencies like mass media, political parties, educational institutions and pressure groups should help in the generation of public opinion. Curbs on any agency would act as a hindrance in the development of sound public opinion which is essential for the smooth functioning of democracy.
(v) Mass media like TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and journals should play an important role in strengthening the freedom of people by spreading awareness and enlightenment and keeping the government on toes by pointing out its loopholes.
(vi) People should be given a right to recall their representatives if they are not working in public interest.
(vii) The term of parliamentary institutions should be fixed so that political instability does not hinder development.

Question. What are the broad guidelines to be kept in mind while devising ways and means for political reforms in India?
Answer. (i) Legal ways of reforming politics are very tempting. However, only carefully devised changes in law can help to discourage wrong political practices and encourage good
ones. Democratic reforms should be carried out by political activities, parties, movements and politically conscious citizens.
(ii) A legal change must be clear in its results. Best laws are those which empower people to carry out democratic reforms.
One such Act is the Right to Information Act, which helps in controlling corruption.
(iii) Democratic reforms need to be carried out through strengthening its practice. There should be an increase in quality of political participation by citizens.
(iv) Any proposal for political reform should even devise ways of implementing the reform.

Question. What are the shortcomings or weaknesses of Indian democracy.
Answer. In spite of certain achievements, Indian democracy has not been able to solve the problems in entirety. There have been certain shortcomings. These include the following:
(i) Though GDP has increased about 50 per cent, children below five years are still malnourished.
(ii) People are still living in abject poverty, illiteracy and unemployment.
(iii) More than 60 per cent of Indian people do not have access to sanitation.
(iv) Economic development has not been accompanied by institutional changes.
(v) About 35 per cent of the Indian population still lives below the poverty line.
(vi) Women representation in governance is not even 6 per cent.
(vii) Socio-economic inequalities continue to exist in our society.

Question. Explain three different types of challenges being faced by democratic governments in modern times.
Answer. Following are the types of challenges being faced by modern democracies in the world.
1. Foundational Challenge:
- Foundational challenge takes place when the basic structure or foundation of the government changes.
- It can be monarchy or military dictatorship, changed into democracy.
2. Deepening of Democracy:
- This involves strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracy.
- This should happen in such a way that people can realise their expectations of democracy.
- This requires an attempt to bring down the control and influence of the rich and powerful people in making governmental issue.
3. Challenge of Expansion:
- This involves applying the basic principles of democratic government across all regions, different social groups and various institutions.
- Ensuring greater power to local government extension of federal principle to all the units of federation, inclusion of women and minority groups, etc., fall under this challenge.
This also means that less and less decisions should remain outside the area of democratic control.

Question. Explain how democratic reforms can be achieved. Why is it important for us?
Answer.
- Democratic or political reforms should be achieved mainly by the actions of political parties.
- They should show concern about how to increase and improve the quality of political participation by ordinary citizens.
- The main focus of political reforms should be how to strengthen democratic practices through institutions.
- Any proposal or suggestions may be there on the paper but it is all about how to implement and by whom to meet the need.
It improves our quality of life, maintain peace and give us good governed social infrastructure.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Civics for chapter 8 Challenges to Democracy Source-based Question

Read the source given below and answer the questions that follow:

Most of the established democracies face the challenge of expansion. This involves applying the basic principle of democratic government across all the regions, different social groups and various institutions. Ensuring greater power to local governments, extension of federal principle to all the units of the federation, inclusion of women and minority groups, etc., falls under this challenge. This also means that less and less decisions should remain outside the arena of democratic control. Most countries including India and other democracies like the US face this challenge. The third challenge of deepening of democracy is faced by every democracy in one form or another. This involves strengthening of the institutions and practices of democracy. This should happen in such a way that people can realise their expectations of democracy. But ordinary people have different expectations from democracy in different societies. Therefore, this challenge takes different meanings and paths in different parts of the world. In general terms, it usually means strengthening those institutions that help people’s participation and control. This requires an attempt to bring down the control and influence of the rich and powerful people in making governmental decision.

Question. Which challenge is faced by the established democracies?
Answer. Challenge of expansion

Question. Which challenge of democracy involves strengthening of the institutions?
Answer. Deepening of democracy

Question. Give two examples of countries which have faced challenge of expansion of democracy?
Answer. USA and India