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Civics Why Democracy 23
q Democracy q Practice of apartheid in South Africa
q Different systems of power q Elements of democracy
Introduction History of Democracy
In ancient and medieval period, the emperors or Common people have always aspired to be heard
kings ruled the country and made laws as per their by the rulers, but most of the time they have been
will. These emperors belonged to the royal family. overlooked, neglected and suppressed. At times,
There was no system of electing king or leader by the suppression at the hands of the rulers was so
common people. The emperors worked for the massive that the people rose in revolt. There are
welfare of the people if they liked. The rulers lived in numerous instances in India
luxury and scarce cared for the welfare of people. where the people rose in revolt,
This led people to revolt against them and some such as against Aurangzeb or
such struggles resulted in the concept of democracy. the British. However, these
revolts either did not succeed
Info Bits
Info Bits or were succeeded by other
rulers who ruled them no Abraham Lincoln
The word democracy comes from two Greek words, differently.
‘demo’ and ‘cratus’ which means people’s power. The earliest form of democracy was found in
Athens, a Greek city about 2,500 years ago. In
DEMOCRACY this, all male citizens of the city gathered together
Let us first know what democracy is. The and took decisions regarding the governance. This
population of a country is large, so it is not was a form of direct democracy , but this could be
possible for all people to become rulers. So, the possible only because of a small population. This
system of democracy was established in which the type of direct democracy is not practicable in the
people rule themselves with the help of their present times, as most countries of the world have
representatives. These representatives are elected large populations, so the idea of indirect
by the people. The people are supreme in a democracy has evolved.
democracy. The word ‘democracy’ means ‘the
Info Bits
rule of the people’. Info Bits
According to Abraham Lincoln, “Democracy is the
Today, Switzerland is the only country, where
government of the people, by the people and for direct democracy is in practice at the state level.
the people .”
The first revolts that succeeded in realising the
Just Think! aspiration of the people occurred in America and
France, and they are called American Revolution
Why is democracy defined as the power of the and French Revolution respectively. In the recent
people? times, movements for democracy have taken
Why Democracy
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