Our Own High School Al Warqaa, Dubai

Democracy In The Contemporary World Ch-1

2016-2017
Terms:-

1. Censorship - A condition under which the freedom of expression is taken away. Citizens
have to take prior permission from the censor authorities of the government for making a
speech or publishing news and views.
2. Coalition - An alliance of people, associations, parties or nations. This alliance may be
temporary or a matter of convenience.
3. Coup - A coup is the sudden overthrow of a government illegally. It may or may not be
violent in nature. The term is French for 'a sudden blow or strike to a state'.
4. Referendum - A direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accepts or
rejects a particular proposal. This may be adoption of a new constitution, a law or a
specific governmental policy.
5. Strike - Mass refusal by workers or employees to perform work due to certain
grievances or because of demands not met. In most democratic countries the right to
strike is legal.
6. Veto - The right of a person, party or nation to stop a certain decision or law. The word
comes from Latin, which means 'I forbid'. A veto gives unlimited power to stop a decision,
but not to adopt one.
Notes:-

1. Explain the role of Salvadore Allende.

Salvadore Allende was the founder leader of the Socialist Party of Chile and
let the Popular Unity coalition to victory in the presidential election in 1970.
After being elected the President, Allende had taken several policy decisions
to help the poor and the workers.
These included reform of the educational system, free milk for children and
redistribution of land to the landless farmers.
He was opposed to foreign companies taking away natural resources like
copper from the country.

2. When did the military coup take place?

The military coup took place in Chile on 11th of September, 1973.
General Augusto Pinochet, an Army general, led the coup. * The government
of the United States of America was unhappy with Allendes's rule and is
known to have supported and funded activities that led to the coup.
Pinochet became the President of the country and ruled it for the next 17
years.
3. Why did workers at the Lenin Shipyard go on strike?
On 14th August 1980, the workers of Lenin Shipyard in the city of Gdansk
went on a strike.
The strike began with a demand to take back a crane operator, a woman
worker, who was unjustly dismissed from service.
This strike was illegal, because trade unions independent of the ruling party
were not allowed in Poland.
4. What were the rights denied in the Communist Rule?
The people could not freely choose the leaders of the communist party or
the government.

Those who spoke against the leaders or the party or the government were
put in prison.

5. How was democracy denied and restored in Poland?

The people could not freely choose the leaders of the communist party or
the government.
The government in Poland was supported and controlled by the government
of the Soviet Union (USSR).
6. What were the demands of the workers in Poland?
Ans.

The people in the strikes wanted the right to form independent trade
unions.

They also demanded the release of political prisoners and end to

censorship on press.

7. What are the rights denied in a non-democratic country?

The people could not choose or change their rulers.
There was no real freedom to express one's opinions, form political
associations and organize protests and political action.
8. What are the advantages of a democratic country?
Only leaders elected by people should rule the country.
People have the freedom to express views, freedom to organize and freedom
to protest.
9. What are the differences between Chile and Poland?
Chile was ruled by a military dictator, while Poland was ruled by a political
party.
The government of Poland claimed that it was ruling on behalf of the working
classes. In Chile, Pinochet made no such claim and openly favored big
capitalists.
10. What were the common features between Poland and Chile?
The people could not choose or change their rulers.
There was no real freedom to express one's opinions, form political
associations and organize protests and political action.
11. How was democracy achieved in Poland?
Before 1980 Poland was ruled by the Polish United Workers Party. No other
party was allowed to function
After a long strike in 1980 by the workers, the government agreed to
recognize the workers right to form independent trade unions and their
right to strike.
A new trade union Solidarity was formed.
In 1980 there was a country wide strike by Solidarity which was suppressed
by the government with the help of Russia.
In 1988 there was another strike. This time government was weaker, and
there was no support from Soviet Union.
So the government negotiated free and fair election which took place in
1990.

12. How was democracy restored in Chile?

Pinochets military dictatorship came to an end after he decided to hold a
referendum in 1988.
Pinochet lost the referendum.
This led to Pinochet losing first his political and then his military powers.
Since then Chile has held four presidential elections in which different
political parties have participated.
13.Mention any four limitations on the people in a non-democratic country.
People cannot change the ruler even if they are not satisfied with his/her
work
There is no freedom of speech.
People dont enjoy freedom to form associations.
People dont have the right to form union.
15. Who was Aung San Suu Kyi?
Aung San Suu Kyi was the political leader of Mayanmar.
She struggled for a long time to restore democracy in Myanmar.
In 1990 her political party i.e. National league for democracy won the
elections but the military leader refused to step down and did not
recognize the election results. She is under house arrest.
She has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for struggle to establish a
democratic government in the country.
16. What do you know about Solidarity? Why was it popular in 1990?
Solidarity was a trade union of Poland.
It was the first independent union which was formed in any of the
communist countries.
It revealed widespread corruption and mismanagement in the nondemocratic government of Poland.
When in 1990 democratic elections were held it won 99 seats out of 100.
17. What types of freedom were denied to the people in Chile and Poland
when they did not have democracy?
Freedom of speech and expression.
Right to free and fair elections.
Protection against arbitrary arrest and imprisonment.

18.What are the difficulties people face in a non-democratic country?

In a democratic country, the people are not any rights and dissent is not
tolerated.
The people have no say in the government.
The people cannot change such a government even if they are not happy with
it.
19. Who was Kwame Nkrumah? State two of his achievements. How did he
deviate from the path of democracy?
Kwame Nkrumah was the son of a goldsmith and a teacher by profession.
He played an active role in making Ghana independent. He was Ghanas
president from 1957-1966.
Under his government, the living standards of the people improved. He
developed the countrys principal export cocoa and tried to diversify its
economic base by promoting Forestry, cattle breeding gold and bauxite
mining.
He was known internationally for his attempts to promote the concept of
Pan-Africanism. Nkrumah also played an important role in OAU
(Organization of African Unity)
He deviated from the path of democracy by electing himself president for
life. His major flaw was a desire for absolute power. Due to the unpopular
measure taken by him, a coup occurred in 1966.Ghana came under military
rule and ceased to be a democracy.
20.Do international organizations function in a democratic manner? Give
reasons for your answer.

Major global institutions do not function in a democratic manner. Though

every member nation has one vote in the U.N. General Assembly yet all
crucial decisions regarding conflicts and wars are taken by the Security
Ten members of the Security Council are not permanent and changed every
five years.
Thus the real power lies only with the five permanent members- U.S.A U.K.
France, Russia and China. Anyone can stall any decision of the Security
Council by using veto power.
The international Monetary Fund is the biggest money lending institutions
and wields.

Enormous financial clout. But its members-states do not have equal voting
power. The weightage of each countrys vote is dependent on how much
money it has donated to the I.M.F.
Thus the eight leading. G-8 nations have the majority of votes.
The World Bank also has a similar system of voting. Thus the president of
the World Bank is always an American citizen nominated by the US
Secretary.
The World Trade Organisation is the key global institution that decides
upon rules of trade among different countries. Every decision of W.T.O. has
to have the consent of all its members. Therfore it appears to be fully
democratic.
But appearances are deceptive. Key decisions are taken in informal meetings
which are secret and to which only the powerful countries are invited.

Q21.The Government in Iraq was undemocratic and is undemocratic. Give four

reasons to justify your answers.

Since 1968 it was ruled by Arab Socialist Bath Party. The party came to power
through a military coup.
Since 1979, Saddam ran a dictatorial government and suppressed any dissent or
opposition to his rule.
Though in 2003 US and its allies removed Saddam but US installed an interim
government of its preference.
The war against Iraq was not authorized by the UN Secretary General.
Mr Gerard Gomes