Class 9 Civics Notes: Democracy in the Contemporary World
Class 9 Civics Notes: Democracy in the Contemporary World
Welcome to the Civics section of our Class 9 study series! Today, we are diving into Chapter 1: Democracy in the Contemporary World.
What is democracy, and how did it spread across the globe? This chapter takes us on a journey through different countries to see how people fought for their right to choose their own leaders. We will look at real-life stories of military coups, workers' strikes, and the struggle for freedom.
Let’s break down the exciting history of modern democracy into easy, scannable notes perfect for your exam revision!
1. Two Tales of Democracy
To understand why democracy is so important, the NCERT book starts with two very different stories from opposite sides of the world: Chile and Poland.
A. The Story of Chile (South America)
Salvador Allende: He was the President of Chile, elected in 1970. He took many pro-poor decisions, like providing free milk for children and redistributing land to landless farmers.
The rich landlords, the church, and some other political parties hated his policies. The Military Coup (1973): On September 11, 1973, the military, led by General Augusto Pinochet (and secretly supported by the USA government), surrounded the President's house and bombed it.
Allende died in the attack. Pinochet's Dictatorship: Pinochet ruled Chile as a brutal military dictator for the next 17 years.
Anyone who supported democracy was tortured or killed. Return to Democracy: Pinochet held a referendum (a direct vote) in 1988, thinking people would support him.
Instead, the people voted "No." He lost his political and military power, and democracy was finally restored. Years later, Michelle Bachelet (who was tortured during Pinochet's rule) was elected as the President of Chile!
B. The Story of Poland (Europe)
Communist Rule: In 1980, Poland was ruled by the Polish United Workers’ Party, a communist party backed by the powerful Soviet Union.
No other political parties were allowed. The Strike (1980): Workers at the Lenin Shipyard in the city of Gdansk went on strike when a crane operator was unfairly fired. They were soon led by an electrician named Lech Walesa.
The Rise of Solidarity: The strike spread wildly. The workers formed an independent trade union called Solidarity (Solidarnosc). It was the first time an independent trade union was formed in a communist state.
The Victory: After years of protests, martial law, and arrests, the government finally had to hold free elections in 1990. Solidarity won 99 out of 100 Senate seats, and Lech Walesa became the first elected President of Poland.
2. What Are the Two Features of Democracy?
From the stories of Chile and Poland, we can easily spot the two basic features that make a country truly democratic:
Only leaders elected by the people should rule the country. (Unlike Pinochet, who was an unelected general, or the Polish Communist Party, which people could not vote out).
People have the freedom to express their views, freedom to organize, and freedom to protest.
(Unlike in Poland where independent trade unions were initially illegal, or under Pinochet where protestors were killed).
3. The Changing Map of Democracy
Democracy did not spread evenly or smoothly across the world. It happened in phases.
Before the 20th Century: The roots of modern democracy began with the French Revolution (1789) and the American Revolution.
But even in these early "democracies," the right to vote was very limited (usually only rich, white men could vote). Universal Adult Franchise: The struggle for democracy was closely tied to the demand for everyone to have the right to vote. New Zealand was the first country to grant Universal Adult Franchise in 1893!
Post World War II (Decolonization): After the Second World War, many countries in Asia and Africa gained independence from European colonial masters.
India chose to become a democracy in 1947 and continues to be the largest democracy in the world. The Story of Ghana: Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast) became independent from Britain in 1957 under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah.
He became the first Prime Minister and President. However, he soon changed the constitution to become President for life! In 1966, he was overthrown by the military. This shows that maintaining a democracy is just as hard as establishing one. The Recent Phase (Post-1990s): The biggest shift happened after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Many former Soviet republics emerged as independent democracies. Around the same time, apartheid (racial segregation) ended in South Africa (1994).
4. Democracy at the Global Level
We have seen how democracy works inside countries. But what about the world as a whole? Is there a global democratic government? The answer is no, but we do have international organizations. Let's see if they are democratic.
A. The United Nations (UN)
The UN has 193 member states (as of recent data).
The General Assembly: It is like an international parliament where every country has one vote. This sounds democratic, but the General Assembly cannot take binding decisions on wars or conflicts.
The Security Council: This is the real power center. It has 15 members, but only 5 are permanent: US, Russia, UK, France, and China.
The Veto Power: > The 5 permanent members have "Veto Power." This means if even one of these five countries says "No" to a decision, the decision cannot be passed, no matter how many other countries support it. Because of this veto power, the UN is not truly democratic.
B. International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank
These organizations lend money to governments when they need it. Are they democratic?
No. In the IMF, voting rights are not equal (one country, one vote).
Instead, voting power is based on how much money a country contributes to the IMF. More than half the voting power rests in the hands of just a few wealthy nations (like the US, Japan, Germany, UK). Similarly, the President of the World Bank has always been a citizen of the US, conventionally nominated by the US Treasury Secretary.
Quick Revision Summary 📝
Chile: Military dictator General Pinochet overthrew the democratically elected President Salvador Allende in 1973.
Democracy returned in 1988. Poland: Workers led by Lech Walesa formed the 'Solidarity' union, eventually bringing down the communist government in 1990.
Ghana: Gained independence in 1957 under Kwame Nkrumah, who later made himself President for life before being overthrown by the military.
Global Organizations: The UN Security Council, IMF, and World Bank are not fully democratic because power and voting rights are concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy, powerful nations.
Comments
Post a Comment