CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACY

MAJOR TOPICS
 Meaning of Challenges to Democracy
 Broader challenges to democracy
 Different context different challenges- 103
 Challenges an analysis all over the world- 104-107
 Political reforms
 Case study- Doctor absenteeism and Political funding
 Redefine democracy- good democracy

DEMOCRACY
 Means rule by the people. It ensures that every
citizen takes part in the decision making process
either directly or indirectly through the elected
representatives

MEANING- CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACY
 A challenge in literal means a demanding situation
that requires some kind action. Challenges to
democracy means problems that comes while
ensuring a democratic set up in the country. It
discuss the issues that need to be solved to sustain
democracy in the country

THREE CHALLENGES OF DEMOCRACY
Democracy means rule by the people. It ensures that every
citizen takes part in the decision making process either
directly or indirectly through the elected representatives.
There are three broader challenges to democracy
1. Foundational Challenge: Countries that do not have the
democratic set up face the challenge of making a transition
to the democratic style of government. In all over the world
one fourth of the country still not under democratic
government. They need to lay the foundation in terms of
law and policies that would be followed under democratic
set up

2. Challenge to Expansion: Countries already having the
democratic set up face the challenge of expanding it to various
social groups and regions. Such countries need to ensure that
more social groups, regions and institutions follow democracy in
their functioning. This also means that more power is distributed
among the lower levels of the government
3. Deepening of Democracy
Faced by every democracy in one form or another. Every
democratic country needs to strengthen the institutions that
ensures democracy. It means strengthening the institution that
help in people’s participation and control in the government.

PARTICULAR CHALLENGES TO INDIAN DEMOCRACY
India is the largest democracy of the world. In the last six decades it
has worked successfully and achieved a lot in various sphere.
Indian constitution granted Fundamental rights to its citizen. It is
very helpful for to meet the diversity in India. However it has failed
very miserably in many sphere.
1. Social and Economic Inequalities
2. Poverty and Unemployment
3. Illiteracy and Ignorance
4. Casteism
5. Communalism
6. Population Explosion
7. Regionalism
8. Linguism
9. Separatism
10. Corruption
11. terrorism

HOW WE COULD REFORM DEMOCRACY?
All the challenges of democracy is linked to the possibility of
reforms. Along with the challenges need to think about
overcome the constrains. Generally all the suggestions or
proposals about overcoming various challenges to
democracy are called democratic Reform or Political
Reform. All the countries do not have the same challenge
so we can’t follow same recipe of political reform. In India
we need to develop some proposals for reforms at the
national level. But the real challenge not only at the national
level, some challenges are facing at state and local level
also

1. To introduce New Laws:
The law has an important role to play in political
reform. It would help to discourage wrong political practice
and encourage good ones. But legal constitutional
changes by themselves cannot overcome the challenges
of democracy. This is like the rules of cricket. A change in
rules of LBW decision helped to reduce negative batting
tactics. But no one ever think that the quality of cricket
could be improved mainly through changes in the rules.
This is to be done mainly the players, coaches and
administers. Similarly, democratic reforms are to be
carried out mainly political activists, parties, movements
and political conscious citizen

2. Need to analyze the result of the Law;
Legal changes some times may be led to the counter productive.
For example many states banned people who have more than
two children from contesting panchayat elections. This has
resulted in denial of democratic opportunity to many poor and
women. Generally, laws that seek to ban something are not
very successful in poitics. However the best laws are those
which empower people to carry out democratic reforms. The
Right to Information Act a good example of a law that
empowers the people to find out what is happening in
government and act as watchdogs of democracy. It would help
control corruption and strict penalities

3. From Theory to Practical:
Democratic reforms are to be brought about principally through
political practice. The main focus of political reforms should
be on ways to strengthen democratic practice. Any proposal
for reform should think not only about what is a good solution
but also about who will implement it and how. The legislature
would pass the law and the citizens, organization and media
needs to be implement.

DISCUSS SOME CERTAIN MEASURES TO DEEPEN DEMOCRACY
1. To provide the education to all the citizen:
A literate society is the most important resource for a
country. Education brings qualitative changes in the people
and enables them to use better tools and knowledge. It
would bring awareness of political rights of a person.
Individuals are aware of their political rights and exercise
them.
2. Fundamental Rights: provided by the constitution ensure
that every citizen right are protected and secure. They
cannot be taken away by any government. It would
increase the faith of the people in constitution
3. Freedom of Press: has the freedom to form the public
opinion by giving views and news on the issues facing the
country. It would make awareness to the people what
happening in the society