Classwork Series and Exercises {Civic Education – JSS1}: Democracy

Civic Education, JSS 1 Week

Topic: Democracy

Contents:

1. Meaning of Democracy
2. Types of Democracy
3. Places of Popular Participation
4. Characteristics of Democracy
5. How Democracy works

Democracy

Democracy can be defined as a government of the people, by the people and for the people in ordinary terms.

Democracy is a system of government in which all the people of a state or nation are involved in making decisions about its affairs, typically by voting to elect representatives to a parliament or similar assembly.

Types of Democracy
1. Political Democracy: this refers to the extent to which actual political power is determined by one’s social destiny which belong to the vast majority of citizen. The emphasis is on the place and role of people in government. In simple language, political democracy arises when the people of a country have a say in the administration of their country, i.e. when political leaders are not imposed on them.
2. Economic Democracy: This is the acceptance of the basic quality of man as human and the basic responsibility of all adult men and women for their own destiny. In simple language, economic democracy arises when a country can produce the goods she needs without relying on other countries, i.e. when a country is economically independent .
Places of Popular Participation in Democracy
1. Grassroots level
2. Electioneering process
3. Decision-making
4. Involvement in political parties
Forms of Democracy
1. Direct Democracy: This is a form of democracy where the people have no form of representation but rather have individual freedom.
2. Representative Democracy: In this form of democracy, some people are elected to represent the masses and their decisions are accepted as the voice of the people.
3. Constitutional Democracy: This form of democracy is based on the laid down principles that serve as a yardstick for the system.
Characteristics of Democracy
1. There is fundamental human rights.
2. There is free and fair election.
3. There should be equality before the law.
4. There must be independence of the judiciary.
5. There must be periodic election.
6. The law must be supreme.
How Democracy Works
1. Citizens should be allowed to participate in the government of the country.
2. Principles underlining democracy should be adhered to.
3. People should be allowed to elect their leaders into office through free and fair election.
4. The country allows different political parties to participate.
5. Democracy thrives where there is opposition.

Test and Exercise

1. The form of democracy based on the laid down principles that serve as a yardstick for the system is called (a) constitutional democracy (b) direct democracy (d) representative democracy (d) none of the above
2. The following are the ways by which democracy works except (a) people should be allowed to elect their leaders (b) freedom to belong to a political party (c) principles of democracy must be followed (d) by leaders giving command
3. The government of the people, by the people and for the people is (a) democracy (b) autocracy (c) socialism (d) nepotism
4. The form of democracy where the people have no form of representation but rather have individual freedom is (a) constitutional democracy (b) direct democracy (c) representative democracy (d) none of the above
5. Nigeria practices a Democratic system of Government. True/false
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