SPL (VI)- LESSON-3 WHAT IS GOVERNMENT (QUESTION ANSWERS)

 

SPL (VI)- LESSON-3

WHAT IS GOVERNMENT

(QUESTION ANSWERS)

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(NCERT EXERCISE)

Look at the statements in the column on the left.

1.     Can you identify which level they belong to (Local/State/Central)?

2.    The decision of the Government of India to maintain peaceful relations with Russia.

3.    The decision of the Government of West Bengal in whether to have a Board exam in Class 8 for all government schools.

4.    Introduction of two new trains between Dibrugarh and Kanyakumari.

5.    The decision to locate a common well in a particular area of the village.

6.    The decision to construct a big children’s park in Patna.

7.    The decision of the Government of Haryana to provide free electricity for all farmers.

8.    Introduction of new 1000 rupee note.

Answer:

       1.    The decision of the Government of India to maintain peaceful relations with Russia – Central

        2.    The decision of the Government of West Bengal in whether to have a Board exam in Class 8 for all government schools – State

       3.    Introduction of two new trains between Dibrugarh and Kanyakumari- Central

        4.    The decision to locate a common well in a particular area of the village- Local

       5.    The decision to construct a big children’s park in Patna – Local

        6.    The decision of the Government of Haryana to provide free electricity for all farmers – State

         7.    Introduction of new 1000 rupee note – Central

Questions

1.What do you understand by the word ‘government’? List 5 ways in which you think Government affects your daily life.

Answer: Government is the system of governing a state or community. The system of social control, the right to make laws under it, and the right to enforce them are given to a certain group of society.

1.   The decision on where to build roads and other infrastructure.

2.   The decision on various social welfare programmes

3.   The decision on important goods and commodities like petrol and onion

4.   Protect the boundaries and maintain friendly relations with other countries

5.   Ensuring that there are good health facilities.

2.Why do you think the Government needs to make rules for everyone in the form of laws?

Answer: Some rules have to be made that apply to everyone. For example, there is a need to control resources and protect the territory of a country, so people can feel secure. Governments do this on behalf of their people by exercising leadership, making decisions and implementing these among all the people living in their territory.

3.Name two essential features of a democratic Government.

Answer: The Government is answerable to the people.

People elect their leaders to govern the nation through the process of elections.

4.What was the suffrage movement? What did it accomplish?

Answer: Suffrage means the right to vote. Earlier women and poor of the USA did not have the rights to vote. They fought for their rights and this movement gathered in strength during the First World War. Finally, they succeeded in the USA in 1920 and in UK, they succeeded in 1928.

5.Gandhiji strongly believed that every adult in India should be given the right to vote. However, a few people don’t share his views. They feel that illiterate people, who are mainly poor, should not be given the right to vote. What do you think? Do you think this would be a form of discrimination? Give five points to support your view and share these with the class.

Answer: In all the democracies poor and illiterate have the right to vote

1.    The Constitution of India says that all citizens are equal.

2.    Elected Government works for all citizens not just for literate and rich people

3.    A few minorities should not decide the fate of the majority

4.    It is not a crime to be poor, hence they should be given the right to vote.

OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTION

MCQs :-

Choose the correct option to complete the statements given below:

(i) The government also works at the local level. Here local level means
(a) Village
(b) Town
(c) Locality
(d) All the above.

(ii)  The court can intervene if……………..
(a) Any law passed by the government is not followed.
(b) Anyone does not study well.
(c) A child tells a lie
(d) Both (a) and (b).

(iii) American women got the right to vote in the year…………………..
(a) 1928
(b) 1925
(c) 1920
(d) 1919

(iv) The term suffrage means ……………….
(a) Right to vote
(b) Right to go anywhere in the country
(c) Right to livelihood
(d) None of the above.

(v) The two types of government mentioned the chapter are:
(a) Democracy
(b) Monarchy
(c) Dictatorship
(d) (a) and (b).
Answer:
(i) – (d), (ii) – (a), (iii) – (c), (iv) – (a), (v) – (d).

II. FILL IN THE BLANKS

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words to complete each sentence.

      1.    The government works at different levels at the local level, at the level of the state and at the ………… level.

      2.    In a………. the government has to explain its actions and defend its decisions
to the people.

       3.    Women in the UK got the right to vote in the year…………………..

       4.    In India, before Independence, only a small minority was allowed to ………………………

        5.    …….. are also part of the government.

Answer:

1.       national

2.       democracy

3.       1928

4.       vote

5.       Courts.

III. TRUE/FALSE

State whether the following statements are true CD or false (F).

1.           Kings and queens get their power from the people they rule.

2.           There was a time when the government did not allow women and the poor

         to participate in elections.

3.           It was Gandhiji who demanded that all adults have the right to vote.

4.           Men without property have no right to vote in a country like the USA.

5.           In India, everyone who is eighteen or above eighteen enjoys the right to vote.

Answer:

1.       False

2.       True

3.       True

4.       False

5.       True

IV. VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Name some institutions that are part of the government.
Ans: The Supreme Court, the Indian Railways, Bharat Petroleum.

2. List any two functions of the government.
Ans: (i)The government protects the boundaries of the country.

        (ii) It maintains peaceful relations with other countries.
3. What happens when someone commits a crime?                                  
Ans: He/She finds himself/herself in court in such a situation.

4. Why is there a need to control resources and protect the territory of a country?
Ans: It is important so that people can feel secure.

5. At which three levels does the government work?
Ans:  The government works at the local level, at the state level and at the national level.

6. Under which circumstances a person may approach the court?
Ans:  If a person feels that a particular law is not being followed he/she may approach the court.

 7. What does the court do in such a situation?
Ans:  The court gives orders to the government about what should be done.

8. What do you mean by monarchy?
Ans:  Monarchy is a form of government in which the monarch (king or queen) has the power to make decisions and run the government.

9. What do you mean by representative democracies?                                                 
Ans:  In representative democracies, people do not participate directly but, instead, choose their representatives through an election process. These representatives meet and make decisions for the entire population.

 10. What do you mean by universal adult franchise?
Ans:  Universal adult franchise means that all adults in the country are allowed to vote.

 11. What was the unfair practice in Gandhi’s eyes?
Ans:  In pre-independent India, only a small minority was allowed to vote. It is they who determined the fate of the majority. This very practice was seen as an unfair practice by Gandhiji.

12. What did Gandhiji demand?
Ans:  Gandhiji demanded that all adults whether rich or poor, educated or literate have the right to vote.

V .SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. How does the government manage so many different things?                     
Ans: The government has a variety of works to do. To discharge each and every responsibility smoothly, it works at three different levels, at the local level, at the level of the state, and at the national level. The local level means in your village, town or locality. The state-level would mean the entire state and the national level relates to the entire country.

2. How is democracy different from the monarchy?
Ans: Democracy is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. In this type of government, people are supreme because it is they who give the government power. The government has to explain its actions and defend its decisions to the people.

In a monarchy, it is the King or queen who has the power to make decisions and run the government. The monarch may have a small group of people to discuss matters with, but the final decision-making power remains with the monarch. Unlike in a democracy, kings and queens do not have to explain their actions or defend the decisions they make.

3. Can you say the earliest forms of government democratic? If not, why?
Ans: We can not say the earliest forms of government democratic because these governments did not allow women and the poor to participate in elections. In their earliest forms governments allowed only men who owned property and were educated, to vote. This meant that women, the poor, the property-less, and the uneducated were not allowed to vote. The country was governed by the rules and regulations that these few men made.

4. What does the government do for the welfare of its citizens?
Ans: The government does a variety of works for the welfare of its citizens:

1.               It makes decisions and gets things done.

2.               It builds roads and schools.

3.               It takes decisions about how to reduce the price of essential goods when they get too expensive or ways to increase the supply of electricity.

4.               It supervises postal and railway services.

5.               At the time of natural calamities, it organizes aid and assistance for the affected people.

6.               It makes laws for the safety of its citizens. For example, there is a law that says that all persons driving a two-wheeler must wear a helmet.

5 . What was the voting system in India before Independence? What ideas did Gandhiji express in the journal Young India about the voting system?                      
Ans: In India, before Independence, only a small minority enjoyed the voting right. This was shocking for Gandhiji. He firmly disapproved this system and advocated for the universal adult franchise which gives all adults the right to vote.