Grassroots Democracy Part 1 Governance Class 6 Notes

Grassroots Democracy Part 1 Governance Class 6 Notes

Grassroots Democracy Part 1 Governance Class 6 Notes

The Role of Rules in Society

1. Rules are essential for maintaining order and harmony in societies due to disagreements and disorder.
2. Rules are set at home, school, and in higher classes.
3. Rules are also required for students appearing for exams, drivers on the road, and employees in various jobs.
4. The absence of rules could lead to societal dysfunction.
5. Governance involves making decisions, organizing society with rules, and ensuring their enforcement.
6. Governments are groups or systems that make and enforce rules.
7. Important rules are called laws.
8. Citizens also have a say in the laws and rules governing society.

Digital Transformation and the Three Organs of Government

1. Digital technologies have revolutionized societal functions, including money transfers and payments.
2. However, this has also led to a rise in cybercrime, a new criminal class exploiting digital means of money theft.
3. Governments have passed new laws to combat cybercrime, with some criminals being arrested and convicted in court.

The three organs of government work together

1. The legislature: Makes new laws or updates existing ones, often by an assembly of representatives.
2. The executive: Implements laws, including the head of state, ministers, and enforcement agencies.
3. The judiciary . Decides on law violations, determines appropriate actions, and examines the fairness of laws passed by the legislature.
4. The separation of powers is necessary for a good governance system, ensuring checks and balances.

Three Levels of Government in India

1. Government operates at three levels: local, state or regional, and national.
2. Each level deals with different matters, like a bulb not lighting up.
3. In India, there are local governments, State governments, and Central or Union government.
4. In emergencies like floods, local authorities handle less severe situations.
5. State governments send rescue teams for larger areas.
6. Central government provides relief supplies and the army for massive floods.

Democracy: The Foundation and Practices

1. Democracy, derived from Greek words ‘demos’ meaning ‘people’ and ‘kratos’ meaning ‘rule’ or ‘power’, is a system where all citizens have a say in decision-making.
2. In schools, a ‘class monitor’ or ‘class represen-tative’ is elected to address problems, even if there’s no representative.
3. At state and national levels, elections are used to elect representatives, known as ‘Members of Legislative Assembly’ (MLAs) at the state level and ‘Member of Parliament’ (MPs) at the national level.
4. Members of assemblies discuss laws, problems, and solutions, and try to convince each other through dialogue and debate.
5. India, the world’s largest democracy, is a representative democracy with 970 million voters in 2024.
6. All Indian citizens above 18 have the right to participate in elections.
7. Direct democracy involves every citizen’s opinion being taken to finalize a decision.
8. Grassroots democracy encourages the participation of ordinary citizens in decisions affecting them.

IMPORTANT TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

1. Governance: The process of taking decisions, organizing society’s life with different sets of rules, and ensuring that they are followed is called governance.

2. Government: The group of individuals or the system that makes the rules and ensures they are followed is called a government.

3. Democracy: A system of governance in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives.

4. Direct Democracy: A form of democracy in which people decide on policy initiatives directly, rather than through representatives.

5. Representative Democracy: A type of democracy where citizens elect their representatives to make decisions and pass laws on their behalf.

6. Three Organs of Government: The three branches of government typically include: Legislature: The organ that makes new laws and updates or removes existing ones. Executive: The organ responsible for implementing and enforcing laws.

Judiciary: The organ that interprets laws and administers justice.

7. Tiers of Government: The different levels of government that operate within a country, typically including local, state, and central (or national) governments.

8. Local Government: The administration of a specific local area, responsible for providing local services and facilities.

9. State Government: The government of a specific state within a country, responsible for state-level legislation and administration.

10. Central Government: The national government that oversees the entire country and is responsible for national policies and laws.

11. Nominal: In name only. It means, in our case, that the President of India and the Governor of a State are not the actual executive heads. They do have certain powers under special circumstances, but normally do not interfere in the affairs of the Central or State government.

12. Laws: Some of the more important rules are called laws.

13. Public Service: Services provided by the government to its citizens, including education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

14. Cybercrime: Criminal activities carried out using computers or the internet.

15. Dharma: A concept in Indian philosophy that signifies law, duty, and righteousness, often associated with the moral order of the universe.

16. Equality: The state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities, which is a fundamental principle of democracy.

17. Justice: It is the idea that people should be treated fairly and impartially, and that the law should ensure that no one is harmed.

18. Grassroots Democracy: A form of democracy that emphasizes the participation of ordinary people in decision-making processes at the local level,

19. Houses: An assembly where laws are discussed or passed.