CH: 5. DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS
1. What is Guantanamo known for?
i) It is known for prison there and the violation of human rights. About 600 people were
secretly picked up by the US forces from all over the world and put in a prison in Guantanamo
Bay, an area near Cuba controlled by American Navy.
ii) The American government said that they were enemies of the US and linked to the attack
on New York on 11 September 2001. In most cases the governments of their countries were
not asked or even informed about their imprisonment.
iii) Families of prisoners, media or even UN representatives were not allowed to meet them.
The US army arrested them, interrogated them and decided whether to keep them there or
not.
iv) There was no trial before any magistrate in the US. Nor could these prisoners approach
courts in their own country.
2. What was the basic reason for the ethnic massacre in Kosovo?
i) Kosovo was a province of Yugoslavia before its split. In this province the population was
overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian. But in the entire country, Serbs were in majority.
ii) A narrow minded Serb nationalist Milosevic had won the election. His government was
very hostile to the Kosovo Albanians. He wanted the Serbs to dominate the country. Many
Serb leaders thought that Ethnic minorities like Albanians should either leave the country or
accept the dominance of the Serbs.
iii) This massacre was being carried out by the army of their own country, working under the
direction of a leader who came to power through democratic elections. This was one of the
worst instances of killings based on ethnic prejudices in recent times.
iv) Finally several other countries intervened to stop this massacre. Milosevic lost power and
was tried by an International Court of Justice for crimes against humanity.
3. Write a note on the rights of citizens in Saudi Arabia. Or In what respects are rights of
citizens denied in Saudi Arabia?
i) The country is ruled by a hereditary king and the people have no role in electing or changing
their rulers.
ii) The king selects the legislature as well as the executive. He appoints the judges and can
change any of their decisions.
iii) Citizens cannot form political parties or any political organizations.
iv) Media cannot report anything that the monarch does not like.
, v) There is no freedom of religion. Every citizen is required to be Muslim. Non- Muslim
residents can follow their religion in private, but not in public.
vi) Women are subjected to many public restrictions. The testimony of one man is considered
equal to that of two women.
4. What are rights?
ANS: Rights are claims of a person over other fellow beings, over the society and over the
government. Rights are reasonable claims of persons recognized by society and sanctioned by
law.
5. What are the three qualities that a claim should have to become a right?
i) It should be reasonable claims of citizens that are equally possible for others.
ii) It should be recognized by society. Rights acquire meaning only in society.
iii) It should be sanctioned by law.
6. What is the role of rights in Democracy? Or Why do we need rights in a democracy?
ANS: i) Rights protect minorities from the oppression of majority. They ensure that the
majority cannot do whatever it likes. Rights are guarantees which can be used when things go
wrong.
ii) Things may go wrong when some citizens may wish to take away the rights of others. This
usually happens when those in majority want to dominate those in minority.
iii) The government should protect the citizens’ rights in such a situation. But sometimes
elected governments may not protect or may even attack the rights of their own citizens. That
is why some rights need to be placed higher than the government, so that the government
cannot violate these. In most democracies the basic rights of the citizen are written down in
the constitution.
7. Explain the term Right to Equality.
i) The Constitution says that the government shall not deny to any person in India equality
before the law or the equal protection of the laws. It means that the laws apply in the same
manner to all, regardless of a person’s status. This is called the rule of law. Rule of law is the
foundation of any democracy. It means that no person is above the law. There cannot be any
distinction between a political leader, government official and an ordinary citizen.
ii). The government shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds of religion, caste,
ethnicity, sex or place of birth. Every citizen shall have access to public places like shops,
restaurants, hotels, and cinema halls.
1. What is Guantanamo known for?
i) It is known for prison there and the violation of human rights. About 600 people were
secretly picked up by the US forces from all over the world and put in a prison in Guantanamo
Bay, an area near Cuba controlled by American Navy.
ii) The American government said that they were enemies of the US and linked to the attack
on New York on 11 September 2001. In most cases the governments of their countries were
not asked or even informed about their imprisonment.
iii) Families of prisoners, media or even UN representatives were not allowed to meet them.
The US army arrested them, interrogated them and decided whether to keep them there or
not.
iv) There was no trial before any magistrate in the US. Nor could these prisoners approach
courts in their own country.
2. What was the basic reason for the ethnic massacre in Kosovo?
i) Kosovo was a province of Yugoslavia before its split. In this province the population was
overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian. But in the entire country, Serbs were in majority.
ii) A narrow minded Serb nationalist Milosevic had won the election. His government was
very hostile to the Kosovo Albanians. He wanted the Serbs to dominate the country. Many
Serb leaders thought that Ethnic minorities like Albanians should either leave the country or
accept the dominance of the Serbs.
iii) This massacre was being carried out by the army of their own country, working under the
direction of a leader who came to power through democratic elections. This was one of the
worst instances of killings based on ethnic prejudices in recent times.
iv) Finally several other countries intervened to stop this massacre. Milosevic lost power and
was tried by an International Court of Justice for crimes against humanity.
3. Write a note on the rights of citizens in Saudi Arabia. Or In what respects are rights of
citizens denied in Saudi Arabia?
i) The country is ruled by a hereditary king and the people have no role in electing or changing
their rulers.
ii) The king selects the legislature as well as the executive. He appoints the judges and can
change any of their decisions.
iii) Citizens cannot form political parties or any political organizations.
iv) Media cannot report anything that the monarch does not like.
, v) There is no freedom of religion. Every citizen is required to be Muslim. Non- Muslim
residents can follow their religion in private, but not in public.
vi) Women are subjected to many public restrictions. The testimony of one man is considered
equal to that of two women.
4. What are rights?
ANS: Rights are claims of a person over other fellow beings, over the society and over the
government. Rights are reasonable claims of persons recognized by society and sanctioned by
law.
5. What are the three qualities that a claim should have to become a right?
i) It should be reasonable claims of citizens that are equally possible for others.
ii) It should be recognized by society. Rights acquire meaning only in society.
iii) It should be sanctioned by law.
6. What is the role of rights in Democracy? Or Why do we need rights in a democracy?
ANS: i) Rights protect minorities from the oppression of majority. They ensure that the
majority cannot do whatever it likes. Rights are guarantees which can be used when things go
wrong.
ii) Things may go wrong when some citizens may wish to take away the rights of others. This
usually happens when those in majority want to dominate those in minority.
iii) The government should protect the citizens’ rights in such a situation. But sometimes
elected governments may not protect or may even attack the rights of their own citizens. That
is why some rights need to be placed higher than the government, so that the government
cannot violate these. In most democracies the basic rights of the citizen are written down in
the constitution.
7. Explain the term Right to Equality.
i) The Constitution says that the government shall not deny to any person in India equality
before the law or the equal protection of the laws. It means that the laws apply in the same
manner to all, regardless of a person’s status. This is called the rule of law. Rule of law is the
foundation of any democracy. It means that no person is above the law. There cannot be any
distinction between a political leader, government official and an ordinary citizen.
ii). The government shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds of religion, caste,
ethnicity, sex or place of birth. Every citizen shall have access to public places like shops,
restaurants, hotels, and cinema halls.
