First Page of Notes Flashcards
Where does the word “democracy” come from?
“demos” in Greek = “the people”
“kratos” in Greek = “rule
“democracy” = “the rule of the people”
In a democracy what do citizens do?
Citizens can participate freely through voting. They vote to elect political representatives from a list of candidates from a variety of political parties.
Give examples of political parties.
Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, UK Independence Party
(in Scotland) Greens and Scottish National Party.
In democracies, what should you be able to do without fear of punishment?
Free speech, join organisations and criticise the government.
What is a “free press” and why do democracies need it?
It means the media provides accurate information to enable us to form our own views without interference of censorship from those in power. We need it so we can vote accurately.
What is the issue with some dictatorships?
Some or all rights are denied. Some claim to be democratic but lack important features - may be able to vote but there are high levels of corruption or too many restrictions on human rights.
Why would a country claim to be democratic if they are not?
- to persuade people to move to allow it to grow
- to brainwash citizens to stay in power and there is no criticising.
Why do we need a variety of political parties?
So we can choose one that suits our views best.
Give three examples of dictatorships.
China, Zimbabwe, North Korea.
Give three example of democracies.
Pakistan, America, UK
