ADVANTAGES OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY

FIRST TERM E-LEARNING NOTE      

SUBJECT: CIVIC EDUCATION                                                                          

CLASS: SS 3

WEEK THREE

ADVANTAGES OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY

1. IT ALLOWS FOR PEACEFUL CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT

In a constitutional democracy, elections are conducted within a regular interval as stipulated by the constitution and this makes it easy to change a government.

2. IT ALLOWS THE PEOPLE TO CHOOSE THEIR LEADERS

Democracy gives people the opportunity of voting during elections for candidates of their choice. The candidate with the highest vote wins the election and forms the government.

3. IT PROTECTS THE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS OF PEOPLE

There are certain rights or benefits endowed naturally on every individual as citizens of a state, these rights could be economic rights, social rights and political rights. These rights are popularly called fundamental human rights and it is the function of every government to recognize and protect these rights. Constitutional democracy ensures that people enjoy their rights to the maximum.

4. IT PROMOTES POPULAR PARTICIPATION

Constitutional democracy encourages peoples’ participation in government through voting and contesting for political post during election. Popular participation also involves peaceful protest or demonstration, criticism of government policy and joining or forming political parties.

5. IT PROMOTES GOOD GOVERNANCE

Since elected leaders know that they can easily be voted out of office once they lose popular acceptance or legitimacy, effort is mad by the government to promote the interest of the people who elected them into office by delivering the dividends of democracy. Therefore, government in a constitutional democracy is accountable to the people.

6. IT PROMOTES DEVELOPMENT

In a situation where there is free and fair election, good governance is enhanced and those in government feel a sense of responsibility to the electorates who voted them into power. This therefore brings about socio-economic development in the country and improved standard of living.

EVALUATION

Explain the advantages of constitutional democracy.

One of the primary advantages of constitutional democracy is that it provides a framework for upholding and protecting the rights and interests of all citizens. This includes guaranteeing freedom of speech, assembly, and religion; ensuring equal treatment under the law; and providing mechanisms for peaceful political dissent. In addition, constitutional democracies typically establish strong checks and balances among the various branches of government, which helps to promote accountability and transparency in political decision-making. Furthermore, they often have robust social safety nets in place, including universal access to healthcare and education, which help ensure that all members of society have the opportunity to thrive and prosper. Finally, constitutional democracies are typically more stable than other forms of government, as they are built on a foundation of democratic ideals, such as popular sovereignty and the rule of law. As a result, they are better able to address the needs and concerns of their citizens over the long-term. While there is no perfect system of government, constitutional democracies offer many important benefits that make them well-suited to meeting the challenges facing modern societies today

DISADVANTAGES OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY

Even though democracy is believed to be the best form of government, it has some disadvantages which are as follows:

1. IT IS EXPENSIVE TO RUN

A democratic system of government requires periodic elections which is very expensive to organize and conduct because it involves registering of voters, provision of electoral materials, recruitment of electoral officials etc.

2. DELAY IN POLICY MAKING

In a democratic system of government, there are due process to be followed before policies can be made. At times, it can take the legislative arm of government several months before they pass bills into law and this may not be good for situations or issues that requires urgent attention or for emergency periods.

3. MINORITY CANNOT HAVE THEIR WAY IN A DEMOCRACY

It does not matter how brilliant the idea and opinion of the minority is, they can only have their say in a democracy they cannot have their way. This is because democracy is a game of numbers where majority have their way and minority only have their say. Therefore, many quality policies have been swept under the carpet because they originated from the minority group and did not gain popular support and acceptance.

4. INABILITY OF THE ELECTORATE TO REMOVE A BAD GOVERNMENT UNTIL ELECTION PERIOD

The electorates may vote a person into power and later discover that he or she is a bad leader. When such situations occur, the electorates can only wait till the next election and then vote the person out of office. Thus, some political leaders take advantage of this to do whatever they like knowing that there is nothing the people can do or the worst they can do is not to be re-elected into office. Hence, they use their period in office to exploit the country’s wealth and resources for their selfish interest.

EVALUATION

What are the demerits of constitutional democracy?

While constitutional democracies offer many important benefits, they are not without their drawbacks. One potential weakness of this form of government is that it can sometimes be slow and inefficient in responding to urgent issues or crises. For example, some critics have argued that the checks and balances built into constitutional democracies can actually hinder political leaders from taking decisive action when needed, as they are often beholden to political rivals and interest groups who may oppose such measures. Additionally, constitutional democracies can sometimes struggle with maintaining social cohesion and providing opportunities for those at the margins of society, especially in times of economic or political upheaval. Finally, constitutional democracies can be vulnerable to corruption and abuse of power by vested interests or authoritarian forces that seek to undermine their democratic foundations. Despite these challenges, however, constitutional democracies remain the most widely-used and successful form of government today, and continue to provide a model for how governments can be structured in order to promote peace, prosperity, and social equality for all citizens. In short, while there are some demerits associated with constitutional democracy, these are outweighed by its many positive attributes, making it an attractive alternative to other forms of government for countries around the world.

GENERAL EVALUATION

• Explain the advantages of constitutional democracy.
• What are the disadvantages of constitutional democracy?
• Define value.
• State the types of value.
• What is citizenship education?

READING ASSIGNMENT

Fundamentals of Civic Education for Senior Secondary Schools Book 3, Sola Akinyemi.Pg 90.

[mediator_tech]

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. Another name for an electorate is a/an ___(a) candidate (b) electoral officer (c) voter
2. ___ is a body of law, rules and regulations that guides the governing of a state (a) Constitution (b) Law (c) Customs
3. Which of these is not a feature of constitutional democracy? (a) Popular sovereignty (b) Minority rule (c) Supremacy of the constitution
4. Which of these is currently an electoral commission in Nigeria? (a) FADECO (b) NEC (c) INEC
5. People who assume position of constituted authority are called (a) followers (b) leaders (c) workers
6. One of Nigeria’s most notable political parties is the ____. (a) APC (b) PDP (c) AD
7. Despite its weaknesses, constitutional democracy is an appealing form of government because it promotes _____, freedom and equality for all citizens. (a) stability (b) corruption (c) social cohesion(d) all of the above
8. Some critics argue that constitutional democracies can struggle with issues such as ____ and providing opportunities for those at the margins of society. (a) stability (b) corruption (c) social cohesion (d) none of the above
9. While there are some drawbacks to constitutional democracy, these are outweighed by its many strengths, such as its ability to promote _______, protect minority rights, and provide a framework for stable governance. (a) stability (b) corruption (c) social cohesion (d) all of the above
10. Despite its challenges, constitutional democracy remains a popular choice for many countries because it offers the promise of _________, social equality, and political stability. (a) stability (b) corruption (c) social cohesion (d) all of the above

[mediator_tech]

THEORY

1. Identify eight key concepts in a democracy.
2. Explain any of the five concepts you have listed above.