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The most important factor of democracy is that the people choose the government. Almost anyone
can decide to run for office, if he wishes and if enough people want him to hold office, he will. The
issued as to who should hold the office is decided by secret
ballot, once every few - usually five
- years. A day is set aside for the people to make this big decision. Theoretically, everyone has
the power to overthrow a government if he or she wants to. In many countries, voting is
compulsory.
On polling day, people take turns to go and choose whom they want to lead them. But is this the
best system?
First of all, the system assumes that everyone knows how to make a wise selection. This is not
necessarily true. All of us like to be thought of as being wise and being able to make good choices
but, this may not necessarily be so. People have a tendency to look at the government from personal
points of view. The writer knows a man who has decided to vote against the ruling party because
he was sentenced by the courts to clean Changi beach, as he had thrown litter near the Esplanade.
Now is that a good reason to decide who should run the government? Even though one example
does not mean that many of us think that way, it is still reasonable to expect that personal reasons
do come in when we make an important decision like voting. Hence the one man one vote system
that we are so religious about does have its drawbacks.
Before elections, candidates are given a period of time to sell themselves. Usually they and their
supporters are full of fire and promise the voters a whole list of things if they come to power. In a
society where the voters are educated and engage in that difficult past time, known as thinking, hot
words are usually seen through. But not everyone thinks deeply in every society. For example look
at advertisements. Do we always see through them and decide for ourselves on what to buy? Many
of us are taken in by colorful advertisement language. Often we fall victims to snob appeal.
Statistics show that products which are well advertised sell better than those which are not. The some
thing happens during elections. People often 'buy' the candidate who sells better, without really
questioning the 'product' that he is selling.
In some countries vote buying is a racket. Simple people are often coaxed into voting for candidates
who pay them small sums of money. The people, being simple, are generally honest and it does not
usually occur to them to take the money and then vote as they please. An
alternative to vote buying
is the use of the threat of force. Thugs hired by candidates threaten voters into voting for their bosses.
Again it is difficult to convince the voters that their vote is secret and that the thugs have no way
of knowing who voted for who.
The problem seems to be, that before people are given the heavy responsibility of selecting political
leaders, they have to be educated on their rights and on what voting means. Without a full
appreciation of their rights and power, the power of the vote means little. Now we have come to
a vicious circle. Only enlightened politicians will seek to educate the voters. Enlightened politicians
can come to power only if people vote for them. As for villainous politicians, it is to their advantage
that voters are kept ignorant. However, come what may, there does not as yet
seem to be a system which is better than the one man one vote system. Until such
time, is seems to be all that we have got. |
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Questions |
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1. |
(a) |
What are the most important factors of democracy as given in the passage
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(b) |
Why does the writer use the word 'theoretically' in paragraph 1 ? |
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(c) |
Why does the writer disapprove of using the elections for personal
vendatta ? |
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2. |
(a) |
What happens, according to the passage, during election campaigns ? |
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(b) |
What different reactions to 'hot words' are possible ? |
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(c) |
Why does the writer use the phrase 'difficult pastime' to describe
thinking ? |
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3. |
(a) |
Describe the racket of vote coaxing in some democracies ? |
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(b) |
What is the solution suggested by the writer ? |
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4. |
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For each of the following words give one word or short phrase ( not more
than seven words ) which has the same meaning as it has in the passage. |
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i. |
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ballot |
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v. |
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engage |
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ii. |
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overthrow |
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vi. |
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alternative |
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iii. |
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compulsory |
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vii. |
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vicious |
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iv. |
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drawbacks |
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viii. |
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villainous |
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5. |
In your own words ( not more than 160 )
describe the problems with the one man one vote system in some
democracies. Use only material from the passage for your summary. |
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Answers |
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1. |
(a) |
People have a right to choose the government; that is the most important
factor. |
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(b) |
He means that that is what is supposed to happen, but quite often does
not. |
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(c) |
It does not seem sensible to use single personal reasons to make such an
important decision as choosing a government. |
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2. |
(a) |
Candidates persuade the people that they are suitable through talking
and fiery speeches. |
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(b) |
People may be misled into thinking that a person who talks so well must
be good; or they might think that he is not good because he talks too
much. |
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(c) |
People do not generally like to think, so the writer is using a
sarcastic remark. |
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3. |
(a) |
Before elections thugs are employed to buy votes from voters. They are
paid sums of money to vote for a certain candidate. |
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(b) |
The writer suggests that education is the solution. |
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4. |
i |
vote |
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ii |
depose |
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iii |
obligatory |
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iv |
the negative part of a situation |
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v |
take part in |
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vi |
choice |
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vii |
savage |
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viii |
crooked |
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5. |
The democratic system has a few weaknesses.
First of all, people vote out of personal feelings. If they feel that
the government has done some injustice to them, they will vote against
it. The writer recounts on incident where a person he knows intends to
vote against the ruling party because he had been punished with a CWO
for littering. Secondly, the oratory of the candidates has a lot of say
in persuading people to vote for them. Hence the situation arises when
people vote for a candidate because he argues his points better than
because he is a better person to represent them. Thirdly, in some
countries, candidates manage to buy votes. People being simple are
faithful to the candidates who pay them even though their vote is
secret. An alternative is persuading through the threat of force. Hired
thugs threaten to harm people to vote for their bosses and people who
are easily cowered vote for them. ( 160 words ) |
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