NCERT Class 7 Social Science Chapter 9 From the Rulers to the Ruled: Types of Governments

NCERT Class 7 Social Science Chapter 9 From the Rulers to the Ruled: Types of Governments Solutions English Medium to each chapter is provided in the list so that you can easily browse through different chapters NCERT Class 7 Social Science Chapter 9 From the Rulers to the Ruled: Types of Governments and select need one. NCERT Class 7 Social Science Chapter 9 From the Rulers to the Ruled: Types of Governments Question Answers Download PDF. NCERT Class 7 Social Science Texbook Solutions in English.

NCERT Class 7 Social Science Chapter 9 From the Rulers to the Ruled: Types of Governments

Also, you can read the NCERT book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Book guidelines. CBSE Class 7 Social Science Textual Solutions in English Medium are part of All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NCERT Class 7 Social Science Notes, CBSE Class 7 Social Science in English Medium Textbook Solutions for All Chapters, You can practice these here.

From the Rulers to the Ruled: Types of Governments

Chapter: 9

THEME – D: Governance and Democracy

The Big Questions? 

1. What are the different types of government? 

Ans: The two main types of government are democracy, where the power is held by the people, and dictatorship, where power is concentrated in one person or a small group.

2. Where do governments get their power from? 

Ans: Governments derive their power from various sources depending on their political system. In democratic governments, power comes from the people through elections, where citizens choose their representatives. In monarchies or theocratic systems, power may be claimed through divine right or tradition. Authoritarian regimes often rely on force, coercion, or military control to maintain authority without the consent of the governed. Some political theories, like the social contract, suggest that governments derive their power from an agreement among individuals to form a society, giving up certain freedoms in exchange for security and the rule of law.

3. How does a country’s government interact with the people? 

Ans: A country’s government interacts with the people in several important ways. It creates and enforces laws that guide citizens’ behavior and ensure order and justice in society. Through public services such as education, healthcare, and transportation, the government supports the well-being of its people. In democratic nations, the government listens to the people through elections, public consultations, and feedback mechanisms, allowing citizens to express their opinions and influence decisions. Governments also collect taxes to fund development and infrastructure projects. Additionally, communication through media, official announcements, and public addresses keeps people informed about national issues and government actions.

4. Why does democracy matter?

Ans: In a democratic government, the people choose their government. The government is accountable for protecting the rights of its people and is responsible for providing basic needs to its citizens. If the government does not perform its functions properly, the people can change their representatives through elections. This ensures that there is a constant check of what the government does. Thus, the values and ideals of the government in a democracy should focus on the well-being of all its people.

Questions and Activities

1. Write names of the various types of government that you have learnt in the chapter. 

Ans: (i) Democracy: The most popular form of government in the world today is democracy. Democratic governments across the world have variations, including direct democracy and representative democracy.

(a) Direct Democracy: Direct Democracy is a form of democracy where all the citizens of a country are directly responsible for all the rules, regulations and functions. They participate in all the decisions directly. 

(b) Representative Democracy: This is the form of democratic government in which the people elect their representatives through universal adult franchise, just like in India. In this form of democracy, the people do not directly govern, but the government is always accountable to the people.

There are two types of representative democracy:

Parliamentary Democracy: Parliamentary democracy In this form of government, the members of the executive are also part of the legislature. For example, in India, the prime minister and the council of ministers are also members of the parliament.

Presidential Democracy: Presidential democracy In this form of government, the executive works independently of the legislature. The president is elected by the people. The president does not need to have the confidence of the legislature for his / her position.

(ii) Monarchy: If a king believed he had divine powers, he might rule with absolute authority, making laws without consulting others. This could lead to oppression, as people would be forced to obey without question. Such power could be misused, ignoring dharma and the welfare of the people, leading to unjust governance.

(a) Absolute Monarchy: Absolute monarchy In an absolute monarchy the monarch has complete control in the making of laws, ensuring that they are followed and adjudicating when they are not. Saudi Arabia is an example of an absolute monarchy; here the king holds all power and governs according to Islamic law. However, he appoints a council that advises and assists him on governance; but he is not bound by the council’s advice.

(b) Constitutional Monarchy: A constitutional monarchy is a system of government where a king or queen is the official head of state but has limited or symbolic powers. The real power lies with the elected government, especially the prime minister and the parliament. 

(iii) Theocracy: A theocracy is a form of government where the country is ruled by the rules of religion and religious leaders. Iran, whose full official name is ‘Islamic Republic of Iran’ has a unique political system combining elements of both a theocratic and democratic governance. Their constitution is based on the fundamental principles of Islam, the country’s official religion. The Supreme Leader, who has the ultimate authority over the legislature, executive and judiciary, is selected by a group of Islamic clerics and his term is for life. There are also an elected president and a parliament that take care of everyday governance. The intent of the republic is to establish a society based on Islamic norms.

(iv) Dictatorship: A dictatorship is a form of government in which one person, or a small group possesses absolute power  they do not have any limits imposed on them by a constitution or law. The 20th century witnessed many examples of dictators who created extremely difficult circumstances for the people

(v) Oligarchy: The word ‘oligarchy’ is of Greek origin, where olígos means a few and árkhō means to rule or command. It is a type of government where a small, powerful group makes all the important decisions; usually they are wealthy families or influential people. In some places in ancient Greece, aristocratic families ruled as oligarchies. In modern times, political commentators have observed that even some democracies show signs of oligarchy when a small group of politicians and wealthy business people hold too much influence in governance.

2. Which type of Government does India have? And why is that called that type? 

Ans: India has a parliamentary democracy. It is called this because the people elect the members of Parliament, and the Prime Minister along with the Council of Ministers is chosen from among them. The government remains in power only as long as it has the support of the Lok Sabha, making it accountable to the people through the Parliament.

3. You read that an independent judiciary is present in all types of democracies. State any three reasons why you think it is important for the judiciary to be independent. 

Ans: Three reasons why an independent judiciary is important in a democracy:

(i) Ensures Fairness: An independent judiciary makes sure that all citizens are treated equally under the law and that justice is delivered without bias.

(ii) Checks on Power: It acts as a check on the powers of the executive and legislature, ensuring that no branch of government becomes too powerful or acts against the Constitution.

(iii) Protects Rights: It safeguards the fundamental rights of citizens by preventing the misuse of laws or authority by the government.

4. Do you think democratic government is better than other forms of government? Why?

Ans: Yes, democratic government is generally considered better than other forms of government because:

(i) Power lies with the people: People choose their representatives, which means the government is accountable to them.

(ii) Protects individual rights and freedoms: Democracies are built on the idea of equality and freedom for all citizens.

(iii) Encourages participation: It allows people to be involved in decision-making processes.

(iv) Checks and balances: There are systems in place to prevent misuse of power.

(v) Promotes peaceful change: Leaders can be changed through regular, free, and fair elections.

5. These are some practices in a few different countries. Can you match the practice with the type of government?

S. No.	Practice in the country	Type of Government
I.	All citizens are treated equally before law	Dictatorship
II.	The government refers to the religious leader for each and every decision it takes.	Monarchy
III.	After the queen’s death, her son became the new king.	Democracy
IV.	The ruler is not bound to follow any Constitution. He makes all the decisions as per his choice.	Theocracy

Ans:

S. No.	Practice in the country	Type of Government
I.	All citizens are treated equally before law	Democracy
II.	The government refers to the religious leader for each and every decision it takes.	Theocracy
III.	After the queen’s death, her son became the new king.	Monarchy
IV.	The ruler is not bound to follow any Constitution. He makes all the decisions as per his choice.	Dictatorship

6. Below is a list of countries. Find out the types of government these countries have:

S. No	Country	Type of Government
1	Bhutan
2	Nepal
3	Bangladesh
4	South Africa
5	Brazil

Ans: 

S. No	Country	Type of Government
1	Bhutan	Constitutional Monarchy
2	Nepal	Federal Democratic Republic
3	Bangladesh	Parliamentary Democracy
4	South Africa	Parliamentary Republic
5	Brazil	Presidential Federal Republic

7. What are possible hurdles in a democracy in achieving its values and ideals? How can they be overcome? 

Ans: Democracy is based on values such as equality, justice, freedom, and participation. However, there are several hurdles in achieving these ideals. One major hurdle is social and economic inequality, where large sections of society do not have equal access to education, healthcare, or opportunities. This leads to unequal participation in democratic processes. Another challenge is corruption within the government and administrative systems, which weakens public trust and prevents fair decision-making. Lack of awareness and education among citizens is also a major obstacle, as it prevents them from understanding their rights and duties. Additionally, discrimination based on caste, religion, gender, or language continues to affect how resources and rights are distributed. Political violence, misuse of power, and fake news further harm the functioning of a healthy democracy.

These problems can be overcome by promoting education, ensuring fair laws, reducing corruption, encouraging equal participation, and strengthening democratic institutions like the judiciary and media.

8. Democracy is different from monarchy and dictatorship. Explain.

Ans: Democracy is a form of government where power lies with the people. In this system, leaders are elected by the citizens through regular and fair elections. The government is accountable to the people and must follow a constitution or set of laws. Citizens enjoy various rights such as freedom of speech, religion, and equality. In contrast, a monarchy is a system where the ruler, usually a king or queen, inherits power by birth. In an absolute monarchy, the monarch has complete control, while in a constitutional monarchy, the ruler’s powers are limited by laws or a constitution. On the other hand, a dictatorship is a form of government where all power is held by one person or a small group. Dictators are not chosen by the people and are not bound by a constitution or law. They often use force to maintain control, and citizens have little or no freedom. Therefore, democracy is different from monarchy and dictatorship in terms of how leaders are chosen, how power is used, and the rights enjoyed by the people.