NCERT Explained: Class VI Political Science, Chapter 3 - What is Government?

Introduction to the Topic

Have you ever wondered who decides where roads should be built, or how the price of onions is controlled when they get too expensive? Who ensures that every corner of the country has electricity and that the postal services work smoothly? The answer to all these questions is 'The Government'. In Class VI Political Science, Chapter 3, we dive into the fundamental concept of what a government is, why we need it, and how it functions at different levels to make our lives organized and safe.

A government is essentially a group of people or a system that governs a community or unit. It sets the rules, provides public services, and makes decisions that affect the entire population. Without a government, there would be chaos, as there would be no common authority to settle disputes or manage shared resources like water, land, and infrastructure. This chapter helps young students understand that government isn't just a building in New Delhi; it is a complex, multi-layered system that touches our lives every single day.

Key Concepts Explained

1. What is a Government?

At its core, a government is an institution that makes decisions and gets things done on behalf of the people. The scope of a government's work is incredibly vast. It includes:

• Infrastructure: Deciding where to build schools, hospitals, roads, and bridges.
• Social Issues: Taking action on social problems, such as running programs to help the poor or ensuring women's safety.
• Public Services: Running essential services like the Railways, India Post, and public healthcare.
• Protection: Protecting the boundaries of the country and maintaining peaceful relations with other nations.
• Crisis Management: Organizing aid and assistance for people affected by natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, or tsunamis.
• Justice: Providing a court system where disputes can be settled according to the law.

2. Levels of Government

India is a massive country with a huge population. It would be impossible for one person or one office to manage everything from a single location. Therefore, the government works at different levels:

• Local Level: This refers to the government in your village, town, or locality. It deals with local issues like street lights, garbage collection, and local parks.
• State Level: This level covers an entire state, such as Haryana, Kerala, or Assam. The state government looks after things like state highways and state-wide education policies.
• National Level: Also known as the Central Government, it relates to the entire country. Decisions made at this level affect every citizen, such as national defense, currency (money), and foreign policy.

3. Laws and the Government

The government makes laws, and everyone who lives in the country must follow them. Just as the government has the power to make a decision, it also has the power to enforce that decision. For example, there is a law that says all persons driving a motor vehicle must have a license. If a person is caught driving without a license, they can be fined or even sent to jail.

Laws are necessary because they provide a framework for how people should behave. If the government makes a law but has no power to enforce it, the law becomes useless. Conversely, if citizens feel that a particular law is not being followed or is unfair, they have the right to approach the courts to seek justice. For instance, if someone feels they were not hired for a job because of their religion, they can go to court and claim that the law is being violated.

4. Types of Government

Who gives the government the power to make these decisions? The answer depends on the type of government a country has.

• Democracy: In a democracy, it is the people who give the government this power. They do this through elections. People vote for particular persons and elect them. Once elected, these persons form the government. In a democracy, the government has to explain its actions and defend its decisions to the people.
• Monarchy: In a monarchy, the monarch (king or queen) has the power to make decisions and run the government. The monarch may have a small group of people to discuss matters with, but the final decision-making power remains with the monarch. Unlike in a democracy, kings and queens do not have to explain their actions or defend the decisions they take to the people.

5. Democratic Governments

India is a democracy. This achievement is the result of a long and difficult struggle by the Indian people. The main feature of a democracy is that the people have the power to elect their leaders. So, in a sense, a democracy is rule by the people.

Modern democracies are usually Representative Democracies. In these, people do not participate directly but, instead, choose their representatives through an election process. These representatives meet and make decisions for the entire population.

6. Universal Adult Franchise

A government cannot truly call itself democratic unless it allows what is known as Universal Adult Franchise. This means that all adults in the country are allowed to vote, regardless of their gender, wealth, education, or caste.

However, this was not always the case. In many parts of the world, including India before independence, only a small minority (usually wealthy men with property) was allowed to vote. Women, the poor, and the uneducated were excluded. Many people, including Mahatma Gandhi, were shocked at this unfairness and demanded that all adults have the right to vote. Gandhi wrote in the journal Young India in 1931 that he could not bear the idea that a man who has wealth should have the vote, but a man who has character but no wealth or literacy should have no vote.

7. The Suffragette Movement

The fight for the right to vote was not limited to India. Globally, women and the poor had to fight for their place in the democratic process. This is known as the Suffragette Movement. During the First World War, while men were away fighting, women took over many jobs that were previously thought to be 'men's work'. This changed people's perceptions about what women were capable of. After much struggle and protest, American women got the right to vote in 1920, and women in the UK got the right to vote on the same terms as men in 1928.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Definition: The government is an institution that makes decisions, manages resources, and enforces laws for a country.
• Three Levels: Government operates at the Local, State, and National levels to ensure efficient administration.
• Laws: Laws are rules made by the government that everyone must follow; the government also has the power to enforce these laws.
• Democracy vs. Monarchy: In a democracy, power lies with the people (via elections), whereas in a monarchy, power lies with a king or queen.
• Universal Adult Franchise: The principle that every adult citizen has the right to vote, which is the cornerstone of a true democracy.
• Representation: Modern democracies are representative, meaning citizens elect officials to make decisions on their behalf.