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Decision making anD ParticiPation

Framing laws is the main function of the government. People in democratic countries participate
in making laws through their elected representatives. Participation of citizens in the decision-
making process of the government, is the foundation of any democratic country.

Before making any policy, the government organises debates in the legislature. The
views of majority representatives become the collective decision and is accepted by all.
Participation is a very important factor for smooth running of a democratic government.

levels of the government

The Local Government : The local level means in your village, town or locality.

It means that the local self-government includes

Village Panchayat, District Board, Municipality
etc. The villagers and the people of towns
get a chance to take part in the local self-
government of their village or town. It provides
basic amenities to the citizens of a village or a
town or a city. It plays an important role in a
democratic country.

The State Government : The state level would mean that covers an entire state like Uttar
Pradesh or Bihar.

The Central Government : The central (National) level relates to the entire country. In India,
we have adopted parliamentary form of government.

various forms of government
These are three main types of government:

(i) Monarchy (ii) Dictatorship (iii) Democracy

Monarchy : In the ancient and medieval period
of history, monarchy or Kingship was the most
common form of government whereby a King
or Queen formed the government. Monarchial
form of government was strengthened by the

‘Divine Rights’ theory which considered kings
to be the representatives of God on the earth.
The monarch had the absolute right to take
Queen Elizabeth-ll of UK Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah decisions. His word was considered law. It was
a Sultan of Brunei hereditary form of government in which the
King or Queen inherited the throne from their father or mother.

Dictatorship : Dictatorship is another form of government in which an individual rules the
state without any accountability to the people for his actions. Adolf Hitler of Germany was

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