DEMOCRACY AND EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
DEMOCRACY:
Democracy in its purest or most ideal form would be a society in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Democracy is usually considered as “the government of the people, by the people and for the people”
According to Henderson, “democracy is based on two assumptions: the infinite value and worth of human personality and belief that men are capable of managing their own affairs in such a way as to promote the welfare of all and that, therefore, they should have the freedom to do so”
The term democracy come from the Greek word “demokratia” meaning “rule of the people” which was coined from “demos” meaning “people” and “kratos” meaning “power”. The word democracy on the one hand, points towards the type of the government and on the other way a way of life.
In a democratic government there are provided free opportunities for the self expression to an individual. Dewey is of the opinion that in democracy besides the form of the government something else is involved. This is mainly the way of life for good living which is based on experience. Bode considers democracy as “a way of life” and by way of life he means “a determining influence in every major area of life”
From the political point of view, democracy means “the government of the people, by the people and for the people”. In democracy the government is formed by the majority but the rights of the minority are not ignored.
In the economic sphere democracy means that each individual should be given freedom to earn his own living through his own efforts.
Democracy is taken in the social sense, when there are no impediments in the progress of any race, class or religion. The meaning of this is that for all the people there should be equal opportunities so that they may become good citizens.
PRE-CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL DEMOCRACY:-
Democracy believes in giving independence to the people. But if the people are not educated and are not discipline for social good then this independence would be very costly and would take the form of anarchy. For the success of democracy some pre conditions are very necessary. They are,
1. There should be economic betterment of the people. Democracy cannot be established on the hungry stomachs of the people.
2. The second pre condition is the formation of an educated electorate. Democracy can function properly when the people are educated and they are conscious of their rights and duties.
EDUCATION FOR DEMOCRACY:-
For the success of democracy it is essential that each individual owns his responsibilities consciously and this will be possible only when the individuals power of understanding is high and he is of good character. It is the duty of the society that it should prepare the individual from intellectual moral and physical point of view to discharge hi duties of citizenship. So that the society may remain happy and rich. The main features of education are usually sited as two fold. Firstly, it is to transmit the social and cultural heritage to the new generation. (example through schools). The second function of education is to create among the students a feeling of adjustment to the environment. The school should develop all the qualities among the children which are desirable in a good citizen. This qualities includes,
1. Self realization
2. Human relationship
3. Economic efficiency
4. Civic responsibility
True education for democracy should help the people to appreciate the urgent necessity of acquiring knowledge to discriminate between facts and prejudices, to weigh and judge efficiencies, to arrive at conclusions.
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL AGENCIES FOR DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION:-
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