UPSC Prelims 2017 GS Paper I · Q42 of 100 Polity & Governance easy

Democracy's superior virtue lies in the fact that it calls into activity

  1. (a) the intelligence and character of ordinary men and women. ✓ UPSC's answer
  2. (b) the methods for strengthening executive leadership.
  3. (c) a superior individual with dynamism and vision.
  4. (d) a band of dedicated party workers.

Why the answer is (a)

• Democratic theorists from Mill to Laski argue that democracy's chief merit is educative: by giving ordinary citizens a share in decisions, it draws out and develops their intelligence, judgement and civic character — option (a).

• Strong executive leadership (b), a superior individual (c) and dedicated party cadres (d) describe features of authoritarian or elitist systems, not democracy's distinctive virtue.

• Hence option (a).

Why the other options are wrong

(b) the methods for strengthening executive leadership.
Strengthening the executive is not democracy's distinctive virtue.
(c) a superior individual with dynamism and vision.
Reliance on a superior individual is elitist, not democratic.
(d) a band of dedicated party workers.
Party cadres are not the source of democracy's virtue.

Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2017, held on 18 June 2017. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

Reading the answer is not the same as getting it right under a clock. Practise this question with UPSC's negative marking, and anything you miss goes into an error notebook until you get it right twice.

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