CITIZENSHIPEDUCATION

FOR GRADE TEN

SETBY: Agmas Desalegn

DEBRE TABORE

IN,2018 E.C

UNIT ONE

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 1.1 THE CONCEPT OF DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIZATION
1.1.1 Definition of democracy
 There is no absolute definition of democracy. The term is elastic and expands and contracts according to the
time, place and circumstances of its use.
 The term democracy is used to cover wide ranges of political systems; some of which are old and experienced,
while others relatively new and inexperienced scholars, politicians and others attempted to define democracy in
various ways.
 The word democracy was derived from two Greek words: "Demo" and "Kratos", which means people and rule
(legitimate power to rule), respectively.
 In this case, the word democracy implies the idea of rule by the people or government by the people.
 On the other hand, the dictionary definition of the term entails that democracy is a state of government in which
people hold the ruling power either directly or indirectly through their elected representatives.
 Democracy embraces the principles of equality, individual freedom and opportunity for the common people, as
those who actually wield political power.
 Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as “… government of the people, by the people and for the people.”
Government of the people- represents the source of legitimacy as well as of government officials is
from nothing but the people,
Government by the people - implies the idea of public participation in the government process and
governs themselves.
Government for the people- implies to the idea that government officials should act for the advantage
and according to the interest of the people.
1.2 Definitions and actors of democratization process
1.2.1 The meaning of democratization
 Democratization is a complex, long-term, dynamic, and open-ended process.
 Democratization consists of progress towards a more rule-based, more consensual and more
participatory type of politics.
 Democratization is the transition to a more democratic political regime, including substantive political
changes moving in a democratic direction.
 Democratization may be the transition from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy, a transition
from an authoritarian political system to a semi-democracy or a transition from a semi authoritarian
political system to a democratic political system.
 Democratization is a transition from an authoritarian political system to a semi-democracy or a
transition from a semi-authoritarian political system to a democratic political system.

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 Democratization is ‘the transition to a more democratic system of government.’ Historically,
democratization has been kicked off by several factors.
 Higher wealth throughout the population gives more people economic equality, which often
turns to a desire for political equality.
 Greater education, especially literate populations, are more likely to think, read, and write
about their rights, and are more likely to encourage democratization.
 Healthy economies, lengthy periods of peace, good international relations, industrial
technology, cultural values, and even the growth of a middle class have all been proposed to
influence the move towards democratization.

1.2.2. Major Actors in the process of democratization

Democracy is a process. Building up of democracy is not an overnight program. It needs not only time but
also different actors who involve in building democracy and democratic culture.

Major actors in the progress of democratization

1. Political Parties:
 Political parties are essential to the functioning and durability of democracy.
 They are not only the instruments through which power is attained by means of free, fair and
transparent elections but also are the settings for working out practical ideas and
proposals which may constitute alternative programs to the government.
2. Civil Societies:
 Civil Societies: it is an arena voluntary collective action around shared interests, purposes
and values distinct from governmental organizations.
 Non-governmental associations and organizations are valuable vectors of democracy.
 They are contributing to consciousness raising, defense of the legitimate interests of groups
of individuals and the protection of individual and collective rights and freedoms.
 The efficacy of the work of civil society depends on the extent to which such associations are
autonomous or institutionalized.
3. Interest Groups:
 Interest groups are organizations or groups of people, which are autonomous (independent,
self directed) from government or political parties with the objective of influencing
government.
 In democracies we find several interest groups who attempt to promote and influence the
policies of government.
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  In fact, interest groups are regarded as essential transmission belts between people and
government.
 They play an important role in helping people interact with government, which is often
remote and difficult for the individual to influence.
 Interest groups, bridge the gap between the citizen and government.
 Through interest groups, citizens communicate their wants on policy goals to government
leaders.
4. Mass Media:
 Mass Media: it is a technology that is intended to reach a mass audience.
 It is the primary means of communication used to reach the vast majority of the general public.
 The mass media refers to an institution and to the methods of communication which can reach
large number of people at the same time.
 The mass media it includes newspapers, television, radio, books, posters, magazines, cinema,
etc.
 Media plays a role in the political training of citizens and in building democratic culture by
informing the people about the scope of public policies, the management and conduct of
affairs by those responsible at both state and grass-roots level, and by providing and offering
the members of the community the means of communicating with each other.
 But, if the media is to perform those functions, it must be free and independent; it must have
sufficient material and human resources to deal with all the important problems of the society.
 The importance of the mass media in a country is not dependent on the number of
newspapers or private radio and television stations but on the quality of the information
provided to the public.
1.3. Institutionalizing democracy
 Democratic institutions are important to develop and protect democracy.
 Those Institutions must serve the entire population of a country with equality under the law.
 Institutions provide the frame work for individuals and systems to function.
 Their breakdown leads to a breakdown of societal functioning -democracy is a weakened the
sense of Justice is eroded and the opposition is required to be suppressed.
 Democratic institutions are important to develop and protect democracy.
 These institutions must serve the entire population of a country with equality under the law.
 Autocratic and oligarchic governments might have the rule of law but do not qualify for
democracy because they fail to fully ensure equality under the law.
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  Institutions provide the framework for individuals and systems to function.
 Their breakdown leads to a breakdown of societal functioning, i.e., democracy is weakened, the
sense of justice is eroded and opposition is required to be suppressed.
 If democratic institutions are strong, they are respected and it becomes difficult to manipulate
them.
 They enable the honest to survive.
 In strong institutions, corruption is an aberration but when they are weakened, it becomes
generalized.
 Corruption leads to individualization, illegality becomes acceptable and the collective interest
suffers.
1.3.2. Democratic institutions and their functions
 Democratic institutions are institutions that facilitate and promote the operations of democracy.
 They are those institutions that make democracy to work.
 Some of the democratic institutions include:-
 Independent national electoral  Human right commission
commission  Press institutions
 Political parties  Police commission
 Pressure groups  Ombudsman, etc.
 Arms of government
A. Independent national electoral commission: independent national electoral commission is a
corporate body charged with the responsibility of organizing, conducting and supervising elections
into electoral offices in the country.
 Independent national electoral commission functions (the role of national electoral commision):
 Conduct of election  Provision of electoral officers and
 Conduct of referenda materials
 Voters registration  Fixing of date of election
 Constituency delimitation  Provide security at the polling station
 Register and monitor political parties  Education the electorate
B. Political parties:
 Political parties are organized group of individual who share same political ideologies,
beliefs and interests and who seek to win elections and control the state power and
machinery of government..
Political parties perform (provides) the following functions:
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  Serve as a forum for national unity and mutual understanding. This is possible because it brings
together people from different ethnic and religious groups.
 Political education to members and general public
 Serves as machinery for recruitment /appointment
 Serves as a link between the people and the government
 Ensures political stability in government
 Allows for harmonization of sectional and diversified interest
 Provision of social amenities and infrastructure
 Help to sensitize the electorate on crucial national issues, governmental policies and
programmers
 Ensure that the party in power is accountable to the electorate through constructive criticism.
C. A pressure group
A pressure group is an organized body of people seeking to influence government policy, and to
promote the interest of their members. A pressure group is also called interest group.
 Pressure group they provides the following Functions :
 Offer useful pieces of advice and suggestions
 Help to promote economic stability
 Provide and promote certain general welfare services to the public
 Educate members and the public on national issues and fundamental human rights
 Act as a link between the people and the government
 Act as watchdog over public policies
 Support to candidates and political parties to win election
 A pressure group serves the following functions:
1. Offers useful pieces of advice and suggestions
2. Helps to promote economic stability
3. Provides and promotes certain general welfare services to the public
4. Educates members and the public on national issues and fundamental human rights
5. Acts as a link between the people and the government
6. Acts as watchdog over public policies
7. Supports candidates and political parties to win election
8. Acts as a manpower bank from where government can draw experts to serve in the government.
D. Branches of government: the functions of three government branches are the following:
 Executive: execute/implement the law
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  Legislature: make the law
 Judiciary: Interprets the law
1.4. The role of democracy for social transformation
Social transformation has two broad definitions.
A. Social transformation is the process by which an individual alters the socially ascribed social
status of his/her parents into a socially achieved status for him/herself (status transformation). This
applies to to an individual.
B. Social transformation refers to a large-scale social change as in cultural reforms or
transformations (societal transformation). This applies to the social system.
The first one applies to an individual, while the second applies to the social system.
 Social transformation means the restructuring of all aspects of life;
 from culture to social relations;
 from politics to economy;
 from the way we think to the way we live.
 Through time, societies have transformed from small associations of individuals tied together by
instincts, need, and fear, to small communities tied together by circumstances, kinship, traditions,
and religious beliefs, to nations tied together by history, politics, ideology, culture, and laws.
 It can be manifested in the form of social change, Civic engagement, Civic dialogue, civic
activism, Community building, social capital, and community development forms.
 But for most of human history, the pace of change was very slow; no transformations in life
conditions could be felt for several generations.
What are the roles of democracy for social transformation?
The process transformation it may be manifested in different traits : such as:
A. Social change: is a broad umbrella to encompass a range of typical social and civic outcomes from
increased awareness and understanding, to attitudinal change, to increased civic participation, the
building of public will, to policy change that corrects injustice
B. Social Activism: it refers to action to make change that ensures inclusion, equity, fairness, and
justice. It is intentional action to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change.
C. Civic Engagement: it refers to the many ways in which people participate in civic, community, and
political life and, by doing so, express their engaged citizenship.
D. Civic Dialogue: is dialogue in which people explore matters of civic importance and consider the
dimensions of a civic or social issue, policy, or decisions of consequence to their lives, communities,
and society
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E. Community Building: it refer to the process of building relationships that helps to coherent
community members around common purpose, identity, and a sense of belonging which may lead to
social or community capital.
F. Social Capital: is a common outcome named in arts and social change work. Social capital is the
collective value of all “social networks” (who people know) and the inclinations to do things for each
other that arise from these networks (“norms of reciprocity”).
G. Community Development: in community development, the economic, social, and physical
dimensions of community are considered.
 Community development agencies often focus on ensuring low and mixed-income housing, job
training or workforce development, commercial real estate development, and small business
start-up.
The roles of democracy for social transformation
 Democracy can play a significant role for social transformation but the process of
transformation may be manifested in the following ways:
A. Social change
 The term social change encompasses a range of typical social and civic outcomes, from
increased awareness and understanding, to attitudinal change, increased civic
participation, and the building of public will, to policy change that corrects injustice.
 Acknowledging that social change must start with the individual, social justice. Social justice
is a structural change that increases opportunity for those who are least well- off politically,
economically, and socially.
 Social justice is grounded in the values and ideals of equity, access, and inclusion for all
members of the society, particularly for poor communities and communities of color that
historically and structurally have experienced social inequities.
 Those who work for social justice push to uncover the underlying causes of inequity and seek
systemic change in institutions and policies as well as socially upheld behavioral norms that
foster fair treatment and share of benefits.
 Social justice encourages change to come from those communities that are most affected by
social inequity, involving people most affected in working on the problems and decisions. It
employs a combination of tactics such as advocacy related to policy, grassroots organizing,
litigation, and communications. Many definitions of social justice refer to fair treatment and
impartial distribution or allocation of benefits afforded to all individuals and groups in the
society.
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B. Social activism
 Social activism refers to actions taken to make change that ensures inclusion, equity, fairness,
and justice. It is intentional action to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental
change.
C. Civic engagement
 Civic engagement refers to the many ways in which people participate in civic, community,
and political life and, by doing so, express their engaged citizenship. It ranges from proactively
becoming better informed to participating in public dialogue on issues, from volunteering to
voting and community organizing to political advocacy. The defining characteristic of active
civic engagement is commitment to participate and contribute to the improvement of one’s
community, neighborhood, and nation. Civic engagement may be either a measure or a means
of social change, depending on the context and intent of efforts.
D. Civic dialogue
 Civic dialogue is dialogue in which people explore matters of civic importance and consider
the dimensions of a civic or social issue, policy, or decisions of consequence to their lives,
communities, and society.
 Engaging in civic dialogue is a form of civic engagement. Sometimes civic or public dialogue
is considered an important end in itself. In this context, dialogue is defined as two or more
parties with differing viewpoints working toward common understanding in an open-ended,
most often, face-to-face format. In dialogue, multiple and possibly conflicting perspectives are
included rather than promoting a single point of view. Empathy and understanding are
promoted. Assumptions are brought out into the open. Suspension of judgment is encouraged
in order to foster understanding and break down obstacles.
E. Community building
 Community building has been defined in various ways. It may refer to the process of
building relationships that helps to form coherent community members around common
purpose, identity, and a sense of belonging which may lead to social or community capital.
 The building of social capital is a common outcome named in arts and social change work.
Social capital is the collective value of all “social networks” (who people know) and the
inclinations to do things for each other that arise from these networks (“norms of
reciprocity”).
 Specific benefits that flow from social networks include trust, reciprocity, information, and
cooperation.

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  Bonding networks that connect people who are similar sustain particularized (in-group)
reciprocity.
 Bridging networks that connect individuals who are diverse sustain generalized reciprocity.
F. Community development
 In community development, the economic, social, and physical dimensions of community
are considered. Community development agencies often focus on ensuring low and mixed-
income housing, job training or workforce development, commercial real estate
development, and small business start-up.
 In broader definitions, such as one offered by useful-community-development.
Organizations, they may also aim to advance youth development, health, recreation, human
service, cultural, and other community goals.
 Community development seeks to empower individuals and groups of people by
providing these groups with the skills and resources they need to effect change in their own
communities.
G. Cultural vitality
 Cultural vitality is the evidence of creating, disseminating, validating, and supporting arts and
culture as a dimension of everyday life in communities.
 Cultural vitality is an important dimension of civic life, but culture is not often considered for its
civic value.
 Negotiation of cultural priorities, especially for disenfranchised cultural groups wanting to stake
claim in the public sphere, its importance not only for these groups, but also for the community at
large. Issues of cultural preservation, equity, and representation are not only important but also
are of concern to growth and development, economics, tourism, public funding, and other civic
issues.
H. Cultural democracy
 The concept of cultural democracy as a set of related commitments: protecting and promoting
cultural diversity, and the right to culture for everyone in our society and around the world;
encouraging active participation in community cultural life; enabling people to participate in
cultural policy decisions that affect the quality of our cultural lives; and assuring fair and equitable
access to cultural resources and support.
1.5. Democratic values

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  Indigenous institutions are traditional institutions of the community or society which carries out
political social administrative or judicial functions based on the democratic values of trust, justice,
inclusive, cooperation, dialogue, respect, reciprocity, tolerance, common humanity and etc.
What are the core values of democracy?
 There are three core values of democracy. These are values of liberty/freedom, justice and
equality.
A. Liberty: This value includes:-
1. Personal freedom (to mean that Individuals should be free from arbitrary arrest and detention
and also their homes/ property should be secured from unreasonable searches and seizures),
2. Political freedom ( to imply that people of a nation have the right to participate freely in the
political process such as elections without being subject to arbitrary arrest, harassment and
electoral corruption such as buying votes, intimidation and obstruction of voter) and
3. Economic freedom ( to mean that citizens should have the right to acquire, use, transfer and
dispose of private property without unreasonable governmental interference and more over to
enjoy right to seek employment wherever one pleases, to change employment at will and to
engage in any lawful labor unions or business corporations).
B. Justice: This value of democracy can be understood in three general senses of fairness. These are
1. Distributive Justice (the sense of distributing benefits and burdens in society via agreed up
on standards of fairness),
2. Corrective Justice (the sense that a proportional response should be in place to correct
wrongs and injuries) and
3. Procedural justice (the idea that procedures used for gathering information and making
decisions should be guided by such principles as impartiality and openness of proceedings).
C. Equality: Three notions of equality are of particular significance. These are:-
1. Political equality (implying that all people who attain the status of adult hood have equal
political rights or in short one man-one vote- one value),
2. Social equality (implying that there should be no social hierarchy at individual and collective
level or no discrimination what so ever) and
3. Economic equality (implying that all peoples of a country deserve equal and fair assessment to
the national resources services).
1.6. Aspects of democracy
Democracy is a system of government by all the citizens of a country, typically exercised through elected
representatives. Democracy is the most successful political idea in the world.
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The concept of democracy is broad and diverse. Every country has a unique democratic system, and
countries will therefore be ‘differently democratic’.
What are the major aspects of democracy?
There are three major aspects to democracy. These are the social, economic and political aspects as
elaborated here
1. Social aspects of democracy:
 By social aspect of democracy, it is meant the removal of any discrimination on the basis of
class, caste, creed, color, sex, ethnicity, race, etc.
 All men and women, rich or poor, regardless of any class or caste prejudices are socially
equal, and should be treated as equals.
2. Economic aspect of democracy:
 By economic aspect of democracy, it is meant that the equitable and just distribution of
wealth and resources in society and abolition of glaring disparities or polarization on the
basis of wealth.
 Economic democracy recognizes the right to work, leisure, fair wages, and unrestricted right to
the enjoyment of life.
3. Political aspect of democracy:
 The political aspect of democracy signifies the provision of political rights namely the right
to vote, the right to contest during elections, the right to hold public office, the right to
movement, thought, association, the right to freedom of conscience, the right to speak, etc.
 In order to enable citizens to exercise these and other political rights effectively and
persistently, citizens have to be asserted freedom of speech, association and publication.
 Democracy is, a social balance, and the dominant ideas of the purpose of democracy at any
particular time represent the balance of interest.

Unit summary
There is no absolute definition of democracy. The term is elastic and expands and contracts according to
the time, place and circumstances of its use. What follows is a short list of definitions provided by field
experts. The word democracy was derived from two Greek words: demos and kratos, which means
common people and rule (legitimate power to rule), respectively. In this case, the word democracy implies
to the idea of rule by the people or government by the people. Democracy is a multifaceted concept, and
building of democratic system requires proper implementation of democratic principles. These principles
are: Sovereign authority of the people, Supremacy of constitution, Majority rule and minority right,

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Separation of power, Free, fair and periodic election, Accountability and transparency, Secularism,
Equality before the law, Peaceful transformation of power and Multi-party system. Indigenous governance
is defined as the sphere of self-administration by Indigenous peoples that, in harmony with applicable law
and with Indigenous peoples’ own organizational structures, contemplate: the recognition of the special
relationship that exists between the land and ethnic and cultural identity.
Glossary
 Accountability
 When officials are responsible for their actions and decisions in a democracy
 Majority rule
 When government’s decision is made on the basis of a majority vote in democracy.
 Minority right
 Respecting the rights of a minority in a democracy.
 Ruling party
 The party that rules democratically because it has won the election.
 Sovereignty
 The preservation of a country’s independence and its power to establish relations with other
countries.

 Transparency
 The preservation of a country’s independence and its power to establish relations with other
countries.
 Universal suffrage
 During elections by all citizens who are above a given age limit in democratic societies, e.g.,
eighteen in Ethiopia.

Unit review exercises

I. Write “True” if the statement is correct; write “False” if the statement is
incorrect.
1. The word democracy was derived from two Greek words: demos and kratos, which means common
people and rule respectively.
2. A democratic system is one in which citizens freely make political decision by majority rule.
3. Political parties are organized group of individuals who share common and absolutely similar
political ideologies, beliefs and interests.

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 4. Like political parties, Non-governmental associations and organizations are valuable vectors of
democracy.
5. The principal mechanism for translating the consent of citizens into government authority is the
holding of periodic, free and fair election.

II. Choose the correct answer for the following questions

1. Democracy is a form of government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the
people refers to:
A. Developmental democracy C. Representative Democracy
B. Direct democracy D. Social Democracy
2. Which of the following are the main obligations of government in a democratic society?
A. To consider public offices as person properly
B. To protect the right and interests of its people
C. To make public official to exercise their power excessively
D. All of the above
3. Athenian Democracy was only for:
A. women citizens C. Adult male citizens
B. Male slaves D. All of the above
4. Which one of the following is not true about democratic system?
A. Citizens freely make political decision
B. Minorities right mainly depends on the will of the majority
C. The law protects every people’s right and interests
D. All of the above
5. Which one of the following is not included under the principles of democratic system?
A. Popular sovereignty
B. Accountability and transparency
C. The existence of one-party system
D. All of the above

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III. Match words or phrases under column‘A’ with correct items under column ‘B’
Column ‘A’ Column ‘B’
1. A king or queen who rules within the state law A. President
2. The elected head of the state . B. Dictator
3. A ruler who can do as he or she likes C. Prime minster
4. An elected head of the government. D. Member of the parliament
5. An elected representative who sit on the parliament E. Constitutional monarchy
F. Vice president
G. Electorates
III. Write the correct answers on the spaces provided.
1. Pressure groups _ are organizations or groups of people, which are autonomous from government
or political parties with the objective of influencing government.
2. Social Aspects of Democracy, it is meant the removal of any discrimination on the basic of class,
caste, creed, color, sex, and ethnicity, race, etc.
3. Accountability___refers to when officials are responsible for their actions and decisions in a
democracy
IV. Give short answers for the following questions
1. Explain the principles of participatory democracy.
 Participatory democracy or participative democracy is a model of democracy in which
citizens are provided power to make political decisions.
 Etymological roots of democracy (Greek demos and kratos) imply that the people are in power,
making all democracies participatory to some degree.
 However, participatory democracy tends to advocate greater citizen participation and more
direct representation than traditional representative democracy.
2. What is the main function of pressure group?
 A pressure group serves the following functions:
 Offers useful pieces of advice and suggestions
 Helps to promote economic stability
 Provides and promotes certain general welfare services to the public
 Educates members and the public on national issues and fundamental human rights
 Acts as a link between the people and the government
 Acts as watchdog over public policies
 Supports candidates and political parties to win election
 Acts as a manpower bank from where government can draw experts to serve in the
government.

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3. Why representative democracy is a widely used and practiced in many democratic countries
of the world?
Representative democracy is widely used and practiced in many democratic countries of the world for
several important reasons:
A. Large Population and Size of Countries – In most modern nations, the population is too large and
the territory too wide for all citizens to gather and make decisions directly. Representative democracy
allows people to elect leaders who make decisions on their behalf.
B. Efficiency and Practicality – It is more efficient to have elected representatives discuss, debate, and
make laws than to involve every citizen in every decision.
C. Expertise and Experience – Representatives are often better informed about laws, policies, and
national issues, allowing them to make more knowledgeable decisions than the general public might be
able to.
D. Protection of Rights – Representative systems often include constitutional checks and balances that
help protect the rights and freedoms of citizens.
E. Accountability – Elected representatives are accountable to the people through regular elections. If
they fail to serve the public interest, citizens can replace them.
F. Encourages Political Stability – Representative democracy helps create stable government structures
by ensuring orderly transitions of power through elections rather than through violence or chaos.
G. Public Participation through Representation – Even though citizens do not make laws directly,
they participate indirectly by voting, joining political parties, or engaging in civic discussions.
H. Diversity of Interests – In diverse societies, representative democracy allows different groups,
regions, and opinions to be represented fairly in government.
In summary:
 Representative democracy is popular because it is practical, inclusive, efficient, and ensures
accountability, making it suitable for modern, large, and diverse nations.
4. What do you think electoral process must be free, fair and periodic?
 The electoral process must be free, fair, and periodic because these principles are the foundation
of true democracy. Here’s why each part is important:
1. Free Elections –
 Citizens must be able to choose their leaders without pressure, fear, or intimidation.
 Everyone should have the right to vote and run for office freely.
 A free election allows people to express their political will openly and honestly.
2. Fair Elections –
 The process must treat all political parties and candidates equally.
 Votes must be counted accurately and transparently.
 There should be independent election bodies to prevent corruption and bias.
 Fairness ensures that the results truly reflect the people’s choice.
3. Periodic Elections –
 Elections should be held regularly, not just once.
 This allows citizens to hold leaders accountable and replace them if necessary.
 Periodic elections prevent leaders from staying in power too long and becoming dictators.
 In summary:
 The electoral process must be free, fair, and periodic to make sure that government power truly comes
from the people, protects citizens’ rights, and maintains public trust in democracy.
 Would you like me to prepare 10 true or false questions or multiple-choice questions about this topic?

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