Democratic Politics

(i) Why is Myanmar not a democratic country ?
1. In place of the elected government, there is military rule in Myanmar.
2. Anybody caught expressing views against the military rule can be imprisoned upto 2 years.
3. Political activists were jailed for seven to fifteen years on very trivial grounds.
(ii) Why is Nepal not a democratic country ?
1. There is no elected government in Nepal.
2. The king of Nepal rules not because people have chosen him but because he happens to be born in the royal family.
(iii) Why is Pakistan not a democratic country ?
1. The real rulers in Pakistan are not elected by the people in Pakistan.
2. The people may have elected their representatives to the provincial and the national assemblies. But these representatives cannot take the final decisions. The real power lies in the hands of the army officials and with General Musharraf.
(iv) Why is China not a democratic country in the true sense of the word ?
China is also not a democratic country in the true spirit of the word :
1. Elections are no double help in China after five years for electing members to the Parliament but no candidate can stand for elections if he has not taken the approval of the Communist Party.
2. There is one party rule in China which is not the indication of a true democracy. Multi-party system is the true spirit of a democracy which is not there in China. So China cannot be said to be a true democracy.
(v) Why is Saudi Arabia not a democratic country ?
Saudi Arabia is not a democratic country in the true spirit of the word :
1. In Saudi Arabia women do not have the right to vote which is a violation of the democratic principle of universal adult franchise.
2. The king is all in all in Saudi Arabia. He is not elected by the people, so Saudi Arabia can not be called a democratic country.
(vi) Why the present government in Iraq is not a democratic government ?
The present government in Iraq is not a democratic government because even if the representatives have been elected by the people but they are not free to act as they like.
1. The elected representatives have to get every thing endorsed by U.S.A., a foreign power which is a negation of the true spirit of democracy.