CBSE Class 9 Social Science Political Science Revision Notes Chapter 5

Class 9 Social Science Political Science Chapter 5 notes:

CBSE Class 9 Social Science (Civics) Chapter 5 notes – Democratic Rights:

Class 9 Political Science Chapter 5 notes highlight the importance of rights in any nation and how human rights are important to protect citizens from atrocities. In these Class 9 Social Science Political Science Chapter 5 notes, students will learn the major details of the chapter that are important for their final examination. Chapter 5 Social Science Political Science Class 9 notes will provide students with important questions that can be asked to consolidate their preparation. Moreover, these Class 9 Social Science Political Science Chapter 5 notes will be a student’s last-minute revision guide, providing all the necessary information.

Living without Rights: 

These CBSE revision notes of Chapter 5 will highlight in detail the necessity of fundamental rights.

Let’s take examples to understand what it would be like to live without rights:

1) Guantanamo Bay

The American government secretly chose about 600 people from around the world by the US forces. Moreover, the American government imprisoned them in Guantanamo Bay, a region controlled by the American navy. The government further said they were enemies of the United States and were involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City. Most of the prisoners’ families were not even informed. It’s only when the news is spread in the media that they come to know. Moreover, these prisoners were not even allowed to approach the courts in their own country.

2) Citizen’s Rights in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, the position on the citizen’s rights in regard to their government was quite different from what is mentioned above. Let’s have a view at it:

1. A king rules the country of Saudi Arabia, and the country’s common people do not have any right to elect a leader of their own choice.
2. The king further appoints the legislature and the executive. Moreover, the judicial system is not fair as the king appoints the judges and has the right to dismiss them.
3. Citizens are not allowed to form any political parties or organisations, and the media is restricted from publishing anything that the Monarch King does not like. Non-Muslims are not allowed to follow their religious practices in the open and have to pursue them in private. There is no freedom by which an individual can pursue his religion.
4. The voice or testimony of a male member of a society is considered equal to that of two female members. Moreover, women face several public restrictions.

3) Ethnic Massacre in Kosovo

Yugoslavia was a small district or province before it was split. The province’s population was overwhelmingly ethnic and traditional Albanian, but Serbs comprised the majority of the country. A narrow-minded nationalist, Milosevic of the Serbs, won the election, and his government began brutal killings and hostile treatment of the Albanians. The leader wanted the Serbs, the majority of the nation, to dominate the country. Many Serb rulers thought that ethnic minorities like Albanians should either leave the country or willingly accept the Serbs’ hostile treatment and dominance.

Rights in a Democratic nation 

Common people want to live happily, without unnecessary fear, and not be subjected to bad or brutal treatment. For this to happen, we expect others to behave in a manner that does not harm any of us or hurt us. We accept that our actions should not harm or hurt anyone else.

• A right is only possible when you make an offer or a claim that is equally appealing and possible for others as it is for you.
• A right always comes with an obligation to respect other people’s rights.

What is recognised by society as rightful and favourable becomes the basis of rights. That is why the idea of rights transforms according to time and society.

Any claim can be referred to as a “right” if it has the following three qualities:

• The claim should have a reason behind it
• The claims should be in favour of  society or recognised by society
• The claim should be in accordance with the law

Rights of Indian Citizens

1) Right to Constitutional Remedies

The right to constitutional remedies allows and empowers the nation’s citizens to go and talk to a court of law in case of any denial or avoidance of fundamental rights.

2) Right to Equality

The Constitution states that the government must not deny equality to any person in India before the law or equal protection of the laws. It means that the laws are applicable in the same manner to all, irrespective of a person’s status in society. This is referred to as the rule of law, which is the foundation and basis of any democracy. It means that no person or individual is above the law. There cannot be a differentiation between a political leader or ruler of any political party, a government official or civil service official and an ordinary citizen.

1. The government must not discriminate against any citizen or common people on the basis of religion, sex, caste, place of birth, and race.
2. Every citizen or person of the nation must have access to public places like hotels, shops, restaurants, and cinema halls.
3. There will be no restrictions or barriers with regard to the use of wells, bathing ghats, tanks, playgrounds, roads and places where the public usually comes and goes. These places are maintained by the Government of India and are dedicated to the use of the common man.
4. All citizens must have equality of opportunity in matters regarding employment or appointment to any authority or position in the government of India.

3) Right to Freedom

Under the Constitution of India, all citizens have the right to:

1. Freedom of speech and expression
2. Freedom of assembling in peace
3. Freedom to form political associations and any type of unions
4. Freedom to move without fear and freely across the country
5. Freedom to reside and stay in any part of the country
6. Freedom to practise any type of profession or to carry on any type of occupation, trade, and business

Moreover, you should not and cannot use your freedom in any such manner that violates or avoids other people’s right to freedom.

4) Right Against Exploitation

Every citizen in the nation has the right to not be exploited. The Constitution has made clear provisions to prevent the exploitation of the weaker sections of society. The Constitution states three specific evils and claims these are illegal.

1. The Constitution restricts the trafficking of human beings. Trafficking simply means selling and buying or trading people, especially women, for unethical and immoral uses and purposes.
2. Our Constitution restricts forced labour or slavery in any form. Slavery is usually a practice where the slave is forced to offer service to the “master”, who usually purchases him free of charge or at a very nominal remuneration. When this practice takes place on a long-term basis, it is known as “bonded labour.”
4. The Constitution restricts child labour under a certain age group. For instance, no one can employ a child below the age of 14 to work in any harmful place or can cause injury to the child, such as in factories, mines, railways, or ports.

5) Right to Freedom of Religion

Every person has a basic right to profess, practise, and propagate the religion and belief system he or she believes in. India is a secular state and a diverse nation, meaning India does not establish any one religion as the country’s official religion. Freedom to practise any religion does not mean that a person can pursue harmful activities in the name of religion. For example, one cannot sacrifice animals or human beings as offerings in the name of controlling unnatural or supernatural forces, or gods.

6) Cultural and Educational Rights

Indian Constitution states the cultural and educational rights of the minority:

1. Any section of citizens with any distinct language or culture has a right to pursue and converse with it.
2. Admission to any educational institution maintained by the government or receiving government aid cannot be denied to any citizen on the grounds of religion or language.
3. All minorities in the country have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

These notes will help students grasp the CBSE syllabus of Chapter 5, Political Science, with ease and in a shorter time span.  Extramarks also provide NCERT book notes, including formulas, CBSE previous year question papers, CBSE extra questions, and CBSE sample papers.

Democratic Rights Class 9 Political Science (Civics) Chapter 5 notes

Access Class 9 Social Science Civics Chapter 5 – Democratic Rights notes

Important questions and answers

• What are human rights? 

Human rights are claims made by citizens which give them basic rights. According to these rights, everyone is equal before the law.

• How were the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay treated and denied their rights? 

• They were denied and not granted the treatment of even prisoners of war as per the institutional treaties.
• The prisoners were not even released by the US government after they were legitimately found and stated not guilty.
• The prisoners were denied trial before any magistrate in the US. They were not even allowed to approach the courts in their own country.

• Why are rights important in a democracy? 

Rights guarantee equal treatment of all. Rights are like written guarantees, which can be used when things are not going as they should and when some citizens or groups wish to take away the rights of others. For example, sometimes, the majority want to dominate those in the minority. In such circumstances, the government should protect the citizen’s rights. Rights for citizens to convey their opinion, form political parties and participate in political activities.