Chapter 18: The State, the Government, and You
Is the state the same as the government? Is every democracy a republic? In this chapter we learn the four features of a state, how a government differs from it, what makes India a democratic republic, how the legislature, executive and judiciary work, how citizens can make government work for them, and why India has three tiers of government.
In this chapter you will
- distinguish between state and government
- explain the difference between democracy and republic
- describe the organs and executive of government
- explain how citizens engage with government and why it is decentralised
Topics
- What Is a State? NCERT 18.1
A state has four features: people, territory, government and sovereignty.
- What Is a Government? NCERT 18.2
The government makes and enforces laws and settles disputes; it changes, the state remains.
- Democracy and Republic NCERT 18.3
Democracy is rule by the people; in a republic the head of state is elected and power is limited by a constitution.
- Legislature and Executive NCERT 18.4
The legislature makes laws; the executive implements them and makes policy.
- The Government and You NCERT 18.5
The government is protector, provider and regulator; citizens can use grievance portals, RTI, media, NGOs, letters and votes.
- Tiers of Government NCERT 18.6
India has three tiers: central, state and local; local government became the third tier in the 1990s.
Key words
- State
- people, territory, government and sovereignty together
- Sovereignty
- full power to govern without outside control
- Republic
- a state with an elected head of state
- Dominance of the majority
- majority interests harming minority rights
- Permanent executive
- civil servants chosen by exams
- Transparency
- open access to information about government
- Accountability
- being answerable for one's actions
- Decentralisation
- spreading power across levels
Summary
- A state has people, territory, government and sovereignty; governments change, the state remains.
- India is a democratic republic whose Constitution protects everyone's rights.
- The legislature makes laws, the executive (political and permanent) implements them, and the judiciary guards the Constitution.
- Citizens can use RTI, grievance portals, media, NGOs and votes; three tiers bring government closer to people.