N5 – Module 2
Activity 5 1. Discuss how democracy originated – say where and give examples.
2. Choose four democratic principles and find examples in the newspaper of how our political leaders are trying hard to abide by them. For example, if you have chosen the principle of being fair, find an article that shows a government department and a decision they have made that you feel obeys this principle.
3. No taxation without representation – what would you do about people paying tax without the vote, such as people who are not citizens of South Africa? Remember that in most countries many non-citizens (no vote) work, own property and pay taxes, yet this essential democratic principle does not apply to them – they have no say, yet still pay tax. Is this fair?
4. What would happen if the representatives in Parliament decide something that the people do not understand or agree with? Do you think they should ignore the people if they know that it is for the good of the country, or should they reverse their decision just because the people say so? Can you think of an example of something many/most South Africans want legalised but which the government refuses to put into law?
5. Do you think that every activity of a government should be accounted for in public? What if telling the people will cause panic? Or if making a decision about something will make the political party unpopular?
6. Te officials of a department make bad mistakes and money is wasted. Te director general, who was out of the country on a state visit, was not present at the time. Do you excuse them? What if they have always done a wonderful job in the past?
Activity 6 Please ask your lecturer how many of these questions you should attempt.
1. Discuss the reasons for a coalition, giving an example. 2. List seven principles of a democratic system with regard to public financial management. 3. What is the difference between accountability and public accountability? 4. What was Aristotle’s idea of accountability? 5. Can an official be responsible without being accountable? – explain. 6. What is the act of accounting?
7. A participatory democracy might be described as being the perfect democracy – say why this is so.
8. What are the problems encountered in a participatory democracy? 9. How does a representative democracy work? 10. What is the difference between a one-party state and a multi-party state?
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