Very Short Question and Answers - Democratic Elections and Political Competition

Universal suffrage means that every person should have one vote, and every vote should have equal value.

Choice of candidates is important because it provides voters with real options to select from during the elections.

Regular elections should be held after every few years.

It means the candidate preferred by the majority of voters should get elected.

'Free and fair elections' implies that elections are conducted without any unfair influence, allowing people to vote according to their genuine preferences.

Drawbacks include creating disunity, accusations among parties, and possibly discouraging good people from participating in politics.

Some argue that the competitive nature of elections hinders the formulation of long-term policies and promotes unhealthy factionalism.

The Constitution-makers chose free competition in elections as the method to select leaders.

Political leaders are often motivated by a desire to advance their careers and hold onto power.

One proposed solution is to improve the knowledge and character of political leaders.

Electoral competition incentivizes leaders to address issues important to voters to win elections.

If they fail to serve the people, they are less likely to win elections in the future.

Political competition is compared to a market in that leaders must serve the people's needs to remain in power, just as businesses must provide good service to attract customers.

Good candidates might avoid entering politics due to the unhealthy competition and dirty tricks often employed in elections.

Regular electoral competition can force political parties and leaders to serve the interests of the people.

People's choices can affect the popularity of political parties and their chances of winning future elections.

Factionalism refers to the divisions and conflicts among different political groups or parties, often leading to tension and disunity.

Voters decide who gets rewarded with victory in elections or punished by losing if leaders fail to meet their needs.

Good service to constituents might lead to successful re-election and continued political support.

In democratic countries, elections meet criteria such as universal suffrage and free and fair processes, while non-democratic countries often lack these conditions.