Which one of the following statements with regard to 'protective democracy' is not correct?
- A.It propounds that citizen participation is essential in democracies.
- B.Citizens must be able to protect themselves from governmental encroachments.
- C.It is compatible with laissez-faire capitalism.
- D.Political equality is understood in formal terms as equal voting rights.
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A. Protective democracy does not hold that active citizen participation is essential; it values democracy only as a shield that lets citizens protect themselves from those who govern them. The model, traced to John Locke and developed by the utilitarians Jeremy Bentham and James Mill, sees government as a necessary evil that must be checked by regular elections, constitutional limits and the separation of powers. Voting is a device to hold rulers accountable, not a way of building citizens' character or sharing in decisions; that more demanding idea belongs to developmental and participatory democracy, linked with Rousseau and John Stuart Mill. Option B is wrong because it states the very core of the model, protection from government encroachments. Option C is wrong because the model is indeed compatible with laissez-faire capitalism: it keeps the state small and leaves the market free. Option D is wrong because it is correct that political equality is understood formally, as one person, one vote, rather than as social or economic equality. Exam tip: protective democracy = Locke, Bentham, James Mill (democracy as protection); developmental democracy = Rousseau and J. S. Mill (democracy as self-development).
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