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Unycie A.

Taborada October 3, 2017

BSED-4 Biological Sciences PSC 10.1

1. What is Suffrage?

Suffrage is the right or exercise of the right to vote in public affairs. The
freedom of an individual to express a desire for a change in government by
choosing between competing people or ideas without fear of reprisal is basic
to self-government. Any exclusion from the right of suffrage, or as it is also
called, the franchise, excludes that person from a basic means for
participating in the political decision-making process.

Suffrage has been viewed as a right, as a privilege, or as a duty. As a


right, it is conceived of as an inalienable attribute inherent in the individual.
This view has led to the extension of the franchise to include more and more
people. As a privilege, suffrage is considered as being conferred on the
individual by law and is subject to limitations imposed by governing
authorities. It therefore can be restricted to some special parts of the
population. Some theories rely on the classical Greek concept of the exercise
of the suffrage as the citizen's duty to participate actively in the welfare of
the community.

Today universal or near-universal suffrage prevails in most of the world,


although the extent to which true choice may be exerted varies widely. The
requirements of voting show great uniformity in different regions and under
different systems of government. The franchise is almost invariably limited to
citizens of a minimum age between 18 and 25, depending on the country,
and to residents of the locality. Excluded are the mentally ill and convicted
felons. In some nations women's suffrage is still subject to qualifications. In
other parts of the world property ownership and racial requirements for
voting may be enforced. These qualifications for suffrage, and others based
on religion, education, and taxpaying, were universal during the Middle
Ages, and many persisted well into the twentieth century. Most exclusions
reflected the fears of those with power that extending the vote to individuals
who had no stake in the existing order (the young, the poor, and the
itinerant) would lead to instability.

Reference: Arlington, K. M., and Taylor, W., eds., Voting Rights in America
(1992); Berghe, G. V., Political Rights for European Citizens (1982); Cultice, W.
W., Youth's Battle for the Ballot (1992); Robin, The Theory of Voting (1969);
Gilette, William, The Right to Vote (1969); Rogers, D. W., ed., Voting and the
Spirit of American Democracy (1992); Williamson, Chilton, American Suffrage
From Property to Democracy, 1760-1860 (1960).

2. What are the different types of electoral


Brix O. Madelo October 3, 2017

BSED-4 Biological Sciences PSC 10.1

Assignment

1. What is suffrage?

By definition, the right of suffrage (from the Latin word suffragium,


meaning vote) is the right of the people to choose their officials as their
representatives, for a definite and fixed period, to whom they entrust the
exercise of the powers of government. In essence, it means the right to elect
officials who we feel will best serve the country in their time in office. Its not
just a right but also a big responsibility and one that is entrusted to every
citizen (of voting age) in the country.

Reference:

Katigbak, Tony (May 15, 2013) The right of suffrage. Retrieved from
http://www.philstar.com/opinion/2013/05/15/942224/right-suffrage on
October 3 2017

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