Principle of Franchise are as follows-
- Tribal franchise
- feudal
- nature
- Law
- Moral
- Universal Adult franchise
- Pluralistic franchise
- Weighted franchise.
“Franchise or participation in administration of people is the life line of democracy”
1.Principle of Tribal Franchise:
According to this each individual of the state should be granted; because it is not a specific right or facility but it is natural and active part which influences the life of every citizen. Moreover, probably the compulsion of citizenship in the modern age is its prototype.
2.Principle of Feudal Franchise:
According to this principle only those citizen who possess property can exercise the right of suffrage. But this opinion was specially prevalent in the medieval times and was a symbol of honor.
3.Principle of Nature:
According to this, the government is a man made machinery. It is based on the agreement or permission of the people. Therefore, the right to choose the ruler is a natural right to people.
4.Principle of Law:
According to this principle; franchise is not a natural right of people but this is a political right. It is only the government which decides to whom the franchise should he granted. So every government decides it according to its condition and social position.
5.Principle of Morals:
According to this principle, for the development of personality; man should have the right to decide through franchise who will govern him. However, It gives birth to political senstivity and makes him aware of the policies and also the programs of the government.
6.Principle of Universal Adult Franchise:
This is the most common principle among the democratic states. So according to this every adult citizen of the state can exercise the right to vote without any discrimination. Also the demand for universal franchise and sovereignty of the people raised during 17th and 18th centuries. Therefore the right of adulthood had included in it.
Moreover, the age of adulthood is eighteen years in America, Britain, Russia and India. In Australia the government can declare it compulsory for citizens to exercise the right to vote and can punish a person who does not exercise his right to vote without some genuine reason. In most countries, this system of adult franchise had exercised. Therefore it is necessary.
7.Principle of pluralistic:
The principle of “One man one vote” has accepted everywhere in the modern democratic system, but the pluralistic franchise has been permitting in several states for the last few years. And according to the basic concept of this principle of suffrage the number of votes of persons should made less or more on some basis.
8.Principle of weighted franchise:
According to this principle votes are not counted but weightage is given to them. Here weight means importance that is in electing the government the weight of the vote of a person who is adorned with any specially such as education, wealth or property will be more than that of an ordinary person.
NOTE: hope this article will help you for better understanding of the topic. All the best!
https://mechomotive.com/universal-franchise/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_suffrage
