The correct option is (a).
Explanation
Modern democracies are primarily classified into Direct Democracy and Representative Democracy. Due to the scale and complexity of modern nation-states, the mechanism of decision-making has shifted from direct participation (as seen in ancient city-states) to indirect participation through elected representatives.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Correct: In a large community or nation-state, the sheer size of the population makes it physically impossible for all citizens to gather in one place daily to deliberate and make collective decisions. This physical constraint is a primary reason for the adoption of representative democracy.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: The argument for representative democracy often rests on the premise that citizens do not have the time, desire, or specialized skills to participate in all decisions. However, stating that rule of the people is impossible even if they possessed these attributes is incorrect. Theoretically, if physical constraints were removed and all citizens had the necessary time and knowledge, direct self-rule would be possible. The impossibility arises because of the lack of these resources, not despite them.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: In most modern democracies, governance is carried out indirectly through elected representatives, not directly by the people. Direct democracy is rare and usually limited to very small communities or specific tools like referendums.
Key Takeaway:
Representative Democracy is the dominant form of government in the modern world because large populations and the complexity of governance make direct participation by all citizens practically impossible.