SSC CGL 2025 PYQ — Question 5

Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage :

Democracy is frequently extolled as the political system that best guarantees individual liberty, Enshrined in constitutional rights and protected by the rule of law, freedom of speech, association, religion, and conscience are regarded as hallmarks of democratic governance. However, what is less frequently acknowledged -- but equally vital --- is the reciprocal pillar of responsibility without which such freedoms can degenerate into chaos, polarization, or authoritarian baacklashes. Freedom in a democracy is not absolute; it exists within a framework of mutual restraint and civic discipline. The right to express dissent, for instance, is foundational. Yet when freedom of expression is weaponized to disseminate hate speech, misinformation, or seditious propaganda, it ceases to serve the democratic cause. Resonsibility thus entails a conscious engagement with the implicaations of one's actions -- not just their legality, but their ethical and civic consequences. The challenge lies in reconciling liberty with accountability in pluralistic societies. With diverse cultural, ideological, and economic constituencies, democracies are inherently sites of contention. In such contexts, responsibility demands more than legal compliance -- It requires empathy, critical thinking, and a commitment to collective well-being. A citizen's right to protest, for example, must be exercised with awareness of public order and respect for differing viewpoints. Similarly, the freedom to vote must be matched by an obligation to make informed choices, unswayed by populism, prejudice, or manipulation. The tension between freedom and responsibility is perhaps most visible during moments of crisis--be it a pandemic, a communal riot, or a constitutional standoff. In such times, the temptation to prioritize personal liberty at the cost of collective safety can prove fatal, Refusal to wear masks during a health emergency or the vital spread of unverified news during civil unrest exemplify how unbridled freedom can undermine democratic resilience. Moreover, democracy itself is not self-sustaining; It requires vigilant citizens who recognize that rights are not entitlements in perpetuity, but priviliges preserved through active participation. When freedom is divorced from responsibility, democratic institutions become vulnerable to to erosion -- from within. Democgogues often rise not solely because of state failure but due to civic apathy or irresponsible use of democratic freedoms by the populance itself. Therefore, in any functioning democracy, freedom and responsibility are not opposing forces but mutually reinforcing imperatives. The preservation of liberty necessitates a citizenry capable of ethical judgement, informed debate and constructive dissent. In the absence of responsibility, freedom risks transforming from a catalyst of justice into a vehicle of division. Democracy survives not just through the laws it enacts, but through the civic virtues its citizens embody.