Question

Write short note on Property Franchise.

Answer 1

Property Franchise refers to a voting system where the right to vote is limited to those who own property or pay a certain amount of tax. Under this system, only individuals with economic wealth or property ownership were considered eligible to vote, excluding the poor, landless, and working-class people.

This practice was common in many countries before the introduction of the universal adult franchise. It was based on the belief that only property owners had a real stake in the administration and could make responsible political decisions.

However, the property franchise was criticized for being undemocratic and discriminatory, as it denied voting rights to the majority of the population. Over time, it was replaced by universal suffrage, which gives voting rights to all adult citizens regardless of wealth or property.