Outcomes of Democracy - Notes

1. Democracy is better than its alternatives. Justify.

Ans:-
a. It promotes equality among citizens.
b. It enhances the dignity of the individual.
c. It improves the quality of decision making.
d. It provides methods to resolve conflicts.
e. It allows room to correct mistakes.
2. Mention some common features of democratic governments.
Ans:-
a . Every democracy has a formal constitution.
b. Every democracy conducts elections with the help of political parties.
c. Every democracy provides some fundamental rights to citizens.
3. Mention the types of outcomes of democracy.
Ans:-
a. Political - Accountable, Responsive and legitimate government.
b. Economic - Economic growth and development , reduction of economic inequalities .
c. Social- Accomodation of Social diversity, Dignity and freedom of individual citizens.
4. Mention the features of Accountable government.
Ans:-
a. People have the right to choose their rulers.
b. So people have the control over those rulers .
c. People can participate in the decision making process.
5. Mention the features of Responsive government.
Ans:-
a. Democracy is responsible to the needs and expectations of the citizens.
b. To know about the effectiveness , we have to compare it with non democratic countries
where the government never bothers about the opinion of people.
c. In democratic government, decisions are not taken quickly.
d. Sometimes it looks frustrating to some people but it is attentive to the needs and
expectations of the people.
e. It is largely free from corruption.

6. Explain how democracy is the most legitimate government .

Ans:-
a. Legitimate government is a government under which laws and actions of the government
are revealed to the people and it functions in a transparent manner.
b. These laws are applicable to all the citizens whether rich or poor .
c. In a democracy there is political equality i.e. every vote counts equally.
d. People have the right to challenge the government policies and actions.
e. If the people are not satisfied with the working of the government, they have the right to
change it.
7. " Democracies do not appear to be very successful in reducing economic inequalities".
Analyze.
Ans:-
a. Corruption:-The record of democracy tells us that most of the democratic countries
have failed to remove or reduce corruption. India which is one of the largest democratic
countries of the world has also failed in this issue.
b. Needs and demands of people:- A democratic government should be attentive to the
needs and demands of the people but unfortunately the record of democracy is not
impressive on this issue. Democracy often frustrates the needs of the people and often
ignores the demand of a majority of its population.
c. Economic growth and development:- Democracy is considered a better government
than other forms of government. So one can expect better economic growth and
development but unfortunately democracy has even failed. If one considers all
democracies and all dictatorships, for the last 50 years dictatorship has slightly higher
rate of economic growth.
d. Reduction of inequality:- As democracy is the government of the people,one expects
democracies to reduce economic disparities. Most of the democracies have failed on this
issue.
e. Reduction of Poverty:- In most of the democracies, a small number of ultra rich enjoy a
highly disproportionate wealth and income. Their share in the total income of the country
has been increasing. Those at the bottom have little to depend upon.
8. Explain how democracies accommodate social diversities.
Ans:-
a. Coordination of majority and minority:- Democracy is not simply the rule by the majority
opinion. The majority always needs to work with the minority so that governments
function to represent the general view.
b. Avoidance of majority on the basis of race, religion etc. :- Rule by the majority means
that in case of every decision or in case of every election, different persons and groups
may and can form a majority.
c. Providing equal chances to all:- Democracy remains democracy only as long as every
citizen has a chance of being in majority at some point of time.
d. Respecting differences:- No society can fully and permanently resolve conflicts among
different groups. But a democracy needs to respect these differences and evolve
mechanism to negotiate the differences.

9. Describe the social outcomes of democracy.

Ans:-
a. It produces a harmonious Social life.
b. Democracy has the abilities to handle social differences, divisions and conflicts.
c. Democracy provides equal opportunities to all the social groups to provide equal
opportunities.Seats are reserved for SC and ST and other weaker sections of society
like women.

d. It reduces tension which becomes explosive and violent and develops mechanisms to
negotiate the differences.
e. It provides basic rights to all without any discrimination based on caste, colour and
creed.