Democracy is not only about electing representatives, but also about the results it produces for the people. Citizens expect democracy to provide good governance, economic development, equality, freedom, and dignity. This chapter focuses on assessing how far democracy has been successful in meeting these expectations and why it is considered better than other forms of government despite its limitations.
Introduction
Democracy is not only about electing rulers, but also about results it produces.
People expect democracy to:
- Provide better governance
- Ensure economic development
- Reduce inequality and poverty
- Protect freedom, dignity, and equality
The chapter studies how successful democracy is in fulfilling these expectations.
Outcomes of democracy are judged on five main aspects:
- Accountable, responsive, and legitimate government
- Economic growth and development
- Reduction of inequality and poverty
- Accommodation of social diversity
- Dignity and freedom of citizens
- Democracy may be slow in decision-making, but it allows correction of mistakes.
- Unlike dictatorship, democracy gives people the right to criticize, oppose, and change the government.
- Thus, democracy is considered better than other forms of government, even if it has some shortcomings.
Topic-1: How do we assess Democracy’s Outcomes?
Democracy’s outcomes are assessed by comparing it with non-democratic governments.
Assessment focuses on what democracy delivers, not just how it functions.
The main criteria to assess democracy are:
- Quality of government
- Economic development
- Social equality
- Accommodation of diversity
- Dignity and freedom of citizens
Democracy is evaluated on the basis of:
- Whether it is accountable to people
- Whether it is responsive to public needs
- Whether it is legitimate in the eyes of citizens
- Outcomes are not always perfect or immediate.
- Democracies may be slow, but they provide space for public debate and correction of mistakes.
- Democracy should be judged by long-term results, not short-term failures.
Different countries may have different democratic outcomes due to:
- Social and economic conditions
- Historical background
- Level of development
Hence, democracy’s success is measured by overall improvement in people’s lives, not by a single factor.
Topic-2: Accountable, Responsive and Legitimate Government
1. Accountable Government
- In a democracy, rulers are answerable to the people.
- Citizens can question the government through:
- Elections
- Parliament
- Media
- Judiciary
- Regular, free and fair elections ensure accountability.
- Non-democratic governments are not accountable to the people.
2. Responsive Government
- A democratic government is expected to respond to people’s needs and demands.
- It should:
- Take decisions based on public opinion
- Provide welfare schemes and public services
- Democracy allows public participation and debate, which improves responsiveness.
- However, democratic decision-making can be slow due to consultations and discussions.
3. Legitimate Government
- A democratic government is considered legitimate because it is elected by the people.
- People accept democracy as the right form of government.
- Legitimacy comes from:
- Consent of the people
- Rule of law
- Respect for the Constitution
- Even when democracy performs poorly, people prefer it over dictatorship.
Topic-3: Economic Growth and Development
- One major expectation from democracy is economic growth and development.
- Economic development is usually measured by:
- Per capita income
- Growth rate of national income
- Studies show that dictatorships may show higher economic growth in some cases.
- However, democracy ensures stable and sustainable growth in the long run.
- Economic development in democracy depends on:
- Policies of the government
- Availability of resources
- Population size
- Global economic conditions
- Democracy cannot guarantee equal economic growth for all citizens.
- Growth under democracy may be slow due to:
- Public debate
- Delays in decision-making
- But democracy allows:
- Transparency in economic policies
- Public discussion on development plans
- Peaceful correction of wrong economic decisions
- Therefore, democracy may not always deliver fast growth, but it provides inclusive and accountable development.
Topic-4: Reduction of Inequality and Poverty
- One important outcome expected from democracy is reduction of economic inequality and poverty.
- Democracy is based on the principle of political equality (one person, one vote, one value).
- Despite political equality, economic inequality still exists in many democracies.
In most countries:
- A small number of people hold large wealth
- Many people live below the poverty line
Democracy gives governments the power and responsibility to:
- Frame welfare policies
- Implement poverty alleviation programmes
- Reduce income and social inequalities
Reduction of inequality and poverty depends on:
- Government policies
- Level of economic development
- Public awareness and participation
- Democracy allows peaceful protests and demands for equality.
- However, democracy does not automatically eliminate poverty and inequality.
- Continuous public pressure and active participation of citizens are necessary to achieve social and economic equality.
Topic-5: Accommodation of Social Diversity
Societies are made up of different social groups based on:
- Religion
- Language
- Caste
- Culture
Democracy helps in accommodating social diversity.
It allows people from different communities to:
- Express their views
- Participate in decision-making
Democracy ensures that the majority does not dominate the minority.
The rule of democracy is to respect:
- Differences
- Minority rights
- Cultural identities
Democratic governments adopt:
- Power sharing
- Federalism
- Decentralisation, to manage social diversity.
- When social differences are handled democratically, they do not turn into conflicts.
- Non-democratic regimes often suppress diversity, leading to social unrest and violence.
- Therefore, democracy is considered the best system to peacefully manage social differences.
Topic-6: Dignity and Freedom of the Citizens
Democracy is based on the principle of dignity and equality of all citizens.
It ensures fundamental rights and freedoms to every individual.
Citizens enjoy freedoms such as:
- Freedom of speech and expression
- Freedom to form associations
- Freedom of religion
- Freedom to choose leaders
Democracy recognises the equal worth of every individual.
It has improved the status of women and marginalized sections by:
- Granting equal political rights
- Promoting social justice
Democracy allows citizens to:
- Criticise the government
- Express grievances
- Demand rights peacefully
In non-democratic systems, citizens often face:
- Suppression of rights
- Lack of dignity
- Fear of authority
Thus, democracy ensures respect, freedom, and dignity, making it superior to other forms of government.
Conclusion
Democracy may not always be the most efficient or fastest system, but it is the most inclusive and people-centred form of government. It ensures accountability, responsiveness, legitimacy, accommodation of social diversity, reduction of inequality, and dignity and freedom of citizens. Even with its shortcomings, democracy allows peaceful correction of mistakes and gives people the right to participate in decision-making. Therefore, democracy remains the best form of government for ensuring long-term welfare and justice.
Full Chapter Explanation
Detailed notes of other chapters:
Power Sharing: Class-10th Civics Chapter-1 ( Easy NCERT Notes )
Federalism: Class-10th Civics Chapter-2 ( Easy NCERT Notes )
Gender, Religion and Caste: Class-10th Civics Chapter-3 ( Easy NCERT Notes )
Political Parties: Class-10th Civics Chapter-4 ( Easy NCERT Notes )
