Outcomes of Democracy

1. Chapter at a Glance

We have studied what democracy is, how it works, and its institutions. Now we ask: how do we assess democracy's outcomes? Is democracy a better form of government than dictatorship? What can we reasonably expect from it, and what can we not? This chapter evaluates democracy on five outcomes — accountable, responsive and legitimate government; economic growth and development; reduction of inequality and poverty; accommodation of social diversity; and dignity and freedom of citizens.

2. Accountable, Responsive and Legitimate Government

The most basic outcome of democracy should be that it produces a government that is accountable to the citizens and responsive to their needs and expectations.

• Decision-making: some people think democracy produces a less effective government because it takes time — deliberation and negotiation. A non-democratic government may be very quick and efficient in taking decisions and implementing them, but it may make decisions that are not accepted by the people and may face problems. Democracy is based on deliberation, so decisions may be delayed, but because it follows procedures, its decisions may be both more acceptable to the people and more effective. The cost of time that democracy pays is perhaps worth it.
• Transparency: in a democracy, there is a mechanism for citizens to take part in decision-making whenever they think fit; there is a right and means to examine the process of decision-making — transparency. If a citizen wants to know whether a decision was taken through the correct procedures, they can find out (e.g., through the Right to Information Act, 2005). This factor is often missing from non-democratic governments.
• Mixed record on responsiveness: democracies often frustrate the needs of the people and ignore the demands of a majority of the population; routine tales of corruption show democracy is not free of this evil. But there is nothing to show that non-democracies are less corrupt or more sensitive to people.
• Legitimacy: there is one respect in which democratic government is certainly better than its alternatives — it is a legitimate government. It may be slow, less efficient, not always very responsive or clean, but it is the people's own government. That is why there is overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world: people wish to be ruled by representatives elected by them, and they believe democracy is suitable for their country. Democracy's ability to generate its own support is itself an outcome that cannot be ignored.

3. Economic Growth and Development

If democracies are expected to produce good governments, is it not fair to expect them to produce development as well? Evidence shows that in practice, many democracies did not fulfil this expectation. Looking at economic growth rates between 1950 and 2000, dictatorships had a slightly higher rate of economic growth (as the NCERT textbook data shows). The inability of democracy to achieve higher economic development worries us, but it should not be the only reason to reject democracy.

• Economic development depends on several factors: the country's population size, global situation, cooperation from other countries, economic priorities adopted by the country, and so on.
• The difference in the rates of economic development between less developed countries with dictatorships and democracies is negligible.
• Overall, we cannot say democracy is a guarantee of economic development, but we can expect democracy not to lag behind dictatorships in this respect.
• When we find such a small difference, it is better to prefer democracy, as it has several other positive outcomes.

4. Reduction of Inequality and Poverty

Democracies are expected to reduce economic disparities. Democracies are based on political equality: all individuals have equal weight in electing representatives. But parallel to the process of bringing individuals into the political arena on an equal footing, we find growing economic inequalities.

• A small number of ultra-rich enjoy a highly disproportionate share of wealth and incomes; not only that, their share in the total income of the country has been increasing. Those at the bottom of society have very little to depend upon, and their incomes have been declining; sometimes they find it difficult to meet basic needs of life — adequate food, clothing, house, education and health.
• In actual life, democracies do not appear to be very successful in reducing economic inequalities. The poor constitute a large proportion of voters, and no party will like to lose their votes, yet democratically elected governments do not appear to be as keen to address the question of poverty as expected.
• The situation is much worse in some other countries: in Bangladesh, more than half of its population lived in poverty (as the textbook notes for the period). People in several poor countries are now dependent on rich countries even for food supplies.

5. Accommodation of Social Diversity

Do democracies lead to peaceful and harmonious life among citizens? Democracies usually develop a procedure to conduct their competition, which reduces the possibility of tensions becoming explosive or violent. No society can fully and permanently resolve conflicts among different groups, but we can certainly learn to respect these differences and evolve mechanisms to negotiate them. Democracy is best suited to produce this outcome. Non-democratic regimes often turn a blind eye to or suppress internal social differences. The ability to handle social differences, divisions and conflicts is thus a definite plus point of democratic regimes. The example of Sri Lanka reminds us that a democracy must fulfil two conditions to achieve this outcome:

1. Democracy is not simply rule by majority opinion: the majority always needs to work with the minority so that governments function to represent the general view. Majority and minority opinions are not permanent.
2. Rule by majority does not become rule by majority community in terms of religion, race or linguistic group. Rule by majority means that in case of every decision or every election, different persons and groups may and can form a majority. Democracy remains democracy only as long as every citizen has a chance of being in the majority at some point of time. If someone is barred from being in the majority on the basis of birth, the democratic rule ceases to be accommodative for that person or group.

6. Dignity and Freedom of the Citizens

Democracy stands much superior to any other form of government in promoting the dignity and freedom of the individual. Every individual wants to receive respect from fellow beings. Often conflicts arise among individuals because some feel they are not treated with due respect. The passion for respect and freedom is the basis of democracy. Democracies throughout the world have recognised this, at least in principle, though to different degrees in different democracies.

• Dignity of women: most societies across the world were historically male-dominated. Long struggles by women have created some sensitivity today that respect and equal treatment of women are necessary ingredients of a democratic society. That does not mean women are always treated with respect, but once the principle is recognised, it becomes easier for women to wage a struggle against what is now unacceptable legally and morally. In a non-democratic set-up, this unacceptability would not have legal basis because the principle of individual freedom and dignity would not have legal and moral force.
• Caste inequalities: democracy in India has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and equal opportunity. There are instances still of caste-based inequalities and atrocities, but these lack the moral and legal foundations.
• Expectations as a test: democracy is a continuous process. Expectations from democracy keep rising: as people get some benefits, they ask for more, and they complain about democracy. That itself is a testimony to the success of democracy — it shows people have developed awareness and the ability to expect and to look critically at power holders and the high and mighty. People's dissatisfaction shows that democracy has transformed them from the status of a subject into that of a citizen. Most individuals today believe that their vote makes a difference to the way the government is run and to their own self-interest.

7. Master Table: Key Terms

8. Master Summary Table

Chart — five reasons democracy is preferred:

9. Mind Map

10. Tips and Tricks

11. Important One-liners

• Over 100 countries practise some form of democracy.
• Democracy's most basic outcome is accountable government.
• Transparency lets citizens examine decision-making.
• Democratic government is a legitimate government.
• Dictatorships had slightly higher growth in 1950–2000.
• Economic development depends on many factors besides form of government.
• Democracies have not reduced economic inequality much.
• Majority must always work with the minority.
• Democracy promotes dignity of women and disadvantaged castes.
• Complaints about democracy show people's rising awareness.
• Democracy turns subjects into citizens.

12. Previous-Year-Pattern Questions with Detailed Answers

13. Quick Revision Summary