Professional Documents
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Democracy
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Overview
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Chapter 7
As we begin to wind up our tour of democracy, it is time to move
beyond our discussion of specific themes and ask a general set of
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How do we assess democracy’s outcomes?
Do you remember how students in in principle, but felt to be not so good in
Madam Lyngdoh’s class argued about its practice. This dilemma invites us to
democracy? This was in Chapter 2 of think hard about the outcomes of
Class IX textbook. It emerged from that democracy. Do we prefer democracy
conversation that democracy is a better only for moral reasons? Or are there
form of government when compared some prudential reasons to support
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with dictatorship or any other alternative. democracy too?
Did we reach We felt that democracy was better Over a hundred countries of the
these because it: world today claim and practice some
conclusions in Promotes equality among citizens;
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kind of democratic politics: they have
Madam Lyngdoh’s Enhances the dignity of the formal constitutions, they hold elections,
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class? I loved individual;
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they have parties and they guarantee rights
that class Improves the quality of decision- of citizens. While these features are
because
students were
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Provides a method to resolve democracies are very much different
not being
conflicts; and from each other in terms of their social
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dictated any
Allows room to correct mistakes. situations, their economic achievements
conclusions.
Are these expectations realised under and their cultures. Clearly, what may be
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democracies? When we talk to people achieved or not achieved under each of
around us, most of them support these democracies will be very different.
democracy against other alternatives, But is there something that we can expect
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Accountable, responsive and legitimate government
There are some things that democracy Governmental Secrecy
must provide. In a democracy, we are
most concerned with ensuring that
people will have the right to choose their
rulers and people will have control over
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necessary, citizens should be able to
participate in decision making, that affects
them all. Therefore, the most basic
outcome of democracy should be that
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it produces a government that is
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accountable to the citizens, and
is
responsive to the needs and expectations
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of the citizens.
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Before we go into this question, we
face another common question: Is the Now look at the other side – Can you think of what
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and how the
democratic government efficient? Is it democracy ensures that decision making government knows
effective? Some people think that will be based on norms and procedures. about you and your
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family (for example
democracy produces less effective So, a citizen who wants to know if a
ration cards and
government. It is, of course, true that decision was taken through the correct voter identity cards)?
non-democratic rulers do not have to procedures can find this out. She has the What are the sources
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Outcomes of Democracy
people and may therefore face problems. the government accountable and
In contrast, the democratic government mechanisms for citizens to take part in
will take more time to follow decision making whenever they think fit.
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legislations; and citizens’ right to population. The routine tales of
So, the best
information about the government and corruption are enough to convince us that
outcome of
democracy is
its functioning. The actual performance democracy is not free of this evil. At the
that it is a of democracies shows a mixed record same time, there is nothing to show that
democracy! That on this. Democracies have had greater non-democracies are less corrupt or
is what we have success in setting up regular and free more sensitive to the people.
discovered after elections and in setting up conditions for There is one respect in which
all this mental open public debate. But most democratic government is certainly
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gymnastics? democracies fall short of elections that better than its alternatives: democratic
provide a fair chance to everyone and in government is legitimate government.
subjecting every decision to public debate. It may be slow, less efficient, not always
Democratic governments do not have a very responsive or clean. But a
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very good record when it comes to democratic government is people’s own
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sharing information with citizens. All one government. That is why there is an
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can say in favour of democratic regimes overwhelming support for the idea of
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non-democratic regime in these respects.
democracy all over the world. As the
accompanying evidence from South
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In substantive terms it may be Asia shows, the support exists in
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reasonable to expect from democracy a countries with democratic regimes as
government that is attentive to the needs well as countries without democratic
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and demands of the people and is largely regimes. People wish to be ruled by
free of corruption. The record of representatives elected by them. They
democracies is not impressive on these also believe that democracy is suitable
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two counts. Democracies often frustrate for their country. Democracy’s ability
the needs of the people and often ignore to generate its own support is itself an
the demands of a majority of its outcome that cannot be ignored.
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Overwhelming support for democracy
Bangladesh India Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka Those who agree with the rule of leaders elected by the people
Democratic Politics
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Source: SDSA Team, State of Democracy in South Asia, Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2007
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Economic growth and development
If democracies are expected to produce cooperation from other countries,
good governments, then is it not fair to economic priorities adopted by the
expect that they would also produce country, etc. However, the difference in
development? Evidence shows that in the rates of economic development
practice many democracies did not fulfil between less developed countries with
this expectation. dictatorships and democracies is
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If you consider all democracies and negligible. Overall, we cannot say that
all dictatorships for the fifty years between democracy is a guarantee of economic
1950 and 2000, dictatorships have slightly development. But we can expect
higher rate of economic growth. The democracy not to lag behind
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inability of democracy to achieve higher dictatorships in this respect.
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economic development worries us. But When we find such significant
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Cartoon on this page
this alone cannot be reason to reject difference in the rates of economic and next three pages tell
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democracy. As you have already studied growth between countries under
us about the disparities
between the rich and
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in economics, economic development dictatorship and democracy, it is better poor. Should the gains
of economic growth be
depends on several factors: country’s to prefer democracy as it has several
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evenly distributed? How
population size, global situation, other positive outcomes. can the poor get a voice
for a better share in a
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nation? What can the
poor countries do to
The Rich Get Buff receive a greater share
in the world’s wealth?
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©
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Outcomes of Democracy
© RJ Matson - Cagle Cartoons Inc.
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Economic outcomes
ofdemocracy
Arguments about democracy tend to Poor Kids
be very passionate. This is how it
should be, for democracy appeals to
some of our deep values. These
debates cannot be resolved in a
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economic outcomes of democracy is
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one such debate. Over the years
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many students of democracy have
gathered careful evidence to see
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what the relationship of democracy
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with economic growth and economic
inequalities is. The tables and the
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cartoon here present some of the evidences:
Table 1 shows that on an average dictatorial regimes have had a slightly better record
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of economic growth. But when we compare their record only in poor countries, there is
virtually no difference.
Table 2 shows that within democracies there can be very high degree of inequalities. In
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democratic countries like South Africa and Brazil, the top 20 per cent people take away
more than 60 per cent of the national income, leaving less than 3 per cent for the bottom
20 per cent population. Countries like Denmark and Hungary are much better in this respect.
©
You can see in the cartoon, there is often inequality of opportunities available to the
poorer sections.
What would be your verdict on democracy if you had to base it purely on economic
performance of democratic regimes in terms of growth and equal distribution?
Table 2
Inequality of income in selected countries
Table 1
Name of the % share of national
Rates of economic growth for different countries,
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Countries income
1950-2000
Top 20 % Bottom 20 %
Democratic Politics
Type of regimes and countries Growth Rate South Africa 64.8 2.9
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Reduction of inequality and poverty
Perhaps more than development, it is Democracies are based on political
reasonable to expect democracies to equality. All individuals have equal weight
reduce economic disparities. Even when in electing representatives. Parallel to the
a country achieves economic growth, will process of bringing individuals into the
wealth be distributed in such a way that political arena on an equal footing, we
all citizens of the country will have a find growing economic inequalities. A
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share and lead a better life? Is economic small number of ultra-rich enjoy a highly
growth in democracies accompanied by disproportionate share of wealth and Democracy is a
increased inequalities among the people? incomes. Not only that, their share in the rule of the
Or do democracies lead to a just total income of the country has been majority. The
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distribution of goods and opportunities? increasing. Those at the bottom of the poor are in
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society have very little to depend upon. majority. So
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Voice of the Poor democracy must
Their incomes have been declining.
be a rule of the
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poor. How can
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their basic needs of life, such as food,
this not be the
clothing, house, education and health.
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case?
In actual life, democracies do not
appear to be very successful in reducing
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economic inequalities. In Class IX
Economics textbook, you have already
studied about poverty in India. The
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democratically elected
governments do not
appear to be as keen to
address the question of
poverty as you would
expect them to. The
© Ares - Best of Latin America, Cagle Cartoons Inc.
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95
World’s Wealth Owned by a Few
should produce a harmonious social life. regimes. But the example of Sri Lanka
All you are saying
We have seen in the earlier chapters how reminds us that a democracy must fulfil
is that
democracies accommodate various social two conditions in order to achieve this
democracy
divisions. We saw in the first chapter how outcome:
ensures that
people do not Belgium has successfully negotiated It is necessary to understand that
break each differences among ethnic populations. democracy is not simply rule by majority
other’s head. Democracies usually develop a procedure opinion. The majority always needs to
This is not to conduct their competition. This reduces work with the minority so that
the possibility of these tensions becoming
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can form a majority. Democracy remains from being in majority on the basis of
democracy only as long as every citizen birth, then the democratic rule ceases
has a chance of being in majority at some to be accommodative for that person
point of time. If someone is barred or group.
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Enemies
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© Ares - Best of Latin America, Cagle Cartoons Inc.
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Greeting
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Outcomes of Democracy
promoting dignity and freedom of the For societies which have been built for
individual. Every individual wants to long on the basis of subordination and
receive respect from fellow beings. domination, it is not a simple matter to
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Often conflicts arise among individuals recognize that all individuals are equal.
because some feel that they are not Take the case of dignity of women.
treated with due respect. The passion for Most societies across the world were
respect and freedom are the basis of historically male dominated societies.
democracy. Democracies throughout the Long struggles by women have created
world have recognised this, at least in some sensitivity today that respect to and
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equal treatment of women are necessary distinctive about democracy is that its
I am anxious ingredients of a democratic society. That examination never gets over. As
about my board does not mean that women are actually democracy passes one test, it produces
exams. But always treated with respect. But once the another test. As people get some benefits
democracy has
principle is recognised, it becomes easier of democracy, they ask for more and
so many exams.
for women to wage a struggle against want to make democracy even better.
And millions of
what is now unacceptable legally and That is why, when we ask people about
examiners!
morally. In a non-democratic set up, this the way democracy functions, they will
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unacceptability would not have legal basis always come up with more expectations,
because the principle of individual and many complaints. The fact that
freedom and dignity would not have the people are complaining is itself a
legal and moral force there. The same is testimony to the success of democracy:
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true of caste inequalities. Democracy in it shows that people have developed
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India has strengthened the claims of the awareness and the ability to expect and
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disadvantaged and discriminated castes to look critically at power holders and
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inequalities and atrocities, but these lack democracy shows the success of the
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the moral and legal foundations. Perhaps democratic project: it transforms people
it is the recognition that makes ordinary from the status of a subject into that of
citizens value their democratic rights.
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a citizen. Most individuals today believe
Expectations from democracy also that their vote makes a difference to the
function as the criteria for judging any way the government is run and to their
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South Asia 65
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Bangladesh 66
India 67
Democratic Politics
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Pakistan 50
Sri Lanka 65
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Source: SDSA Team, State of Democracy in South
Asia, Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2007.
The above cartoon and graph illustrate a point made in this section
(Dignity and freedom of the citizens). Underline the sentences from
this section which connect to the cartoon or graph.
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1. How does democracy produce an accountable, responsive and
legitimate government?
2. What are the conditions under which democracies accommodate
social diversities?
3. Give arguments to support or oppose the following assertions:
Exercises ed
Industrialised countries can afford democracy but the poor
need dictatorship to become rich.
Democracy can’t reduce inequality of incomes between
different citizens.
Government in poor countries should spend less on poverty
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reduction, health, education and spend more on industries and
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infrastructure.
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In democracy all citizens have one vote, which means that
there is absence of any domination and conflict.
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4. Identify the challenges to democracy in the following descriptions.
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Also suggest policy/institutional mechanism to deepen democracy
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in the given situations:
Following a High Court directive a temple in Orissa that had
separate entry doors for dalits and non-dalits allowed entry
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for all from the same door.
A large number of farmers are committing suicide in different
states of India.
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8. Read the passage below:
Nannu is a daily wage earner. He lives in Welcome Mazdoor
Colony, a slum habitation in East Delhi. He lost his ration
card and applied for a duplicate one in January 2004. He
made several rounds to the local Food & Civil Supplies office
for the next three months. But the clerks and officials would
not even look at him, leave alone do his job or bother to tell
him the status of his application. Ultimately, he filed an
application under the Right to Information Act asking for the
d
daily progress made on his application, names of the
officials, who were supposed to act on his application and
he
what action would be taken against these officials for their
inaction. Within a week of filing application under the Right to
Information Act, he was visited by an inspector from the
Exercises
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Food Department, who informed him that the card had been
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made and he could collect it from the office. When Nannu
went to collect his card next day, he was given a very warm
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head of a Circle. The FSO offered him tea and requested him
to withdraw his application under the Right to Information,
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since his work had already been done.
What does Nannu’s example show? What impact did Nannu’s
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action have on officials? Ask your parents their experiences
when they approach government officials to attend to their
problems.
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