Expectations from democracy also function as the criteria for judging any democratic country justify
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1. People have high expectations of Democracy. If their expectations are not met, they start blaming democracy.
2. Democracy can only create conditions. It is for the people to use these conditions for their betterment.
3. For example, democracy has created the condition to treat men and women equally. But we know what the truth is. People have not made use of the condition created by democracy.
Despite this, we can expect democracy to fulfill certain basic expectation. Let’s discuss them.
Accountable, responsive and legitimate government.
The most basic outcome of democracy is that it produces a government that is accountable to the citizens, and responsive to the needs and expectations of the citizens.
Accountability
Democracy can produce an accountable government only when it meets the following three requirements.
a) Free , fair and regular elections.
b) Public Debate.
c) Sharing of information.
Free, fair and regular elections:
1. We expect democracy to create a condition where free and fair elections are held regularly.
2. If the government doesn’t function to our satisfaction, we should be free to bring it down.
3. Most democracies have been doing very well in this regard.
Public Debate.
1. Decision making process is the prime element of public debate. We expect democracy not to take any decision against the public opinion.
2. Some people think that democracy doesn’t produce an effective government because the decision making process is very slow.
3. Non democratic governments can take quick decisions because they don’t have to bother about deliberations and norms; neither do they about public opinion.
4. The decision taken in non-democratic governments are not likely to be accepted by the majority and are not likely to affect people positively.
5. It is not the case with democracy because it has to follow certain norms and procedures. A public debate has to be initiated and the same debated in the legislature.
6. Though democracy stands at a better position in this regard in comparison to non-democratic governments, the actual realisation of the expectation is not satisfactory.
Sharing of Information.
1. A citizen in democracy has the right and the means to examine the process of decision making. This is known as transparency. This factor is often missing from a non-democratic government.
2. Though most democracies have created conditions to share information with the public, the actual sharing of information is not satisfactory.
3. We can also expect that the democratic government develops mechanisms for citizens to hold the government accountable and mechanisms for citizens to take part in decision making whenever they think fit.
Responsiveness
1. It is reasonable to expect from democracy a government that is attentive to the needs and demands of the people and is largely free of corruption.
2. The record of democracies is not impressive on these two counts. Democracies often frustrate the needs of the people and often ignore the demands of a majority of its population.
3. The routine tales of corruption are enough to convince us that democracy is not free of this evil.
4. At the same time, there is nothing to show that non-democracies are less corrupt or more sensitive to the people.
Legitimacy
1. There is one respect in which democratic government is certainly better than its alternatives.
2. Democratic government is legitimate government. It may be slow, less efficient, not always very responsive or clean.
3. But a democratic government is people’s own government. Unlike Dictatorship or Monarchy, it is not imposed on the people.
4. Hence an overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world.
Economic growth and development
1. When democracy is compared with dictatorship for the fifty years between 1950 and 2000, dictatorships have slightly higher rate of economic growth.
2. The inability of democracy to achieve higher economic development worries us.
3. But
2. Democracy can only create conditions. It is for the people to use these conditions for their betterment.
3. For example, democracy has created the condition to treat men and women equally. But we know what the truth is. People have not made use of the condition created by democracy.
Despite this, we can expect democracy to fulfill certain basic expectation. Let’s discuss them.
Accountable, responsive and legitimate government.
The most basic outcome of democracy is that it produces a government that is accountable to the citizens, and responsive to the needs and expectations of the citizens.
Accountability
Democracy can produce an accountable government only when it meets the following three requirements.
a) Free , fair and regular elections.
b) Public Debate.
c) Sharing of information.
Free, fair and regular elections:
1. We expect democracy to create a condition where free and fair elections are held regularly.
2. If the government doesn’t function to our satisfaction, we should be free to bring it down.
3. Most democracies have been doing very well in this regard.
Public Debate.
1. Decision making process is the prime element of public debate. We expect democracy not to take any decision against the public opinion.
2. Some people think that democracy doesn’t produce an effective government because the decision making process is very slow.
3. Non democratic governments can take quick decisions because they don’t have to bother about deliberations and norms; neither do they about public opinion.
4. The decision taken in non-democratic governments are not likely to be accepted by the majority and are not likely to affect people positively.
5. It is not the case with democracy because it has to follow certain norms and procedures. A public debate has to be initiated and the same debated in the legislature.
6. Though democracy stands at a better position in this regard in comparison to non-democratic governments, the actual realisation of the expectation is not satisfactory.
Sharing of Information.
1. A citizen in democracy has the right and the means to examine the process of decision making. This is known as transparency. This factor is often missing from a non-democratic government.
2. Though most democracies have created conditions to share information with the public, the actual sharing of information is not satisfactory.
3. We can also expect that the democratic government develops mechanisms for citizens to hold the government accountable and mechanisms for citizens to take part in decision making whenever they think fit.
Responsiveness
1. It is reasonable to expect from democracy a government that is attentive to the needs and demands of the people and is largely free of corruption.
2. The record of democracies is not impressive on these two counts. Democracies often frustrate the needs of the people and often ignore the demands of a majority of its population.
3. The routine tales of corruption are enough to convince us that democracy is not free of this evil.
4. At the same time, there is nothing to show that non-democracies are less corrupt or more sensitive to the people.
Legitimacy
1. There is one respect in which democratic government is certainly better than its alternatives.
2. Democratic government is legitimate government. It may be slow, less efficient, not always very responsive or clean.
3. But a democratic government is people’s own government. Unlike Dictatorship or Monarchy, it is not imposed on the people.
4. Hence an overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world.
Economic growth and development
1. When democracy is compared with dictatorship for the fifty years between 1950 and 2000, dictatorships have slightly higher rate of economic growth.
2. The inability of democracy to achieve higher economic development worries us.
3. But
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1.As people get some benefits of democracy, they ask for more and want to make democracy even better
2.when we ask people about the way democracy function, they will always come with more complaints
3.In fact this itself a testimony to success of democracy
2.when we ask people about the way democracy function, they will always come with more complaints
3.In fact this itself a testimony to success of democracy
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