Question

Pros and Cons of Democracy

Answer 1

pros and con's mean advantages and disadvantage s

so pros
democracy increases the respect of people as everyone is equal

democracy leads to correction of mistake

in democracy no one has all the power

cons
decision making in democracy is slow

and

often competition in democracy leads to unhealthy results

Answer 2

Pros of Democracy

Democracy is fairer because it lets the people living in a country decide who is going to rule them. Other systems, such as absolute monarchs, military dictatorships, theocracies, etc. rely on a small clique or cabal of people, or an individual, or arbitrary methods such as hereditary birth for deciding who will rule, bypassing the wishes of the majority of the population.

Voting is an excellent way to establish legitimacy for a leader, or government in the modern world. This is because he or she can argue the right to being leader, on the grounds of being chosen by the people via an election. This promotes political stability.Democracy is an effective way to ensure a smooth transition, when governments and leaders change. Where there is an absolute monarch, or dictator, arguments can often develop as to who is the rightful successor, leading to political strife and even civil war in some cases.Democratic systems are good at ensuring openness and keeping a check on corruption. This is because rival political groups are constantly attempting to expose government mistakes and crimes. This level of accountability does not exist in most one-party/autocratic systems, where criticism of the government is often made very difficult.

The democratic system can act as a safety valve for the discontented. Citizens know that they have a vote and that the leader/government may well change at the next election, so they are less likely to resort to rioting, general strikes, or violent rebellion.Democratic governments are less likely to go to war. This is because they generally need the will of the people behind them, whereas an autocrat can often take his/her country to war on a whim.Democracy encourages a sense of belonging for its citizens. They can participate fully in the political processes and feel a sense of ownership.

Cons of Democracy

There is a tendency towards short-termism. This is because leaders/governments are generally elected to serve over a specific length of time (typically around 4 or 5 years) and concerns over getting re-elected often mean that they often don’t look beyond the next election. Some social, environmental and economic problems require much more long term solutions, however.

The tyranny of the majority is a constant threat to minority groups, as a leader or government may only serve the interests of the largest social groups and ignore, or even repress the rights of others.Some countries argue that their cultural history simply does not lend itself to democratic systems of government and that other forms of government work better. The Western concept has its roots in Ancient Greek and Roman European culture, and may not be suited to Eastern and African countries.Democracy can result in unwieldy coalitions, or endless squabbling and political deadlock. Other political systems can find it easier to proceed in a unified direction. It’s argued by some that ancient Rome achieved more under the autocratic Caesars than it did under democratic rule.A fully functioning democracy relies upon an educated and informed public. The political process can be manipulated and distorted by corporations, wealthy individuals, a biased or poor quality media, and special interest groups.
Democracy panders too much to the needs of the individual and encourages people to vote selfishly, thinking purely in their own interests, rather than for what is best for the country as a whole.A conflict of interest can sometimes occur, where a politician, or government has to decide between acting in the best interests of the country, and increasing their chances of re-election. Often they will choose the latter.Elections take up a lot of time and vast amounts of money can be spent on them. It could be argued that all the millions spent on political adverts might be better spent on other, more beneficial things.The democratic process encourages politicians to make promises that they know they can’t keep, in order to be elected. This creates public cynicism and disillusionment in the long run.





List of Pros of Democracy

1. It is by the people and for the people.
In a democratic form of government, everyone will be allowed to vote and participate in weighing in on what they think about the country’s political, social and economic issues, making sure that whatever decision is made, it will be in their interest and not just of the government leaders. The public would actually hold power and has opinions that matter. This sense of participation would allow the feelings of pride and patriotism that are not often seen in counties with a