Outcomes of Democracy

Democracy is considered better because it:
(i) Promotes equality among citizens;
(ii) Enhances  the  dignity  of  the individual;
(iii) Improves the quality of decision-making;
(iv) Provides a method to resolve conflicts;
(v)  Allows room to correct mistakes
Near about every country of the world today claim and practice some kind of democratic politics, but most of them are very much different from each other in terms of their social situations, their economic achievements and their cultures.
The first step towards thinking carefully about the outcomes of democracy is to recognise that democracy is just a form of government. It can only create conditions for achieving something. The citizens have to take advantage of those conditions and achieve those goals.
Accountable, responsive and legitimate government
Is the democratic government efficient? Is it effective?
Non-democratic rulers do not have to bother about deliberation in assemblies or worry about majorities and public opinion. So, they can be very quick and efficient in decision making and implementation. But it may take decisions that are not accepted by the people and may therefore face problems.
Democracy is based on the idea of deliberation and negotiation. So, some delay is bound to take place. But because it has followed procedures, its decisions may be both more acceptable to the people and more effective.
Accountable Government -
(i) A citizen who wants to know if a decision was taken through the correct procedures can find this out. This is known as transparency.
(ii) Democratic government develops mechanism for citizens to hold the government accountable and mechanisms for citizens to take part in decision making whenever they think fit.
Legitimate Government -
(i) In democracy governments are elected through a regular, free and fair elections. Open public debates are held on major policies and legislations. Citizens have the right to information about the government and its functioning.
(ii) Laws are made following proper procedures, after much discussion with the representatives of the people.
(iii) If people feel that government has done soemthing which goes against the Constitution, people can challenge it in the Judiciary.
Democracies have fallen short of :
(i) holding elections that provide a fair chance to everyone.
(ii) every decision is not brought forward for in a public debate.
(iii) They do not have a very good record in sharing information with citizens.
(iv) Democracies have not been free of corruption and often ignore the demands of a majority of its population.
Support of Democratic Government
(i) A democratic government is people's own government. There is an overwhelming support for the idea of democracy all over the world.
(ii) The support exists in countries with democratic regimes as well as countries without democratic regimes. (iii) People wish to be ruled by representatives elected by them. They also believe that democracy is suitable for their country.
(iv) Democracy's ability to generate its own support is itself an outcome that cannot be ignored.
Economic  growth and development
(i) Dictatorships have slightly higher rate of economic growth.
(ii) Economic development depends on several factors: country's population size, global situation, cooperation from other countries, economic priorities adopted by the country, etc.
(iii) Overall, we cannot say that democracy is a guarantee of economic development.

Is Democracy a guarantee of Reduction of inequality and poverty
Democracies are based on political equality, but we find growing economic inequalities. A small number of ultra-rich enjoy a highly disproportionate share of wealth and incomes.
Those at the bottom of the society have very little to depend upon. Their incomes have been declining. Sometimes they find it difficult to meet their basic needs of life.
In actual life, democracies do not appear to be very successful in reducing economic inequalities.

Accommodation  of social diversity
Democracies accommodate various social divisions. Democracies usually develop a procedure to conduct their competition. This reduces the possibility of tensions becoming explosive or violent.
Ability to handle social differences, divisions and conflicts is thus a definite plus point of democratic regimes. A democracy must fulfil two conditions in order to achieve this outcome:
(i) In democracy majority always needs to work with the minority so that governments function to represent the general view.
(ii) Rule by majority means that in case of every decision or in case of 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 majority at some point of time.

Dignity and Freedom of the Citizens
(i) Democracy promotes dignity and freedom of the individual
(ii) Every individual wants to receive respect from fellow beings. Democracies have achieved this to a certain degree in many countries

(a) Dignity of Women
(i) Societies across the world have been male dominated. It is absolutely essential that women should get equal treatment.
(ii) Women can now wage a struggle against what is now unacceptable legally and morally. In a non-democratic set-up, women would not have a legal basis to fight for equality.
(b) Caste inequalities - Democracy in India has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and equal opportunity.

“The Examination of Democracy never gets over”
(i) As people get some benefits of democracy, they ask for more and want to make democracy even better. (ii) People always come up with more expectations, and complaints against democracy.
(iii) Complains shows that people have developed awareness and the ability to expect and to look critically at power holders and the high and the mighty.
(iv) A public expression of dissatisfaction with democracy shows the success of the democratic project: it transforms people from the status of a subject into that of a citizen.