Outcomes of democracy
Topic: Democracy: Forms of Government, Principles and Outcomes · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 5 "Outcomes of Democracy"
Meaning
The outcomes of democracy are what a democracy can fairly be expected to deliver. Class 10 NCERT lists four:
- accountable, responsive and legitimate government;
- economic growth with less inequality;
- accommodation of social diversity;
- dignity and freedom of citizens.
Democracy is only a form of government. It creates conditions, and citizens must use them to achieve these results. This explains why democracy can seem "good in principle but not so good in practice".
Example
Przeworski's data for 1950–1990 show poor democracies growing at 4.28% and poor dictatorships at 4.34%, which is almost no difference. So democracy neither guarantees growth nor blocks it. Yet Indian democracies have done much better on dignity: atrocities against disadvantaged castes still happen, but they have no legal backing (Art. 17).
Don't confuse with
- Merits of democracy: merits are the reasons for preferring democracy in principle. Outcomes are the results measured in practice.