'Democracy is very important for promoting dignity and freedom of the citizens.' Support the statement with arguments.    

1. Laws and policies such as right to equality provides everybody the same respect and opportunity.

2. Democratic govt. usually curbs such activities which discriminates the person or any group. for e.g, abolition of untouchability.

3. Judiciary provides everybody a equal right to put forward their complaints when they are discriminated.

Democracy is considered to be the best form of government these days. Most of the countries in the world have adopted it. The following arguments have been given in favour of Democracy:

(i) Safeguards the interests of the people:

Chief merit of democracy lies in that it safeguards the interests of the people. Real power lies in the hands of the people who exercise it by the representatives elected by them and who are responsible to them. It is said that social, economic and political interests of the individuals are served better under this system.

(ii) Based on the principle of equality:

Democracy is based on the principle of equality. All members of the State are equal in the eyes of law. All enjoy equal social, political and economic rights and state cannot discriminate among citizens on the basis of caste, religion, sex, or property. All have equal right to choose their government.

(iii) Stable government:

Democracy is based on public will. It conducts state business with public support. It is, therefore, more stable than other forms of Government.

(iv) Helps in making people good citizens:

Success of democracy lies on its good citizens. Democracy creates proper environment for the development of personality and cultivating good habits. D. Tacquville is of opinion that Democracy is the first school of good citizenship. Citizens learn their rights and duties from birth till death in it.

Since democracy is based on public will, there is no chance of public revolt. Representatives elected by the people conduct the affairs of the state with public support. If they don't work efficiently or don't come up to the expectations of their masters i.e., the public, they are thrown in the dustbin of history when elections are held again. Gilchrist opines that democracy or popular governments always function with consensus and therefore question of revolt or revolution does not arise.

Democracy today has emerged as the most popular form of government. Democratic form of government has been questioned on various fronts that it leads to instability, it is about competition and power, etc. It has done so by the following measures:-

• By extending legal and political equality to women, to the weaker sections of society and to the marginalized.
• By guaranteeing fundamental rights to all.
• Giving adequate representation to the minorities and protection through various safeguards.
• This will give political voice to the marginalized and will increase their democratic consciousness.
• This will enable women, lower casts and other disadvantaged groups to wage their struggle for justice, fairness with a legal backing.

C.

They have political parties

It is seen that on an average, dictatorial regimes have had a slightly better record of economic growth, i.e. 4.34%. However, if this record is compared with that in the poor countries, there is almost no difference. It is 4.28%. Within democracies, there can be very high levels of economic inequality. In countries such as South Africa and Brazil, the top 20% people appropriate more than 60% of the national income, whereas less than 3% remains for the bottom 20%. However, as research shows, economic development and economic equality often depend on several factors such as country’s size, global situation, cooperation from other countries and economic priorities. While countries such as Sweden and Norway have achieved greater levels of economic equality, countries with more complex problems like India have so far been slow in achieving this goal.