Introduction
An institution of governance that invests the ruling power in its people is a country that practices democracy. The reality is that participation in a democratic government is representative, the people have a strong influence on the decision made by the group representing them either directly or indirectly, and therefore the opinion of the public plays a vital role in shaping the decision-making process. The fact Because democracy is based on freedom and equality amongst everyone, the people take part in the running of the affairs of the government continuously.
Democracy as means of making a material difference in people’s lives
Fortunately, democracy makes a material difference in the lives of the people. Democracy has made the world a better place for people to stay due to the freedom it gives to the people. The main goal of democracy is to guard the interest of the people equally regardless of their origin, racial influence, sex, and even their political interest Wilkinson, R, G et al, 2020, pg. 60. Democracy allows the people to take part in the process of electing their leaders. For example, the government of the USA, which is federal, allows the people to select the representative of their choice to defend their interest in the higher level of government.
Additionally, democracy act as a preventive measure of power abuse. Since the people are the ones who choose their representatives, the representatives are mandated to act according to the will of the people because the people have the authority to remove them from power. Similarly, democracy has made the people’s lives better by advocating for equality. Although voting is not constitutionally an affirmative right in the USA, the U.S constitution promotes equality and freedom to vote regardless of one’s race, sex, and age. Besides, a country like Canada, under its Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, expressly grants the voting rights of all Canadians in any election that is conducted in Canada Smith, A et al,2018, pg. 68. Moreover, democracy promotes stability in a country by making rules and regulation that protects human rights. A democratic government always makes rules that are in the people’s interest, and in cases where laws are not in the best interest of the people, then the government is willing to make changes.
Evidence present that democracy is associated with better well-being
The act of allowing citizen to participate in the democratic process raise the well-being of the citizen. Democracy makes it easier for the citizens to have a government of their preference. The type of governance will automatically affect its socio-economic system. For example, it will determine the extent to which people are employed and their income. First, the fact that democracy promotes freedom for all people to participate in a government is evidence that it is associated with the well-being of the people Orskan, M, Caplanora A, 2014, pg1442. Secondly, it is evident that the virtue that people come together to elect a representative of their choice indicates institutional trust; therefore, having qualified governance gives the people the satisfaction of the institution they have for themselves. For example, in the USA, the citizen is satisfied with the democratic government as they are accessing good social security, quality economic performance, and favorable political culture, efficiency, and income.
Furthermore, the impact of geographical location on well-being is evidence of democracy. Touchton.M. et al (2014) explain that a quality life witnessed in the USA indicates a well-built state with a well-managed city and urban areas linked to it. Such a state enjoys good economies due to reasonable access to health and education facilities. Moreover, a democratic country allows its people to have religious rites. Religious beliefs define the well-being of people, and this is achieved through democracy.
Comparison of the performance of democracy and autocracies
Both democracy and autocracies can do better depending on the vision of each of the leaders. Despite democracy performing better than the autocracies in economic development, still, some dictatorships can serve better. To justify this, a comparison must be made between the political regime and the economic growth of the two. An autocratic country with a leader who has a long-term vision for their will automatically do better than an authoritarian government with a leader who has a short-term vision for their country Lee et al, 2020, pg. 566. For example, China is a country practicing autocracy. Surprisingly, their leader Deng Xiaoping has a long-term vision for his country and therefore creates institutional regulations and policies that are likely to enhance the country’s growth both economically and politically. On the other side, Zimbabwe is also a democratic government with a leader who has a short-term vision for the country because he is involved in actions that are less like that of prey and is very ruthless when it comes to the way he enacts laws. Comparing the two countries, both the leaders have the power to determine the growth of their country; however, China is likely to accelerate its growth development while Zimbabwe is expected to deteriorate in its economic development.
In contrast, a leader in a democratic country has no power to enact laws that are favorable to the development of the country. This makes them avoid taking risks in economic policy that may influence the growth of their country as compared to autocracies. Further, democracy acknowledges public consideration that leads to the rise of various departments with different views on policies that can lead to development.
Unlike democracy which is where people are allowed to take part in the formation of the government, autocracies, only one person has absolute authority over the people. Democracy, therefore, performs good well when it comes to the development of a country because democracy makes it possible for individuals to improve the state of their live-in accordance with their preferences. It is, therefore, a proposition that is not likely to perform better than the autocracies because the effect of political regime in every country, whether in a democratic country or aristocratic country, will influence the acceleration or retardation of that country when it comes to growth.
Whether democracy is intended to be or not remains a point of discussion. Seemingly, it is just a tool used by a few individuals elected into the government to benefit themselves. In a modern democracy, various political parties organize politics claiming that through the party’s democracy is achieved. Democracy aims to achieve the realization of the goodness of the people. However, politics becoming part of democracy has made this remain unachieved reason based on the failure of the leaders elected by the people to represent them in the government Pelizzo et al, 2018, pg. 505. For example, in the USA, democracy is considered to be loaded with deep-seated problems due to the diverse political system, which is decided and formed by a few individuals without fully involving the people and making decisions without public participation Destradi et al,2019, pg. 711. Government representative positions remain for the people of high social class. This has been witnessed in various countries and is n impediment to democracy, making it dysfunctional.
References
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Juneja, P. (n.d.). Democracy is Superior to Autocracy in Achieving Economic Development. Management Study Guide. Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/democracy-is-superior-to-autocracy-in-achieving-economic-development.htm
Lee, D. S., & Schuler, P. (2020). Testing the “China model” of meritocratic promotions: do democracies reward less competent ministers than autocracies?. Comparative Political Studies, 53(3-4), 531-566.
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Touchton, M., & Wampler, B. (2014). Improving social well-being through new democratic institutions. Comparative Political Studies, 47(10), 1442-1469.
Wilkinson, R. G. (2020). The impact of inequality: How to make sick societies healthier. Routledge.
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