Important Terms

• Elements/Constituents of Democracy: Formal constitution, elections, political parties, constitutional rights.
• Monarchy: The government ruled by the monarch or king of the country i.e., monarch or king is the head of the country.
• Dignity: The word denotes privileged position, honourable rank or importance given to any particular post or personality.
• Outcome of Democracy: Political equality and political justice, social equality and social justice, economic equality and economic justice, dignity to the individual.
• Measures for Democratic Outcome: Regular free and fair elections, open public debate on major policies, right to information given to the people.
• Economic Development: It refers to the growth or advancement of the country in the way of providing better facilities and services to the individual.
• Transparency: Right or means to examine the process of decision making.
• Accountable: Responsible, answerable and legitimate to the individual/posts and their needs and expectations.
• Poverty: It is a socio-economic phenomenon which in general terms is the denial of opportunities to lead a long, healthy, creative life and to enjoy a decent standard of living.
• Inequality: Absence of equal opportunities, equal treatment and equal status at any level, social, economic or political is known as inequality.
• Civil Liberties: These are privileges or rights thought to be valuable in themselves and important for the functioning of democratic society.

HOW DO WE ASSESS DEMOCRACY’S OUTCOMES

Democracy is better because it:

• Promotes equality among citizens;
• Enhances the dignity of the individual;
• Improves the quality of decision-making;
• Provides a method to resolve conflicts;
• Allows room to correct mistakes.