Arguments for democracy

• China's famine of 1958-1961 was the worst recorded famine in world history. Nearly three crore people died in this famine.
• During those days, India's economic condition was not much better than China. Yet India did not have a famine of the kind China had.
• Economists think that this was a result of

  Different government policies in the two countries
• The existence of democracy in India made the Indian government respond to food scarcity in a way that the Chinese government did not.
• No large-scale famine has ever taken place in an independent and democratic country.
• If China too had multiparty elections, an opposition party and a press free to criticise the government


  Then so many people may not have died in the famine
• Democracy


  • It is better than any other form of government in responding to the needs of the people
  • A non-democratic government may and can respond to the people's needs, but it all depends on the wishes of the people who rule
  • A democracy requires that the rulers have to attend to the needs of the people
• Democratic government


  A more accountable form of government
• There is another reason why democracy should lead to better decisions than any non-democratic government. Democracy is based on consultation and discussion. A democratic decision always involves many persons, discussions and meetings. When a number of people put their heads together, they are able to point out possible mistakes in any decision. This takes time. But there is a big advantage in taking time over important decisions. This reduces the chances of rash or irresponsible decisions. Thus democracy improves the quality of decision-making
• This is related to the third argument

  Democracy provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts
• In any society people are bound to have differences of opinions and interests
• These differences are particularly sharp in a country like ours which has an amazing social diversity
• People belong to different

  • Regions
  • Languages
  • Religions
  • Castes
• They look at the world very differently and have different preferences
• The preferences of one group

  Can clash with those of other groups
• Conflict can be solved by

  Brutal power
• Whichever group is more powerful will dictate its terms and others will have to accept that
• That would lead to resentment and unhappiness
• Different groups may not be able to live together for long in such a way
• Democracy provides


  The only peaceful solution to this problem
• In democracy, no one is a permanent winner
• No one is a permanent loser
• Different groups can live with one another peacefully
• In a diverse country like India, democracy keeps our country together