Of all the tried and tested governments, democracy indeed is one of the best forms of governments, if not the best. But at the same time, democracy is not free of flaws. It has been a subject of great debate and discussions, and it all boils down to the matter of opinions and perspective. Every kind of government comes with its strengths and weaknesses, there are many takers of democracy because by definition a democratic country is run by the people and for the people, but if one dives deep into it, there would be many broad classifications of it which have positive and negative attributes. A democratic set-up comprises a multi-party system with different ideologies and functions differently from each other which gives birth to chaos amongst its citizens, yet by all means it does make sense to be a citizen of a democratic country rather than a dictatorial state.
Democracy gives people the right to free speech, right to information, right to protest even against their own representatives or the elected ones. Democracy provides dignity to its citizens, it allows people to express their views and every individual holds equal rights, regardless of their position in the society. Quite opposite to an authoritarian state where all the power is vested on a despotic or a dictator, democracy provides empowerment to all its countrymen and no one has described democracy better than Lincoln, “By the people, of the people and for the people.”
On the other side, democracy does have its loopholes, it gives scope to conflicts, hampers the economic growth and fails to accommodate contrasting views and opinions which eventually compels the practice of the majority rule and puts the minorities interest in danger.
The conflict of interest is resolved through dialogues and the existence of transparency that allows the government to take decisions based on the interest of the country. If a section of the society or a party is not in agreement with the government’s decision, the constitution gives the country men the right to protest peacefully against the elected government which is certainly not possible in an arbitrary or a military government.
Another key point which goes in favour of democracy is the Rule of Law. The constitution of a democratic country keeps every citizen equal before the law, regardless of a person’s wealth, designation and social status. Through democracy, Human Rights are protected which provides every individual the right to education, employment among many others. In a democracy, there is scope to rectify the mistake through the power of vote, be it the parliamentary or state elections.
While many famous leaders have opined democracy as, “Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch.” but this theory can be just called a perspective. People who are against a democratic government always give the example of China which is one of the most economically powerful countries in the world, the development is largely credited because it doesn’t function on democratic set-up which gives the ultimate power to the ruler of the country to take decisions which might not be favored by its own citizens. Some also opine, the success of a Monarchy form of government like Saudi Arabia where there is no dearth of wealth which allows people to live a lavish life. Now, all these examples are compelling, but one can’t simply credit the development of these countries because of non-democratic government, but it also depends on the natural resources and the geographical location of the country.
To sum up, every individual would prefer to live in a state which allows the person to live and enjoy the essence of freedom. A state or a society would suffocate people if there is no right to equality and freedom of speech. Every individual is different and thinks differently and hence in a civilized society the existence and the right to debate and protest provide individuals the security and the peace of mind that his opinions and thoughts are not curbed, but valued. Yes, democracy has its cons but among all the forms of government, an ordinary person would prefer to breathe in a space freely. John Adams the second president of the United States once quoted, “Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” So, there will always be powerful people who will be against democracy, but I prefer to enjoy the freedom to express my views through this article which is possible in a democracy only.
