AI-generated practice question — model-generated for extra practice, not a previous-year CBSE board question.
The student's reasoning is flawed because it treats economic growth and poverty reduction as the sole measures of democracy's worth, ignoring its many other outcomes.
Flaw: Data shows the difference in economic growth rates between dictatorships (4.42%) and democracies (3.95%) is small, and in poor countries it is negligible. Moreover, non-democracies are not proven to be less corrupt or more sensitive to people's needs.
Correct way to think: Democracy is just a form of government — it creates conditions for achieving goals; citizens must take advantage of those conditions. Democracy must be valued for providing accountable, transparent, and legitimate government; protecting dignity; resolving conflicts; and allowing correction of mistakes. These outcomes cannot be delivered by an "efficient" authoritarian system.
Source: Chapter 5 — Democratic Politics II, Sections: Economic growth and development; Accountable, responsive and legitimate government
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Examiners expect you to: (1) identify the specific flaw — reducing democracy to economic performance alone; (2) use data from the textbook (the growth rate figures); and (3) state the textbook's core idea that "democracy is just a form of government" that creates conditions. Mentioning legitimacy, accountability, and dignity as non-economic outcomes strengthens the answer. Avoid vague statements — cite the numbers briefly to show evidence-based reasoning.