Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

No, I do not fully agree. Poor economic performance alone cannot be a reason to reject democracy.

Economic performance: Data shows dictatorships have only a slightly higher growth rate (4.42%) than democracies (3.95%), and in poor countries the difference is negligible (4.34% vs 4.28%). So democracy does not necessarily lag behind.

Legitimacy and Dignity: Democracy is valuable beyond economics because it:

• Promotes equality among citizens and ensures political participation.
• Enhances the dignity of individuals — people are governed by their own chosen representatives, not by force.
• Provides legitimate government — citizens have a voice and can correct mistakes through elections.

A dictatorship may grow faster yet deny people basic rights and dignity. Democracy's true value lies in these principles, not just economic figures.

Source: Chapter 5 — Outcomes of Democracy, Democratic Politics

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Examiners look for three things here:

1. Disagreement with a reason — citing the data that economic difference is negligible.
2. Two or more non-economic values — legitimacy, dignity, equality, right to correct mistakes are the key textbook points.
3. Contrast with dictatorship — even fast-growing dictatorships deny rights, making democracy preferable overall.

Avoid writing a long essay. Use the textbook's exact terms: dignity, legitimacy, equality, correct mistakes. These signal you know Chapter 5's arguments.