Why is democracy considered better suited than non-democratic regimes to handle social differences and conflicts?
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:18 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Democracy is better suited than non-democratic regimes to handle social differences and conflicts because:
- Develops procedures: Democracies develop procedures to conduct competition among groups, reducing the possibility of tensions becoming explosive or violent.
- Negotiates differences: While no society can fully resolve conflicts, democracy is best suited to evolve mechanisms to negotiate differences and respect diversity, as seen in Belgium's success with ethnic groups.
- Suppression vs. accommodation: Non-democratic regimes often turn a blind eye to or suppress internal social differences, whereas democracy accommodates them. However, democracy must ensure majority rule does not become rule by a majority community based on religion, race, or language.
Source: Chapter 5 — Accommodation of Social Diversity
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Explanation
Examiners expect three clear, distinct points for 3 marks. Use the Belgium example to illustrate success. The key contrast — democracy negotiates, non-democracy suppresses — is the central idea. Mentioning the condition about majority not oppressing minority shows depth. Avoid writing a long essay; three focused points with brief elaboration are enough.