Q1. [3] deep thorough-understanding
In several democracies, such as South Africa and Brazil, the top 20% of the population takes more than 60% of national income, while the bottom 20% receive less than 3%. What does this pattern reveal about the relationship between political equality and economic equality in democracies?
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:20 · grounding rag
Model Answer
The data reveals a contradiction between political equality and economic equality in democracies. While democracies grant every citizen equal political rights (one person, one vote), this does not automatically translate into economic equality. As seen in South Africa and Brazil, the top 20% capture over 60% of national income while the bottom 20% receive less than 3%. This shows that democracies are not very successful in reducing economic inequalities. Political power of the poor does not effectively convert into economic gains, as elected governments often fail to adequately address poverty and wealth distribution.
Source: Democratic Outcomes, Chapter 5
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Explanation
- The examiner wants you to identify the gap/contradiction between political equality (voting rights) and economic inequality (income distribution).
- Use the specific data from the question/table — it shows you understand the evidence.
- Key phrase to use: "democracies are based on political equality, but growing economic inequalities persist."
- Avoid writing a general essay on democracy; focus sharply on this one tension.
- Three marks = three distinct points: (1) political equality exists, (2) economic inequality persists, (3) governments fail to bridge the gap.