Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Democracy transforms the relationship between an ordinary person and the state by making the citizen the source of political power, not merely a subject. In a democracy, rulers are chosen by the people, must account to them, and can be questioned through transparent procedures.

This transformation is itself an important outcome because it gives citizens dignity and legitimacy. A democratic government is "people's own government" — even if it is slow or imperfect, people feel they belong to it. This sense of ownership generates its own support, which is an outcome democracy alone can produce.

Source: Chapter 5 — Accountable, Responsive and Legitimate Government

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• The key phrase examiners look for: "legitimate government" and "people's own government".
• Do not just describe democracy's features — answer why the transformation matters (dignity, ownership, legitimacy).
• The textbook explicitly states: "Democracy's ability to generate its own support is itself an outcome that cannot be ignored." Quote or paraphrase this for full marks.
• At 3 marks, two clear points with brief explanation are enough — avoid lengthy descriptions of elections or accountability mechanisms.