How does transparency in a democratic government empower ordinary citizens in their relationship with those in power?
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:19 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Transparency in a democratic government means citizens have the right to examine how decisions are made and whether correct procedures were followed. This empowers ordinary citizens by giving them the means to hold the government accountable. It shifts power toward the people, enabling them to question, scrutinize, and check those in power — a feature largely absent in non-democratic regimes.
Source: Outcomes of Democracy, 'Accountable, Responsive and Legitimate Government' — Chapter 5
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Explanation
- The key term here is transparency, defined in the passage as a citizen's right and means to examine the decision-making process.
- Examiners expect you to link transparency → accountability → citizen empowerment. Don't just define transparency; explain how it changes the citizen-government relationship.
- Avoid writing about elections or other outcomes — stay focused on the specific concept asked.
- Two marks = two distinct points: (1) what transparency means, and (2) how it empowers citizens. Cover both concisely.