'Economic growth alone cannot determine whether democracy is preferable to dictatorship.' Justify this statement with reference to what democracy offers beyond economic outcomes.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:20 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Economic growth alone cannot determine the preference for democracy over dictatorship because:
- Accountability & Transparency: Democracy produces accountable governments where citizens can examine decision-making processes — a feature absent in dictatorships.
- Dignity & Equality: Democracy promotes equality among citizens and enhances individual dignity.
- Legitimate Government: Democratic government is people's own government, chosen by elected representatives, making it legitimate even if slower.
- Conflict Resolution: Democracy provides mechanisms to resolve conflicts and allows room to correct mistakes.
- Citizen Participation: Citizens can participate in decision-making that affects them.
Thus, democracy's value lies beyond economic growth — in its political and moral outcomes.
Source: Chapter 5 — Democratic Politics II, Outcomes of Democracy
---
Explanation
- Examiners expect 3 distinct points beyond economic outcomes — each clearly stated.
- Key terms to use: accountable, legitimate, transparent, dignity, equality.
- Avoid spending marks on economic data; the question explicitly asks for non-economic outcomes.
- The phrase "people's own government" (legitimate government) is a direct textbook phrase — use it.