BA English Essay (Democracy)

Outline
1. Introduction
2. Advantages of Democracy
3. Shining Examples of Democracy
4. Disadvantages of Democracy
5. Conclusion

Democracy is a very popular term today. It is usually associated with the United States form of
government by people, and to some extent, they are right in doing so. The United States has
strived much more than other countries to uphold the honor of democracy. But, what exactly is
democracy? Abraham Lincoln popularly called democracy a system of government by the
people, for the people. In many ways, democracy is just that. Through an efficient and reliable
method of voting and elections, the leader of a nation is chosen. The people are given a choice of
whom to choose to run their country, and therein lies the essence of democracy: freedom of
choice. And that is why the United States has so insistently held on to this notion for hundreds of
years.
The biggest advantage of having a democratic system is freedom for the people. The people are
free to choose whomever they want. They are not bound by monarchies or Imperial laws. They
are not forced to serve under feudal lords, or ruthless dictators. They are free to choose who they
want to run their country. They can even choose an ordinary man like themselves. It is true that
many monarchies and dictatorships are very prosperous, and they do a lot to help their people,
but in essence they are faulty. The world is not meant to be ruled by one person alone. Millions
of people should not expected to cower at the whims of just one person. It is possible that the
dictator may have their best interests at heart, but what if he hasnt? That is a fearful thought
indeed. The people would have no choice, but to bow to the atrocities that the dictator will
commit. In this way, democracy is a savior of the common man. With democracy, the common
man has a say. He receives the right to alter the decisions taken in his country; he becomes equal
to the leaders who are running the country.Democracy also ensures a group voice as far as
government decisions are concerned. No influential people are allowed to sway the decision in
their favor; they have to abide by the universal majority of votes.
the United States is one shining example of a successful democracy. For hundreds of years, the
democratic system has ensured that the voice of the common man be heard, and abided, and that
has brought the United States to the precipice of supreme power. Similarly, India is another
country that has excelled in promoting democracy. Although there have been a few hiccoughs,
Pakistan has also managed to pull through, and portray itself as a major democratic country. The

clean and clear voting system of Pakistan ensures that the leader with national acclaim ascends
the seat of power.
While a democracy has a host of advantages, there are some disadvantages too. First, it is
possible to manipulate the voting system. With paper ballots and voting machines, there always
remains a margin of err, but even worse, it is possible to change them to make sure that the more
corrupt leader wins. In addition to that, democracy often suffers due to the indecision of the
Parliament or Congress. This is especially true to global emergency cases where the government
cannot act unless it gets approval from its Parliament, and the Parliament or Congress sometimes
doesnt assent. Thus, in such cases, the democratic system comes to a grinding halt.
Thus, looking at the above arguments and examples, it is reasonable to assume that the
democratic system is among the best in the world, and although it has its demerits, the
advantages far outweigh them. Democracy should be the governmental system of choice for
every country