Democracy: The Path to Smiles
Democracy: The Path to Smiles?
Something that is usually not given much thought on a daily basis for citizens of developed countries is the quality of life and the amount of freedoms that they possess. It is not of concern to those who live in countries with high levels of individual freedoms and political rights why or how these qualities exist. Though to other individuals who live in poor conditions with little freedoms, this can be a question that is asked often. We usually point to the type of government a country has as the reason why it does or does not have higher level of human development, but is that the concrete explanation? Do citizens of democracies have a higher quality of life than people living under autocratic governments? Are there any other factors that could have a possible effect on democracy and human development? With a presentation of a theory connecting democracy and human development, and also with consideration of other factors, this paper will help answer these questions.
There are many different ways one could interpret democracy, though many definitions still hold a generalized philosophy. A democracy is a type of government that is for the people and by the people, in which the citizens are sovereign and hold the ultimate power. Those living in democratic countries usually have more of an independent voice in the government, where one person can speak and act based on their own opinions. People living in democratic countries are often portrayed as living a life free of government oppression, and also possessing individual rights that reflect the sovereignty of the citizen.
Human development is the ability for individuals to actively and openly pursue a higher quality of life without opposition from the government under which the person is ruled. Where there are high levels of human development, one can often expect to see low infant mortality rates, high life expectancy, high literacy rates, and a high accessibility to
Something that is usually not given much thought on a daily basis for citizens of developed countries is the quality of life and the amount of freedoms that they possess. It is not of concern to those who live in countries with high levels of individual freedoms and political rights why or how these qualities exist. Though to other individuals who live in poor conditions with little freedoms, this can be a question that is asked often. We usually point to the type of government a country has as the reason why it does or does not have higher level of human development, but is that the concrete explanation? Do citizens of democracies have a higher quality of life than people living under autocratic governments? Are there any other factors that could have a possible effect on democracy and human development? With a presentation of a theory connecting democracy and human development, and also with consideration of other factors, this paper will help answer these questions.
There are many different ways one could interpret democracy, though many definitions still hold a generalized philosophy. A democracy is a type of government that is for the people and by the people, in which the citizens are sovereign and hold the ultimate power. Those living in democratic countries usually have more of an independent voice in the government, where one person can speak and act based on their own opinions. People living in democratic countries are often portrayed as living a life free of government oppression, and also possessing individual rights that reflect the sovereignty of the citizen.
Human development is the ability for individuals to actively and openly pursue a higher quality of life without opposition from the government under which the person is ruled. Where there are high levels of human development, one can often expect to see low infant mortality rates, high life expectancy, high literacy rates, and a high accessibility to