How is democracy accountable and responsive to the needs and expectations of the citizens? Analyse.
In a democracy, we are most concerned with ensuring that people will have the right to choose their rulers and people will have control over the rulers.
- Therefore, the most basic outcome of democracy should be that it produces a government that is accountable to .the citizens and responsive, to the needs and expectations of the citizens.
- Democracy ensures that decision making is based on norms and procedures. A citizen has the right and the means to examine the process of decision-making. Thus, democracy entails transparency. This factor is often missing from a non-democratic government.
- Democratic governments ensure the following:
- Regular, free and fair elections.
- Open public debate on major policies and legislations.
- Citizen’s right to be informed about government policies.
- A government, free from corruption.