Democracy's impact on stability in a society - English commentary

(This English commentary is not part of the ongoing Social Studies discussion on democracy and should be read separately)

Democracy is a political ideology with its own advantages and disadvantages. I feel that democracy can create stability in a society, but only if voters are provided the necessary information to make the right choice. Citizens must also be rational enough not to misuse their rights and create instability in society. The stability discussed in this commentary refers to economic and social stability, essential issues directly affecting people in a society.

Democracy can create economic stability in modern times because foreign investors are assured by the fact that the country will always elect a capable government to represent the people and run the nation. Democracy restricts the amount of power held by the political elite and ensures that the economic interests of the nation are protected. This will encourage foreign investment as investors will have more faith in the economy of the nation. Investment will boost the economy, in turn encouraging more investment in the strengthened economy, creating a cycle of foreign investment which maintains the economic stability of a country.

Democracy can create social stability in a society because it recognizes the rights of every individual and allows freedom of expression for the people, media and political parties. There is no reason for the people to resort to violence because their rights are not suppressed; they can always resolve their differences openly and exert an influence through peaceful methods like voting. As long as the rights of the people are respected, the risks of conflict between the people and the government will be kept to a minimum. Thus, social stability will be maintained.

Singapore is a prominent example of how democracy can result in social and economic stability. Singapore’s constitution grants political power to her people through the establishment of voting systems and prevents issues like corruption by making the government accountable to her people. This will protect the national interests of Singapore and create a stable economy where growth of the nation is regarded as the top priority. The rights of Singaporeans are acknowledged and they are allowed considerable freedom of expression as long as it is used responsibly, ensuring that social stability is not threatened by struggles for human rights. Singaporeans are also familiar with the idea of working with the government instead of against it, minimizing the threat of internal conflict within Singapore.

However, democracy functions under the assumption that voters will make the right decision and elect an efficient government to represent them. This is not always true as freedom of expression for all means that voters might receive the wrong information and elect a government which does not protect their interests. When this happens, there will be displeasure over the inefficiency of the government and the subsequent unrest will destabilize society both economically and socially, as both citizens and foreign investors will lose faith in the government.

Also, the idea of rights and freedom of expression is a double-edged sword; while it can reduce conflict and create stability in a society, it can also increase conflict if contrasting opinions are not managed well. Allowing the media and various political parties unlimited freedom will undoubtedly generate different viewpoints on how the country should be run; this will have an adverse impact on the stability of society if people are split into different political camps and cannot reach a consensus regarding the running of the country. Also, the majority might take advantage of their numerical superiority to push for policies which protect their interests and disregard those of the minority, creating conflict within the majority and the minority.

In conclusion, I feel that democracy can create stability in a society but only if citizens are able to make informed decisions and use their rights responsibly. This means that democracy’s impact on stability depends largely on the circumstances in which it is found and must be considered independently in different countries.