NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science (Democratic Politics-II) Chapter 5: Outcomes of Democracy

These Class 10 Civics Chapter 5 solutions cover Outcomes of Democracy from Democratic Politics-II, the NCERT Political Science textbook for the 2026–27 session. The chapter asks a deceptively simple question — what does democracy do? — and weighs the expected outcomes of democracy against its actual record across five areas: the quality of government, economic growth and development, reduction of inequality and poverty, accommodation of social diversity, and the dignity and freedom of citizens. Below you get step-by-step, exam-ready answers to every textbook Exercise question, key terms, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason questions and FAQs.

Class: 10 Subject: Social Science (Civics) Book: Democratic Politics-II Chapter: 5 Title: Outcomes of Democracy Session: 2026–27
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Class 10 Civics Chapter 5 – Overview

Chapter 5, Outcomes of Democracy, evaluates whether democracy lives up to what we expect of it. It first reminds us that democracy is only a form of government — it can create the conditions for good outcomes, but citizens must take advantage of those conditions. The chapter then tests democracy on five counts. On the quality of government, democracy produces an accountable, responsive and legitimate government based on transparency and procedures, even if it is slower and not free of corruption. On economic growth, democracies do not outperform dictatorships, yet among poor countries the difference is negligible, so growth is not a reason to reject democracy. On inequality and poverty, democracies have not been very successful, since political equality coexists with rising economic inequality. On social diversity, democracy is best suited to handle differences peacefully, provided majority rule does not become the rule of one religious or linguistic community. Finally, democracy stands far above other systems in promoting the dignity and freedom of citizens — of women and of disadvantaged castes. Its examination, the chapter concludes, “never gets over”: public complaints are themselves proof of its success.

Key Concepts & Terms

Outcomes of democracy: the results we can reasonably expect a democratic government to produce — accountable government, economic development, reduced inequality, accommodation of social diversity, and dignity and freedom of citizens.

Accountable government: a government that answers to the people, is regularly checked through free and fair elections, open public debate and the citizens’ right to information about how it functions.

Responsive government: a government that is attentive to the needs and expectations of the citizens and acts on them.

Legitimate government: the people’s own government — one that may be slow and less efficient but is accepted as rightful because it is elected by, and answerable to, the citizens.

Transparency: the ability of a citizen to examine the process of decision-making and to find out whether a decision was taken through correct procedures; a feature usually missing from non-democratic governments.

Political equality: the principle that all individuals have equal weight in electing representatives — “one person, one vote, one value.”

Economic inequality: the unequal sharing of national income and wealth, where a small number of ultra-rich enjoy a disproportionate share while those at the bottom have very little (shown for South Africa, Brazil, etc. in Table 2).

Accommodation of social diversity: democracy’s ability to handle social differences, divisions and conflicts peacefully — on the conditions that majority and minority work together and that majority rule does not become rule by one community.

Dignity and freedom of citizens: the recognition, at least in principle, that all individuals are equal and deserve respect — strengthening the claims of women and of disadvantaged and discriminated castes.

Other key terms: prudential reasons (practical, self-interested reasons to support democracy, as against purely moral reasons), and the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which lets citizens demand information from the government (illustrated by Nannu’s ration-card case).

Exercises — Full Solutions

All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Exercises. Answers are original, written in exam-ready style.

1. How does democracy produce an accountable, responsive and legitimate government?

ANSWER Democracy produces these outcomes through its basic features and procedures: Accountable government: In a democracy, people choose their rulers and have control over them. Decisions are based on norms and procedures, and through transparency a citizen can find out whether a decision was taken correctly. Regular, free and fair elections, open public debate on major policies, and the right to information make rulers answerable to the people. Responsive government: Because the government depends on the people’s votes, it has to remain attentive to their needs and expectations and develop mechanisms for citizens to take part in decision-making whenever they think fit. Legitimate government: A democratic government may be slow, less efficient and not always clean, but it is the people’s own government, elected by them and following proper procedures. This is why there is overwhelming support for democracy all over the world. So although democracy’s record on some counts is mixed, on legitimacy it is clearly superior to every non-democratic alternative.

2. What are the conditions under which democracies accommodate social diversities?

ANSWER Democracy is best suited to produce a harmonious social life, but the example of Sri Lanka shows it must fulfil two conditions to accommodate social diversity: (i) Majority and minority must work together: Democracy is not simply the rule of the majority. The majority must always work with the minority so that the government functions to represent the general view. Majority and minority opinions are not permanent. (ii) Rule by majority must not become rule by one community: Rule by majority means that on every decision, or in every election, different persons and groups may form a majority. It should not become the permanent rule of one religious, racial or linguistic community. If a person is barred from ever being in the majority on the basis of birth, democracy ceases to be accommodative for that group. When these conditions are met, democracy develops procedures to conduct competition peacefully and reduces the chance of social tensions becoming explosive or violent.

3. Give arguments to support or oppose the following assertions: – Industrialised countries can afford democracy but the poor need dictatorship to become rich. – Democracy can’t reduce inequality of incomes between different citizens. – Government in poor countries should spend less on poverty reduction, health, education and spend more on industries and infrastructure. – In democracy all citizens have one vote, which means that there is absence of any domination and conflict.

ANSWER (a) “Industrialised countries can afford democracy but the poor need dictatorship to become rich.” — Oppose. Although dictatorships have had a slightly higher average growth rate (1950–2000), when we compare only poor countries the difference between dictatorships and democracies is negligible. Economic development depends on many factors — population, resources, global situation, cooperation from other countries and economic priorities — not on dictatorship. Since democracy does not lag behind and has many other advantages (dignity, freedom, legitimacy), poor countries too should prefer democracy. (b) “Democracy can’t reduce inequality of incomes between different citizens.” — Partly support. In actual life democracies have not been very successful in reducing economic inequalities: political equality (one vote) coexists with rising economic inequality, where the ultra-rich take a growing share and the poor very little. However, this is a failure of practice, not of the idea. Democracy is based on equality and gives the poor — who are a large body of voters — the means to press their demands, so it has the potential to reduce inequality even if it often does not. (c) “Government in poor countries should spend less on poverty reduction, health, education and spend more on industries and infrastructure.” — Oppose. In poor countries the poor form a very large proportion of the population. Ignoring poverty, health and education would leave the majority without basic needs such as food, clothing, housing and schooling, and would be undemocratic. Industry and infrastructure are important, but balanced development requires investment in people too; a healthy and educated population in fact strengthens industry in the long run. (d) “In democracy all citizens have one vote, which means that there is absence of any domination and conflict.” — Oppose. Equal voting gives political equality, but it does not by itself remove domination and conflict. Economic inequalities, social differences and conflicts of opinion continue to exist within democracies. What democracy provides is not the absence of conflict but peaceful procedures to negotiate and accommodate these differences.

4. Identify the challenges to democracy in the following descriptions. Also suggest policy/institutional mechanism to deepen democracy in the given situations: – Following a High Court directive, a temple in Orissa that had separate entry doors for dalits and non-dalits allowed entry for all from the same door. – A large number of farmers are committing suicide in different states of India. – Following an allegation of killing of three civilians in Gandwara in a fake encounter by Jammu and Kashmir police, an enquiry has been ordered.

ANSWER (a) Temple in Orissa: Challenge — caste-based social discrimination and the denial of equal dignity to dalits, a social/expansion challenge. Mechanism — strictly enforce laws against untouchability and discrimination, conduct awareness campaigns to remove caste prejudice, and ensure courts and administration guarantee equal access to public and religious places for all. (b) Farmers’ suicides: Challenge — failure to ensure the economic well-being and dignity of farmers; a deepening challenge for democracy. Mechanism — provide fair and remunerative prices for crops, easy credit and debt relief, crop insurance, irrigation and better marketing facilities, so that farmers are not pushed into hopeless debt. (c) Fake encounter in Gandwara: Challenge — misuse of power by the police/state and violation of citizens’ right to life; a challenge to accountability and the rule of law. Mechanism — conduct a fair, independent and time-bound judicial enquiry, punish guilty officials, strengthen human-rights institutions, and make the police accountable through transparency and citizen oversight.

5. In the context of democracies, which of the following ideas is correct–democracies have successfully eliminated: A. conflicts among people B. economic inequalities among people C. differences of opinion about how marginalised sections are to be treated D. the idea of political inequality

ANSWER D. the idea of political inequality. Democracy is based on political equality — every citizen has one vote of equal value — so it has eliminated the idea of political inequality. It has not eliminated conflicts among people, economic inequalities, or differences of opinion about marginalised sections; democracies can only provide peaceful ways of handling these.

6. In the context of assessing democracy, which among the following is the odd one out. Democracies need to ensure: A. free and fair elections B. dignity of the individual C. majority rule D. equal treatment before law

ANSWER C. majority rule is the odd one out. Free and fair elections, dignity of the individual and equal treatment before law are essential things a democracy must ensure. Majority rule by itself is not a goal of democracy; in fact, the permanent rule of a single majority community is against the democratic spirit, since the majority must always work with the minority.

7. Studies on political and social inequalities in democracy show that: A. democracy and development go together. B. inequalities exist in democracies. C. inequalities do not exist under dictatorship. D. dictatorship is better than democracy.

ANSWER B. inequalities exist in democracies. Studies show that political and economic inequalities do exist within democracies (for example, in democratic countries such as South Africa and Brazil the top 20% take more than 60% of national income). It is not true that democracy and development always go together, that inequalities are absent under dictatorship, or that dictatorship is better than democracy.

8. Read the passage below: Nannu is a daily wage earner. He lives in Welcome Mazdoor Colony, a slum habitation in East Delhi. He lost his ration card and applied for a duplicate one in January 2004. He made several rounds to the local Food and Civil Supplies office for the next three months. But the clerks and officials would not even look at him, leave alone do his job or bother to tell him the status of his application. Ultimately, he filed an application under the Right to Information Act asking for the daily progress made on his application, names of the officials, who were supposed to act on his application and what action would be taken against these officials for their inaction. Within a week of filing application under the Right to Information Act, he was visited by an inspector from the Food Department, who informed him that the card had been made and he could collect it from the office. When Nannu went to collect his card next day, he was given a very warm treatment by the Food and Supply Officer (FSO), who is the head of a Circle. The FSO offered him tea and requested him to withdraw his application under the Right to Information, since his work had already been done. What does Nannu’s example show? What impact did Nannu’s action have on officials? Ask your parents their experiences when they approach government officials to attend to their problems.

ANSWER What Nannu’s example shows: It shows that democracy gives even an ordinary, poor citizen the legal means to make the government accountable. The Right to Information (RTI) Act is a powerful tool of transparency: it lets a citizen demand to know how decisions are taken and hold officials responsible for inaction. It also shows that, without such pressure, officials may ignore the poor — but a democratic right can correct this. Impact on officials: As soon as Nannu filed an RTI application, the officials became alert and acted quickly — his ration card was made within a week, an inspector visited him, and the senior FSO treated him warmly, even offering tea and requesting that he withdraw the application. Fear of accountability and possible action against them forced the officials to do their duty. Parents’ experiences (activity): This part is to be done by asking your parents; answers will vary. A model response: many people report that government offices work slowly and require repeated visits, but the situation improves when citizens use rights like RTI, file written complaints, or use online and grievance-redressal systems — showing that an aware citizen can make democracy more responsive.

Extra Practice Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. “Democracy is just a form of government.” Explain this statement.

ANSWERIt means democracy by itself cannot solve every problem; it can only create the conditions for achieving good outcomes. Citizens must then take advantage of those conditions to achieve their goals. So we should not blame the idea of democracy for every unmet expectation, nor expect it to address all socio-economic problems automatically.

Q2. Distinguish between moral reasons and prudential reasons for supporting democracy.

ANSWERMoral reasons support democracy because it is right in principle — it promotes equality, dignity and freedom. Prudential reasons support it for practical benefits — better decisions, accountable and legitimate government, and a peaceful way to resolve conflicts. People often prefer democracy in principle while being dissatisfied with its actual practice, which creates a dilemma.

Q3. What is transparency in a democracy?

ANSWERTransparency means a citizen who wants to know whether a decision was taken through correct procedures has the right and the means to examine the process of decision-making. It allows people to check the working of the government and is usually missing in non-democratic systems.

Q4. Why is a democratic government called a legitimate government?

ANSWERA democratic government is the people’s own government, elected by them and following proper procedures, so it is accepted as rightful. It may be slower, less efficient or not always clean, but it is legitimate, which is why there is overwhelming worldwide support for democracy over its alternatives.

Q5. According to Table 2 in the chapter, how do South Africa and Denmark differ in the sharing of national income?

ANSWERIn South Africa the top 20% take about 64.8% of national income while the bottom 20% get only 2.9%, showing very high inequality. In Denmark the top 20% take only 34.5% and the bottom 20% get 9.6%, showing far less inequality. This proves that very high inequality can exist within democracies.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Is democracy efficient and effective? Discuss the cost of time that democracy pays.

ANSWERSome people argue that democracy produces a less efficient government because non-democratic rulers need not worry about deliberation, majorities or public opinion and can take quick decisions. Democracy, being based on deliberation and negotiation, is bound to cause some delay. However, this delay is worth its cost. A government that decides very fast may take decisions that are not accepted by the people and so faces problems later. The democratic government takes more time because it follows procedures, but because of this its decisions are both more acceptable to the people and more effective. Therefore, the cost of time that democracy pays is perhaps worth it, and democracy can be considered effective even if it is slower. The fact that it produces a legitimate, accountable government adds to its effectiveness in the long run.

Q2. “Democracies have a mixed record on economic development and inequality.” Examine this statement using evidence from the chapter.

ANSWEROn economic growth, evidence for 1950–2000 shows that dictatorships had a slightly higher average growth rate than democracies, which worries supporters of democracy. But economic development depends on many factors — population size, global situation, cooperation from other countries and economic priorities — and among poor countries the difference between dictatorships and democracies is negligible. So while democracy is not a guarantee of development, it does not lag behind dictatorship either, and growth alone is no reason to reject it. On inequality, the record is poorer. Democracy is based on political equality, yet it coexists with rising economic inequality: a small number of ultra-rich enjoy a disproportionate and growing share of income while those at the bottom have very little, sometimes unable to meet basic needs. Table 2 shows that in democracies like South Africa and Brazil the top 20% take more than 60% of national income. Thus democracy’s record on development and inequality is genuinely mixed — acceptable on growth, disappointing on reducing inequality.

Q3. How does democracy promote the dignity and freedom of citizens? Illustrate with the examples of women and caste.

ANSWERDemocracy stands far above any other form of government in promoting the dignity and freedom of the individual, because the passion for respect and freedom is the very basis of democracy. Democracies have recognised this, at least in principle, which makes it easier for the disadvantaged to struggle against what is now unacceptable. Dignity of women: most societies were historically male-dominated, but long struggles by women have created sensitivity that respect for and equal treatment of women are necessary ingredients of a democratic society. This does not mean women are always treated with respect, but once the principle is recognised it becomes easier for them to wage a struggle, with legal and moral force on their side — force that would be absent in a non-democratic set-up. Caste: similarly, democracy in India has strengthened the claims of the disadvantaged and discriminated castes for equal status and equal opportunity. Caste-based inequalities and atrocities still occur, but they now lack moral and legal foundations. This recognition makes ordinary citizens value their democratic rights. Democracy’s examination, however, never ends — as people gain benefits they demand more, and even their complaints are a testimony to democracy’s success in turning subjects into citizens.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. Which of the following is NOT an expected outcome of democracy discussed in the chapter?

(a) Accountable government    (b) Dignity and freedom of citizens    (c) Guaranteed elimination of all conflict    (d) Accommodation of social diversity

2. The most basic outcome of democracy should be a government that is:

(a) quick and efficient    (b) accountable and responsive to citizens    (c) ruled by experts    (d) free of all opposition

3. The ability of a citizen to examine whether a decision was taken through correct procedures is called:

(a) legitimacy    (b) efficiency    (c) transparency    (d) deliberation

4. For the period 1950–2000, the rate of economic growth was:

(a) much higher in democracies    (b) slightly higher in dictatorships    (c) exactly equal    (d) zero in both

5. According to Table 2, which pair of countries has the highest income inequality?

(a) Denmark and Hungary    (b) South Africa and Brazil    (c) USA and UK    (d) Russia and Denmark

6. Democracy is based primarily on the idea of:

(a) speed and force    (b) deliberation and negotiation    (c) secrecy    (d) inheritance of power

7. A democratic government is best described as a:

(a) quickest government    (b) cheapest government    (c) legitimate, people’s own government    (d) corruption-free government

8. To accommodate social diversity, rule by majority must NOT become:

(a) the rule of law    (b) the rule of one religious or linguistic community    (c) free and fair elections    (d) a written constitution

9. In the Nannu passage, officials acted quickly after he used the:

(a) Right to Education Act    (b) Right to Information Act    (c) Right against Exploitation    (d) Right to Property

10. Public expression of dissatisfaction with democracy is described in the chapter as:

(a) a sign of democracy’s failure    (b) a testimony to the success of the democratic project    (c) proof of dictatorship    (d) irrelevant to democracy

Answer key: 1-(c), 2-(b), 3-(c), 4-(b), 5-(b), 6-(b), 7-(c), 8-(b), 9-(b), 10-(b).

For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.

A-R 1. Assertion: A democratic government may take more time to arrive at a decision.

Reason: Democracy is based on deliberation and negotiation, so some delay is bound to take place.

A-R 2. Assertion: Democracy is a guarantee of higher economic growth than dictatorship.

Reason: For 1950–2000, dictatorships had a slightly higher average rate of economic growth.

A-R 3. Assertion: Democracies have not been very successful in reducing economic inequalities.

Reason: A small number of ultra-rich enjoy a disproportionate and growing share of income while those at the bottom have very little.

A-R 4. Assertion: Democracy is best suited to accommodate social diversity.

Reason: Democracies develop procedures to conduct competition, which reduces the chance of social tensions becoming explosive.

A-R 5. Assertion: People complaining about democracy proves that democracy has failed.

Reason: Complaints show that citizens have developed awareness and the ability to look critically at power holders.

Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(D), 3-(A), 4-(A), 5-(D).

Exam Tips & Common Mistakes

How to score full marks in this chapter

Organise your answers around the five outcomes — quality of government (accountable, responsive, legitimate), economic growth, inequality and poverty, accommodation of social diversity, and dignity and freedom. Always remember democracy is “just a form of government” that creates conditions but does not guarantee results. Quote the textbook’s evidence to gain marks: the 1950–2000 growth comparison, the negligible difference among poor countries, the inequality figures from Table 2 (South Africa 64.8% vs 2.9%; Denmark 34.5% vs 9.6%), the Sri Lanka condition for accommodating diversity, and Nannu’s RTI example. For the “support or oppose” and “identify the challenge” questions, give a clear two-sided argument and a concrete suggestion.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Claiming democracy is more efficient or faster than dictatorship — it is slower but its decisions are more acceptable and effective.
  • Saying democracy has eliminated economic inequality, conflict or social differences — it has only eliminated political inequality.
  • Treating “majority rule” as a goal of democracy — the majority must work with the minority and not become rule by one community.
  • Confusing accountable, responsive and legitimate government — define each separately.
  • Mixing up moral reasons (it is right) with prudential reasons (it is useful) for supporting democracy.
  • Writing that people’s complaints prove democracy has failed — the chapter says complaints are a testimony to its success.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chapter 5 of Class 10 Civics (Democratic Politics-II) about?

Chapter 5, Outcomes of Democracy, assesses what we can reasonably expect from democracy and how it actually performs across five areas: the quality of government (accountable, responsive and legitimate), economic growth and development, reduction of inequality and poverty, accommodation of social diversity, and the dignity and freedom of citizens.

Is democracy better than dictatorship in producing economic development?

Not by itself. For 1950–2000 dictatorships had a slightly higher average growth rate, but among poor countries the difference is negligible. Economic development depends on many factors, so democracy is not a guarantee of development — yet it does not lag behind dictatorship and has many other advantages such as dignity, freedom and legitimacy.

Under what conditions do democracies accommodate social diversity?

Two conditions: first, the majority must always work with the minority so the government represents the general view, since majority and minority opinions are not permanent; second, rule by the majority must not become the permanent rule of one religious, racial or linguistic community.

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