Question

What are some potential benefits of growing up in a Western/ Democratic society? What are some potential downsides?

Answer 1

Benefits:

There are several benefits of growing up in a Western Democratic Society.  For one, you have the right to freedom of speech and express your views.

You can express these views through speeches, books, columns but most importantly, you can express your views by directly voting for a person.

The right to vote gives you the power to select your own leaders and a say in how the government has to run.

Most Western liberal democracies also provide freedom of religion.

Downsides:

However, this system does have some draw backs. A Democratic system means that the country will be ruled by 'majority' beliefs. This means, your thoughts as an individual are not as important as those of a majority of people. These might be at odds with your beliefs and if you are a minority, things can get tough.

It is also tough to get things done, as democratic institutions require certain procedure that take time.

Also, corrupt officials can easily swing votes in their favor by using money and propaganda.