Democracy's Overrated Status: A Critical Thinking Case Study Report

This report presents a critical analysis of a case study centered around the question, "Is Democracy Overrated?" It begins with an introduction to critical thinking and its purpose within the context of the case study, highlighting its role in questioning assumptions and exploring conflicting evidence. The main body of the report dissects the claims, assertions, and statements made in the case study, providing detailed explanations and evaluations using critical thinking skills. It examines key arguments, such as the Cold War's portrayal of democracy versus totalitarianism, the oversimplification of democracy as a universal solution, the nature of totalitarian systems, and the importance of institutions for political freedom. The report also explores the author's ideas regarding the role of politicians in shaping perceptions of democracy. The analysis emphasizes the importance of understanding democracy beyond mere elections, and it explores the relationship between political freedom and institutions. The report concludes by summarizing the key arguments and insights derived from the critical analysis, offering a nuanced perspective on the complexities of democracy.

CRITICAL-THINKING

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
P1 Describe the purpose of the critical thinking in case study...................................................1
P2 Demonstrate claims, assertions and statements made in the given case study by using
critical thinking skill...................................................................................................................2
P3 Explain the ideas expressed in the case study and develop valid arguments using your
understanding of the topic...........................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Critical thinking is the analysis of facts to form a judgment. This report is based on the case
study topic “Is Democracy is overrated”. This report highlights the purpose of the critical
thinking in the case study. After that the report highlights the claims, assertions and statements
made in the given case study and evaluating the same on the basis of critical thinking skill. In the
end the report highlights the ideas expressed in the case study and on the basis of that valid
arguments are made.
MAIN BODY
P1 Describe the purpose of the critical thinking in case study
Critical thinking is the process based ability in which the individual try to questions the
learning which has been gained by the learner. The biggest reason of applying critical thinking is
that there are always difference in opinion, conflicting evidence and uncertainty.
Applying critical thinking to this case study has helped in raising many question and also
help in finding out the best available solution of the same. As Democracy is the word which used
to be heard by us from very starting of our life generally in the media when they describe or
cover the political event of the country. I am able to understand that the real meaning of the
democracy and the different aspect of the democracy. As before applying the critical thinking I
was in the opinion that democracy is overused or overwhelmingly applied in the country for all
the type of the conflict whether it be social conflict or the political conflict. Critical thinking has
helped me in understanding that there are many other factor which are related with the
democracy and combination of all of them has made democracy as a overrated topic in the
political condition of the country (Cottrell, 2017). Applying critical thinking to the study has
helped me in finding out the different approaches or the way the democracy is presented to us by
the different political and the ruling parties in the world. Not only that critical thinking has
helped me in understanding that democracy or the political freedom depend upon a delicate
network of institutions and it has also also given the solution to me about the different question
which was their in relation to the human right, democracy and freedom. As from starting we
have heard all these word being used together by many politician to define the political or social
situation of the country. In real these three word used to have the different meaning and
purpose(Underwood, 2015). Applying Critical thinking to these topic has helped me in
understanding and linking the the ideas with reality in the easiest way. It has also helped me in
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knowing the importance and the relevance of the statement which was made by the writer in the
case study as writer as highlighted many criticism and statement in the case-study. It has also
helped in finding error in the reasoning which has helped me in developing the different question
and by the help of the critical thinking application on this topic I was able to answer the same.
P2 Demonstrate claims, assertions and statements made in the given case study by using critical
thinking skill
Using critical thinking It was found that their were many claims, assertions and statements made
in the given case study by the writer. Some of the identified claims, assertions and statements
and the explanation are as follows:
“ In retrospect, the Cold War has been seen as a conflict between democracy and
totalitarianism, in which democracy finally triumphed”
This claim explains made by the writer explains that there is a cold war between the Democracy
and Totalitarianism through out the world and democracy is the one who used to win all the time
in the war. The biggest reason which was identified for the same was that the real meaning or the
definition of both Democracy and Totalitarianism is not clear or can be said that the real activity
are not performed in the sake of both (Howard, Tang and Austin, 2015). As Democracy are
always regarded or defined as a synonyms of Human right and freedom. At the same time
Totalitarianism is always regarded as a opposite of democratic election or imposing a one-party
state which is not true in real world as this is wider concept then describe.
“The idea that there is a single, one-size-fits-all solution to social and political conflict around
the world, and that democracy is the name of it”
This statement of author highlights that democracy is used in the wrong way in the worlds as it is
the only answer which is provided to all the issue which have been seen in the world whether it
is Social conflict or the political conflict. Critical thinking on this statement give birth to many
question Such as Is their is not any other option available in the world to answer or resolve the
conflict in the world. Another question which is arise is that How democracy can be answer of
all the issue as democracy does not look at the past or the historical condition of the country. The
solution for this question was that democracy is one thing which is accept by all in the world
very easily as it goes hand in hand with the freedom and protection of the human right which
drives the world to show the democracies as the solution for all the problem.
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“The totalitarian system, I learned, endures not simply by getting rid of democratic elections
and imposing a one-party state. It endures by abolishing the distinction between civil society
and the state”
This assertions made by the author is one of the fact which has drive the case study forward as
per this statement author explains that Totalitarians is not just a rule which prohibits opposition
parties, restricts individual opposition to the state and its claims, and exercises an extremely high
degree of control over public and private life. This is much more than what an individual can
think about. Using thinking over this assertions makes it difficult to link with the reality as
democratic election was one of the only type of the election by which all of us was famous but
the solution for the statement the is highlighted in the statement itself that totalitarian can be
endures by differentiating civil society and the state.
“Political freedom depends upon a delicate network of institutions”
This statement explains that democracy is not the only thing which has highlighted the political
freedom in the world. Their is network of the institutions which is behind the political freedom.
The Institutions are judicial independence, property rights, freedom of speech and opinion and
legitimate opposition which used to define the Political freedom in the country as it is not
necessary that in the democratic election all of this institution are given the wattage. So in the
eye of the author political freedom will require the following institution in the country to be
called as a political freedom in the country (Wade, 2016). Critical thinking of this statement
explains that conducting democratic election in the nation does not mean that there is a sort of
the political freedom in the country, there are many other factor which also need to be their in the
country to be called the political freedom in the nation.
“politicians lead us forth under the banner of democracy, without pausing to examine what
democracy actually requires”
By using the critical thinking skill on this statement it can be highlighted that the author is in the
view that the politician are the one who is changing the meaning or definition of the democracies
for the world. They are the one using democracy as the promotional tool to promote the parties in
front of the citizen. As per the view of the author politician are the one who are also not having
the real idea about what is the democracy in the real and that is proving as a big reason in
democracy is getting the overrated response.
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P3 Explain the ideas expressed in the case study and develop valid arguments using your
understanding of the topic.
Their were many ideas which was expressed by the author to explain the case study. The biggest
idea behind the case study was to pass on the information that the thought which we are having
regarding the democracy is incomplete knowledge (Fuad, and et.al., 2017). Also the author has
made the relevant efforts to explain that totalitarian system as the author is having the view point
that there is no clarity about the totalitarian system to all the citizen.
This idea of the author is to provide the proper knowledge to all the consumer about the
democratic election and totalitarian system is very good as it will help the world in
understanding that there are more than one solution of all the problem which is faced by the
country whether social issue or the political issue. This idea has also highlighted that only
conducting the democratic election in the country does not mean that the country is following the
democracy in the country. It is the activity and the right which are provided to the consumer in
the country explain the level of the democracy in the country. This idea also evaluated that in
totalitarian system also democracy can be brought by the country by bringing the network of the
institution in the country which includes judicial independence, property rights, freedom of
speech and opinion and legitimate opposition. After going through this all network it can be said
that this can bring the democracy in the country as this institute are the combination of the
human right and the protection of the interest in the parliament. As in real this two factor used to
play the crucial role in democracy in the country (.Duran and Dökme, 2016).
Another big idea which was identified by the author was that totalitarian system can also bring
the democracy in the country. As political freedom or democracy is just not depend on the
system it depends on the institution.
This idea of the author was something new and unique to be evaluate as it was difficult to
understand that in Totalitarian system can also bring the democracy in the country by giving the
right or building the network of institute in the country. Looking at the positive side, it can be
evaluated that it can help the world in bring the democracy in the country by giving the right or
the protection they deserve but this idea has more negative aspect as compare to the positive. As
one party rule will always prove as a hurdle in providing all the right to the consumer in the
country as there is a fear in the political party that it can prove in loosing the control in the
country (Quinn, 2018). Generally Totalitarian system used to run by the leader in the country so
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it may prove difficult for one leader to run whole country in the today's world so it can be said
that it is difficult to bring the democracy in Totalitarian system. Politician are the one who have
to understand the democracy and implement in the better way in the country.
CONCLUSION
After going through the above report it has been summarized that democracy is overrated in the
today's world as democracy is termed as a most important aspect which looks at the all the issue
in the world but it is not that true. As the democracy is not just conducting the democratic
election it is very much bigger concept then this. After that the report summarized that the
consumer and the politician need to have the proper knowledge about the democracy before
implementing the same in the country.
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REFERENCES
Cottrell, S., 2017. Critical thinking skills: Effective analysis, argument and reflection. Macmillan
International Higher Education.
Underwood, M.J., 2015. Searching for commonalities in the teaching of critical thinking skills,
from Masters’ to sixth form to primary.
Howard, L. W., Tang, T. L. P. and Austin, M. J., 2015. Teaching critical thinking skills: Ability,
motivation, intervention, and the Pygmalion effect. Journal of Business Ethics. 128(1).
pp.133-147.
Wade, W. P., 2016. Critical Thinking through Debate: Skills, Dispositions, and Teaching
Strategies. In Using Debate in the Classroom (pp. 109-120). Routledge.
Duran, M. and Dökme, İ., 2016. The effect of the inquiry-based learning approach on student’s
critical-thinking skills. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology
Education, 12(12). pp.2887-2908.
Quinn, V., 2018. Critical thinking in young minds. Routledge.
Fuad, N. M. and et.al., 2017. Improving Junior High Schools' Critical Thinking Skills Based on
Test Three Different Models of Learning. International Journal of Instruction. 10(1).
pp.101-116.
Lee, H. and et.al., 2016. Cooperation begins: Encouraging critical thinking skills through
cooperative reciprocity using a mobile learning game. Computers & Education. 97.
pp.97-115.
Monteiro, S., and et.al., 2019. Critical thinking, biases and dual processing: The enduring myth
of generalisable skills. Medical education.
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