“The development of democracy led to significant social reform.” Discuss with reference to two democratic states.

The question requires that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that democracy led to significant social reform in two states. The two states may be drawn from the same region and they may or may not have been contemporaneous with each other. Candidates may offer equal coverage of the two states or they may emphasize their discussion of one of them; however, both states will be a feature of the response. A comparative approach may or may not be used. Candidates may refer to the role played by democratic development in educational reform, discussing for example how far education was extended across all racial groups in post-apartheid South Africa, or reforms of health services such as the National Health Service in the United Kingdom (where universal free healthcare was established), or Medicare in the US (a much more limited reform). There may be discussion of the extent of provision of welfare to the unemployed or the sick. Candidates may agree, partly agree or disagree with the statement.

The question required candidates to offer a considered and balanced review of the statement that democracy led to significant social reform in two states.