the third way democracy helps people in developing societies is by making it possible for them to learn from one another through public discussion thereby facilitating the definition of needs priorities and duties through public discussion the people of the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu have come to understand and internalize the harmful effects of high fertility rates on the community and on the lives of young women the result is that Kerala now has a fertility rate similar to that of Britain and France and lower then China is a result achieved without coercion having people take ownership of and approach to solving a social problem through the formation of new values is ultimately far more effective than having a solution imposed or mandated by the government or by international assistance agencies but such constructive action can't happen without democracy