As long as there is democracy, everybody is free to shape his/her life as they want. In democracy, everybody has a chance to become somebody.
I recommend Alexis de Tocqueville, "Democracy in America", Chapter XV. Here:
xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/DETOC/1_ch15.htm
Democracy can (and does) degenerate into tyranny of the majority, and then you may observe various "do-good" policies. A few examples:
- high taxes imposed by representatives of the indoctrinated mob, which only have the effect of satisfying the mob's sense of envy (from the point of view of economics such taxes eliminate productive jobs and restrain social mobility: the rich remain rich, the poor remain poor)
- in the United States, the push for making home ownership available to everybody. Such a noble idea, wasn't it? Its effects: increasing the availability of loans, RAISING THE PRICES of real estate (Economy 101) and making it UNAVAILABLE to middle class (because they don't
own their homes, banks do). College loans (following the same mechanism) should also be mentioned here.
Democracy can, as easily as any individual or collective tyrant, deprive people of opportunities to better their lives. Then they rebel.