Simone Lawson
The state of global democracy is a topic of concern for many, with reports suggesting that only a small percentage of the world's population resides in a full democracy. Various indices and reports, such as the Democracy Index and the Global State of Democracy report, provide insights into the state of democracy worldwide. While the percentage of countries classified as democracies has increased over time, there are still many countries that are autocracies or hybrid regimes. The criteria for assessing democracy include factors such as electoral process, civil liberties, functioning of government, and political culture. Despite the presence of democratic rights in many countries, there are also reports of setbacks and declining freedom in recent years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of the world's population living in a "full democracy" | 7.8% (down from 8.9% in 2015) |
| Percentage of the world's population living under authoritarian rule | 36.9% to 39.4% |
| Number of countries considered "full democracies" | 20 to 24 |
| Number of countries considered "flawed democracies" | 48 to 55 |
| Number of countries considered "hybrid regimes" | 34 |
| Number of countries considered "authoritarian regimes" | 59 to 62% |
| Percentage of the world's population living in a democracy of some sort | 44% to 57% |
| Percentage of people dissatisfied with how democracy is working in their country | 51% |
| Percentage of people satisfied with how democracy is working in their country | 45% |
| Number of countries that are "autocratising" | 42 |
| Number of countries that are "democratizing" | 14 |
Explore related products
$26.99 $24.95
What You'll Learn
Global democracy decline
Global democracy is facing a decline, with democratic backsliding occurring in several countries. Democratic backsliding refers to a process of regime change towards autocracy, where political power becomes more arbitrary and repressive, and public contestation and political participation are restricted. This can occur through the weakening of democratic institutions, such as free and fair elections, the peaceful transition of power, and the violation of individual rights, particularly freedom of expression.
Several indicators of democratic decline have been observed in recent years. Firstly, the global average score on the Democracy Index, which measures the state of democracy across 167 countries, fell to 5.17 in 2024, its lowest in decades. This decline was driven by factors such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a sharp decline in democracy in 2021 as pandemic-related restrictions curbed individual freedoms. Additionally, the indicators of representativeness and rights, such as the functioning of parliament and freedom of expression, deteriorated in 2023.
The expansion of social media has also contributed to democratic decline, as political debate moves online, and restrictions on freedom of expression are more easily imposed. For example, in Mozambique, authorities shut down internet access after the 2022 parliamentary elections to prevent the spread of information protesting against the regime. This deprived citizens of their right to access information and engage in political debate, which are integral to a healthy democracy.
Furthermore, the global share of democracies has decreased in recent years. According to the V-Dem Institute, only 6.6% of the world's population lives in full democracies, while 72% live in autocracies. Voter turnout has also declined globally, falling by almost 10% in the last 15 years. Political and civil rights have deteriorated in 60 countries, with Freedom House reporting that the number of countries experiencing a decline in political and civil rights outnumbers those seeing improvements.
The decline in democracy is not limited to any specific region, but there has been a notable decline in Central and Eastern Europe, with Hungary and Poland experiencing democratic backsliding. However, it is important to note that democracy is a dynamic process, and there are also signs of progress and mobilization for democracy in various countries. For instance, in 2024, almost half of the world's population had the opportunity to vote, and the proportion of countries with substantial pro-democracy mass protests increased to 44% in 2019 from 27% in 2009.
The American Constitution: Democracy Examined by Robert Dahl
You may want to see also
Public opinion on democracy
In a Pew Research Center survey of 27 countries, a global median of 51% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with how democracy is working in their country, while 45% said they were satisfied. This dissatisfaction with democracy is also evident in the United States, where a record-low 28% of Americans expressed satisfaction with the state of democracy in the country as of March 2025, down from 35% in early 2021.
Several factors influence public opinion on democracy. For example, partisans in the United States tend to be more satisfied with the functioning of democracy when a president from their preferred party is in office. Additionally, Americans with higher levels of education, such as a postgraduate degree, are more likely to express satisfaction with democracy.
The state of global democracy has declined in recent years. As of 2023, only 7.8% of the world's population lived within a "full democracy," down from 8.9% in 2015. However, it's important to note that the share of democracies among the world's governments has been on an upward trend since the mid-1970s. In 1977, only 24% of countries qualified as democracies, while 62% were classified as autocracies. As of 2017, 57% of countries were considered democracies of some kind, and only 13% were autocracies.
Despite the varying levels of satisfaction and the challenges faced by democracies worldwide, public opinion plays a crucial role in shaping the future of democratic systems. It underscores the importance of addressing concerns and ensuring that democratic principles are upheld and strengthened.
Church Constitution in New York: A Legal Requirement?
You may want to see also
Democracy indices
One example of a democracy index is the V-Dem Democracy Indices by the V-Dem Institute, which distinguishes between five high-level principles of democracy: electoral, liberal, participatory, deliberative, and egalitarian. The V-Dem Democracy Indices include the Citizen-initiated component of the direct popular vote index, which indicates the strength of direct democracy. The Bertelsmann Transformation Index, on the other hand, evaluates the development status and governance of political and economic transformation processes on the path to constitutional democracy for developing and transition countries.
The Global State of Democracy Indices by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance is another example. It assesses democratic performance using expert surveys, standards-based coding, observational data, and composite measures. The Democracy Perception Index, published annually by the Alliance of Democracies, is the world's largest annual survey on how people perceive the state of democracy.
The Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index, also known as the Democracy Index, provides a snapshot of the state of democracy in 165 independent states and two territories, covering almost the entire world's population. It is based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties. Countries are then classified as one of four types of regimes: "full democracy", "flawed democracy", "hybrid regime", or "authoritarian regime".
According to the Democracy Index 2023, only 7.8% of the world's population lived within a "full democracy", while 37.6% were in countries with "flawed democracy", 39.4% were under authoritarian regimes, and 15.2% were in hybrid regimes. These indices provide valuable insights into the state of democracy worldwide, allowing for comparisons and tracking of democratic progress or regression over time.
Pre-Existing Conditions: AHCA's Impact
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Democratic rights
Democracy is a universally recognized ideal based on shared values across the world, irrespective of cultural, political, social, and economic differences. The share of democracies among the world's governments has been on an upward trend since the mid-1970s, and as of the end of 2017, 57% of countries were democracies of some kind. However, it's important to note that the state of global democracy declined in 2023, with only 7.8% of the world's population living in a "full democracy".
In addition to the right to vote, democratic rights also encompass the ability to vote on issues that directly impact communities. This includes topics such as the minimum wage, campaign finance, and matters of social, economic, and environmental justice. However, democratic rights are often challenged by powerful interests, including corporations and big money, which can influence voting outcomes through campaign finance laws and court rulings.
To strengthen democratic rights, organizations like the Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights (CDER) partner with communities and grassroots groups to build campaigns and provide resources. CDER's work includes initiatives such as the New Constitution Project, which aims to crowdsource a new national constitution that embeds local self-governance rights and the rights of nature and ecosystems. By understanding the barriers to democratic rights and taking collective action, individuals and communities can protect and expand their democratic rights.
While the majority of countries are considered democratic, global concerns about the state of democracy persist. The regression of democracy in recent years highlights the need for ongoing efforts to safeguard and promote democratic rights.
Understanding Probable Cause: Searching a House Legally
You may want to see also
Non-democratic countries
While democratic rights have spread far and wide, they are still far from universal. The world's population grew faster than democracy, and billions of people have gained democratic rights over the last two centuries. However, the total number of people without democratic rights is higher than ever.
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy Index, 39.4% of 74 countries were under authoritarian rule in 2023, while 15.2% were in hybrid regimes. The Democracy Index measures democracy based on a 0-10 scale rating across 60 indicators, grouped into 5 categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, the functioning of government, political participation, and political culture.
In 2023, the top non-democratic countries based on the Democracy Index included Russia, China, and Burundi. China is the country where almost all people without democratic rights reside. India, according to the Regimes of the World (RoW) data, became an electoral autocracy in 2017, though other data sources still consider it a democracy. Afghanistan is another example of a non-democratic country, with a theocratic system where the Supreme Leader holds unlimited political power, and the Quran is used in place of a constitution.
In the late 18th century, no country could be characterized as a democracy, and almost everyone lived in closed autocracies. By the end of the 20th century, democracies and autocracies had become common political systems around the globe, and the world was about evenly split between the two.
Slavery's Constitutional Treatment in 1787: Examining the Past
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
According to the Democracy Index, 45.4% of the world's population lives in a democracy of some sort. However, only 7.8% reside in a "full democracy", down from 8.9% in 2015.
As of the end of 2017, 96 out of 167 countries with populations of at least 500,000 (57%) were democracies of some kind. In 2017, 33 countries were considered fully consolidated democracies, with a Polity rating of +10.
The Democracy Index is based on 60 indicators grouped into five categories: electoral process and
