A turbulent year

Democracy index 2011

Democracy under stress

A report from the Economist Intelligence Unit

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Democracy Index 2011

Democracy under stress

© The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2011

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The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Index of Democracy 2011

Democracy under stress

This is the fourth edition of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy index. It reflects the

situation as of the beginning of December 2011. The first edition, published in The Economist’s The

World in 2007, measured the state of democracy in September 2006; the second edition covered the

situation towards the end of 2008; and the third as of November 2010.

The index provides a snapshot of the state of democracy worldwide for 165 independent states and

two territories—this covers almost the entire population of the world and the vast majority of the

world’s independent states (micro states are excluded). The overall Democracy index is based on five

categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political

participation; and political culture. Countries are placed within one of four types of regimes: full

democracies; flawed democracies; hybrid regimes; and authoritarian regimes.

Free and fair elections and civil liberties are necessary conditions for democracy, but they are

unlikely to be sufficient for a full and consolidated democracy if unaccompanied by transparent and

at least minimally efficient government, sufficient political participation and a supportive democratic

political culture. It is not easy to build a sturdy democracy. Even in long-established ones, democracy

can corrode if not nurtured and protected.

A turbulent year

2011 was an exceptionally turbulent year politically, characterised by sovereign debt crises and weak

political leadership in the developed world, dramatic change and conflict in the Middle East and North

Africa (MENA) and rising social unrest throughout much of the world. It featured important changes

in democracy, both in the direction of unexpected democratisation and a continuation of decline in

democracy in some parts of the world.

The momentous events in the Arab world have been extraordinary in several respects. The popular

uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt a year ago were sudden and unexpected, occurring in seemingly infertile

territory. These revolts were home-grown affairs that overturned a host of stereotypes about the MENA

region and caught the outside world unaware.

Other key developments in 2011 include:

l Popular confidence in political institutions continues to decline in many countries.

l Mounting social unrest could pose a threat to democracy in some countries.

l US democracy has been adversely affected by a deepening of the polarisation of the political scene

and political brinkmanship and paralysis.

l The US and the UK remain at the bottom end of the full democracy category. There has been a rise in

protest movement. Problems in the functioning of government are more prominent.

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