• Political affairs -> Elections and Democracy

• 0 Comment

How does a country's history and past political turmoil affect its current Democracy Index rating?

Lorenzo Tolchar

Oh boy, let me tell you about how a country's history and past political turmoil can affect its current Democracy Index rating. It's a roller coaster of a ride, with twists and turns you never saw coming.

First of all, let's talk about what the Democracy Index even is. It's a measure of a country's level of democracy, based on factors such as free and fair elections, civil liberties, government functioning, and political participation. A score of 0 indicates no democracy at all, while a score of 10 means full democracy.

So, how does a country's history and past political turmoil play into this? Well, for starters, let's take a look at countries that underwent a transition from authoritarianism to democracy. These countries often have lower Democracy Index ratings in the beginning, as they are still grappling with issues such as corruption, weak institutions, and lack of civil liberties. For example, South Africa's Democracy Index rating was only 4.7 in 1994, immediately after the end of apartheid. However, as the country has continued to build its democracy over the past few decades, its rating has steadily increased to 7.2 in 2020.

On the other hand, there are countries that have a history of democracy, but have faced setbacks due to political turmoil. Take Venezuela, for example. The country had a relatively high Democracy Index rating of 5.6 in 2006, but this has since plummeted to 2.5 in 2020 due to a range of issues such as government corruption, attacks on the media, and restrictions on political rights and civil liberties.

But it's not just transitions and setbacks that come into play. Sometimes, a country's history can create a unique context that affects its current democratic state. For example, countries that have experienced colonialism or war often have to grapple with issues such as ethnic tensions, weak institutions, and power struggles. These factors can make it difficult for democracy to take root and flourish. Countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia have struggled with these challenges, resulting in low Democracy Index ratings.

So, there you have it. A country's history and past political turmoil can certainly play a role in its current Democracy Index rating. But that doesn't mean it's a hopeless situation. As we've seen, countries can make progress towards building a stronger democracy, even in the face of daunting obstacles. And sometimes, a little bit of outside support can go a long way. So, don't give up hope – the roller coaster ride isn't over yet!