Bangladesh ranked 91st among hybrid regimes
Thursday, 9 April 2009
FE Report
The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU's) 2008 Democracy index ranks Bangladesh and Pakistan among hybrid regimes, one category above the authoritarian regimes.
The index ranks India 35th among "flawed democracies" of the world, five places short of the list of perfect specimens. The indext ranks Sri Lanka 22nd, Bangladesh 91st and Pakistan 108th.
Sweden is placed at number one among 167 countries.
Pakistan has managed to kick itself up thanks to the elections last year. Bangladesh, on the other hand, fell one level from being a flawed democracy.
Using 60 indicators such as civil liberties, political culture, public participation and government efficiency, the list classifies most western democracies as perfect along with a few from Asia and Central and South America.
This is the second edition of the Economist Intelligence Unit's democracy index. It reflects the situation as of September 2008. The first edition, published in 2006 in the Economist's World in 2007, reflected the situation in September 2006. It provides a snapshot of the current 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 (27 micro states are excluded).
Comparing the results for 2008 with those from the first edition of the index, which covered 2006, shows that the dominant pattern in the past two years has been stagnation. Although there is no recent trend of outright regression, there are few instances of significant improvement. However, the global financial crisis, resulting in a sharp and possibly protracted recession, could threaten democracy in some parts of the world.
The Economist Intelligence Unit's democracy index is based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political participation; and political culture.
The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU's) 2008 Democracy index ranks Bangladesh and Pakistan among hybrid regimes, one category above the authoritarian regimes.
The index ranks India 35th among "flawed democracies" of the world, five places short of the list of perfect specimens. The indext ranks Sri Lanka 22nd, Bangladesh 91st and Pakistan 108th.
Sweden is placed at number one among 167 countries.
Pakistan has managed to kick itself up thanks to the elections last year. Bangladesh, on the other hand, fell one level from being a flawed democracy.
Using 60 indicators such as civil liberties, political culture, public participation and government efficiency, the list classifies most western democracies as perfect along with a few from Asia and Central and South America.
This is the second edition of the Economist Intelligence Unit's democracy index. It reflects the situation as of September 2008. The first edition, published in 2006 in the Economist's World in 2007, reflected the situation in September 2006. It provides a snapshot of the current 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 (27 micro states are excluded).
Comparing the results for 2008 with those from the first edition of the index, which covered 2006, shows that the dominant pattern in the past two years has been stagnation. Although there is no recent trend of outright regression, there are few instances of significant improvement. However, the global financial crisis, resulting in a sharp and possibly protracted recession, could threaten democracy in some parts of the world.
The Economist Intelligence Unit's democracy index is based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political participation; and political culture.