How democratic is your country?
As explained in an article in “The World In 2007”, an annual publication from the “Economist” magazine: “Free elections and civil liberties are necessary conditions for democracy, but they are unlikely to be sufficient for a robust democracy if unaccompanied by transparent and at least minimally efficient government, adequate participation in politics and a supportive culture. It is not easy to build a sturdy democracy. Even in long-established ones, if not nurtured and protected democracy can corrode surprisingly quickly.”
A new democracy index devised by the Economist Intelligence Unit looks at 60 indicators across five broad categories: free elections, civil liberties, functioning government, political participation and political culture.
According to this index, the most democratic countries in ther world are Sweden, then Iceland, and then the Netherlands. By contrast the most undemocratic nations on the globe are said to be North Korea, then Central Africa, and then Chad. The UK is listed as 23rd, while the USA comes 17th.
You can check out the full list of 167 countries here.