The Democracy Index 2021 Summary
This is produced yearly by The Economist Intelligence Unit, based on 60 indicators in 5 categories. Each category is rated 0-10, and then the overall score is their average. We focus on those by size and by importance in the world headlines today. We also partly concentrate on the worst, the Autoritarian countries. We also focus on those involved in Eastern Europe.
The countries are also divided into: Full Democracies with an overall score of greater than 8; Flawed Democracies with an overall score of greater than 6 to 8; Hybrid with greater than 4 to 6; and Authoritarian with less than or equal to 4.
Starting with North and South America we choose, showing Overall score and Ranking among 167 countries (with an = sign meaning tied):
USA 7.85 26
Canada 8.87 12
Mexico 5.57 86=
Brazil 6.86 47
Venezuela 2.11 151
Nicaragua 2.69 140
Cuba 2.59 142
Europe is led by the Nordic Countries, boring, so lets go on:
Switzerland 8.90 9=
Germany 8.67 15
UK 8.10 18
Austria 8.07 20=
France 7.99 22
Spain 7.94 24
Italy 7.68 31
Greece 7.56 34 (where Democracy all began)
Now we go to Eastern European Countries and of consequence to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and possibly much more.
Russia 3.24 124 The Putinian country
Belarus 2.41 146 another Putinian country
Moldova 6.10 69= unprotected by NATO
Ukraine 5.57 86= under siege
Estonia 7.84 27
Latvia 7.31 38
Lithuania 7.18 38
Poland 6.80 51
Romania 6.43 61
Serbia 6.36 63
Slovakia 7.03 45
Hungary 6.50 56=
Czech Republic 7.74 29
Slovenia 7.54 35
Croatia 6.50 56=
Bulgaria 6.64 53
Georgia 5.12 91 a Putinian Hybrid
Turkey 4.35 103 Erdogan Land
We now go to Asia, but briefly, since not newsy now.
China 2.21 152 Xi Jinping Land
Hong Kong 5.60 84
Vietnam 2.94 131
North Korea 1.08 165 second from last!
Afghanistan 0.32 167 last place!
South Korea 8.16 16
Taiwan 8.99 8
India 6.91 46
Japan 8.15 17
Australia 8.90 9=
Now to the Middle East.
Israel 7.97 28 so, so close to a Full Democracy (8)
Kuwait 3.91 110
Qatar 3.65 114
Iraq 3.51 116=
UAE 2.90 134=
Bahrain 2.42 144
Saudi Arabia 2.08 152
Iran 1.95 154=
Syria 1.43 162=
We examine a few countries in the Overall and the Five Rankings:
Overall
I. Electoral Process and Pluralism
II. Functioning of Government
III. Political Participation
IV. Political Culture
V. Civil Liberties
| Country | Overall | I | II | III | IV | V |
| USA | 7.85 | 9.17 | 6.43 | 8.89 | 6.25 | 8.53 |
| China | 2.21 | 0.00 | 4.29 | 2.78 | 3.13 | 0.88 |
| India | 6.91 | 8.67 | 7.50 | 7.22 | 5.00 | 6.18 |
| Russia | 3.24 | 1.75 | 2.14 | 4.44 | 3.75 | 4.12 |
Since the focus of this report is the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the oil producing countries restraining production in the face of boycotts of Russian oil and natural gas, and the US policy and actions in this, we cannot fail to mention the response of our past President. Instead of showing a united front in condemning Putin’s most aggressive action in Europe since WWII, past President Donald Trump has chosen to praise Putin’s invasion, even calling him a Genius. Trump has let Putin interfere in our elections on Trump’s behalf. Trump hired as his campaign manager Paul Manafort who got Putin’s collaborator Victor Yanukovych (previous Governor of Donetsk Oblast) elected President of Ukraine. Yanukovych was exiled by the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, and later sentenced for treason. Manafort was convicted on 8 counts and only served two years of his 12 year sentence. He was finally pardoned by Trump.
Trump withheld payment of congressional mandated $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, in order to get its President Zelensky to provide derogatory information on Hunter Biden in the 2020 election. Trump was impeached by the House for this, but was acquitted by the Senate. Since Trump is a compulsive revenger, he is going to get back at Zelensky anyway that he can.
Trump’s son Eric stated that the Trump Organization was funded by Russian loans. Even up until the 2016 Election Day, Trump was trying to get an okay for a Trump International Hotel in Moscow. Maybe someday we will find out about Trump’s Russian backing.
It has just been revealed that Trump is courting MBS, Mohammed Bin Salman al Saud, Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, to direct some of their golf tournament choices to Trump golf courses. This is despite the Saudi’s terrible human rights record.
Trump is the leading Republican Presidential candidate for 2024, and is attempting to rule over who gets chosen as the Republican candidate for most elected positions. He also is amassing a campaign war chest to fund his candidates.
Trump still maintains the Big Lie, that he won the 2020 Presidential election.
Trump was impeached a second time by the House for fomenting the January 6th insurrection, but was let off by an arranged time limit of his leaving office by the Senate.
”When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn.” From “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” by Pete Seeger.
Whew. Where did all that come from? You just can’t make this stuff up.
