Western ratings of democracy and prosperity: the US is losing ground
Ratings are so fashionable. They have politicians, universities, television shows, and even countries. The other day the Austrian organization "The Democracy Ranking" released a new rating of democracy in the world. “The hit of the season” here is that the United States of America, which has long boiled down to its ideal democracy and has been teaching the entire planet to it, has slipped into 15-th place. It is impossible to say that Russia (88-e place) has pulled ahead of the US, but the fact that democracy in Washington and New York is retreating is already attracting attention. Moreover, Russia is not considered a democratic country by researchers: it belongs to "semi-free" states.
The “Democracy Ranking” rating is not annual. is he compiled only twice: according to 2007-2008 estimates. and 2010-2011 (the latter is named in the report 2012 rating of the year). The table compares the 104 indicators of countries (which the organization considers “democratic” and “semi-democratic”) using 42 indicators and weights - from 1 to 100.
The United States fell back in the ranking from the 14-th to the 15-th position. True, they have slightly improved in points - from 78,3 to 78,5. They climbed along the lines “Politics”, “Environment”, “Health” and “Knowledge”, but they lost in “Economy” and “Gender”.
Last, we note, is not at all strange. Barack Obama, and the Pentagon behind him, supported “same-sex” genders only in the 2012 year, and the rating is based on the 2011 results of the year. And the campaign to legalize same-sex marriages in some previously resisting states also gained momentum this year. The “Politics” is also clear: the United States added Obama's victory in Libya and, in general, a total war called the Arab Spring. It is also clear with the “Economy”: the crisis is a crisis and the national debt is the national debt.
The leading democratic countries in 2010-2011 were: Norway (88,5 points), Sweden (86,9), Finland (86,3), Switzerland (85,4), Denmark (84,1), Netherlands (83,0), New Zealand (82,7), Germany (81,6), Ireland (81,0) and Austria (80,6). This is the top ten. Recall that the organization is Austrian.
If the United States fell in democracy, then who rose?
The highest relative progress of democracy was achieved (plus points): in Tunisia (8,1), Bangladesh (6,3), Libya (4,1), Zambia (3,6), Pakistan (3,6). From the countries of the “Arab Spring” the best prospects for democracy are in Tunisia.
And who fell?
Most affected by the sharp decline in democracy: Hungary (-2,5), Bahrain (-2,5), Honduras (-2,3), Latvia (-2,2), Ukraine (-1,7), Sri Lanka (-1,7), Italy (-1,7 ), Greece (-1,7), Mexico (-1,3) and Guinea-Bissau (-1,2). Hungary and Italy separately lost in the line "Politics". There were losses in the quality of democracy in the countries of Central America.
In Asia, the most democratic countries were Japan (20 place in the table) and South Korea (33 place). In the Middle East, Israel has good positions (23 place).
Of course, Russia is at the bottom of the list - in the 88-th place. The “procession” is closed by Haiti, Nigeria, Egypt, China, Pakistan, Togo, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Syria, Yemen.
In another ranking of 2012 of the year, from the British analytical center “The Legatum Institute”, compiled from 2006 of the year, Russia is also not ahead, but the United States fell back on two positions. This rating is dedicated to the prosperity of the countries of the world, but its indicators are similar. The economy, business, management, education, health care, security, personal freedoms, social capital are evaluated here.
In this ranking of the prosperous countries, Russia was in the 66 position (last year it was in the 59 position).
Russia - approximately in the middle. All positions - 144. According to the study, the level of economy in the Russian Federation in 2012 has risen to 62-th place in the world from 72-th in 2011, but the business climate has not changed (remained at 50-th position). In terms of trust in the government, the country has seriously slipped: from 96 to 118. In terms of health, Russia dropped from 42 to 48 in terms of safety, from 82 to 97 in terms of personal finance from 48 to 74 in terms of personal finance. But on the level of education, the Russians suddenly rose from 34 to 27.
Bypassed Russia in the ranking of Kazakhstan (43-e place), Vietnam (53-e), Belarus (54-e), Mongolia (59-e) and Uzbekistan (64-e).
Near Russia, at 65, is Belize, and at 67, the Philippines.
Europe falls in the ranking: Greece fell from 10-th place to 49, France - from 18-th to 21, Italy - from 30-th place to 33.
Top three in the 2012 ranking occupy Scandinavians: Norway, Denmark, Sweden. Australia is at 4, and New Zealand is fifth. Britain is in 13-th place, after the United States, followed by Germany.
China settled down on the 55 st position. According to analysts of Legatum, if the economy in the Middle Kingdom is not bad, then the situation with the personal freedoms of citizens and security is in a deplorable state.
As for the United States, for the first time in 2012 they did not make it to the top ten most prosperous countries. According to the results of the study, America was in the 12-th place (last year occupied 10-e).
Researchers believe that the loss of the country from the dozens means: the “American dream” is in danger. Americans are less likely to believe that thanks to their work they will be able to succeed and achieve a lot, they have less confidence in their government. In their eyes, the country's economy is collapsing.
The worst situation in the USA is with security (27-e place in the column), with economy (20-e), with personal freedom (14-e). This is not surprising: in the country there is a growing demand for weapon. This year alone, two terrible massacre tragedies occurred - in Colorado and Connecticut, not counting the constant exchange of fire with 3-4 victims. Children are dying. US economy with public debt over 16 trillion dollars is facing a “financial cliff”: Republicans and Democrats cannot agree on cuts and cuts, including on social, insurance, retirement and military programs, and in January they are expected to fall into the abyss. As for personal freedoms, they have been unconstitutionally destroyed in the USA, for example, by the Enforcement Act on national defense against 2011 of the year, which easily transfers cases of internal terrorist investigations and interrogations into the hands of military and special services. The act removes the legal procedure and allows indefinite detention of any person. The white house can only enter the "troika" and declare the GULAG open.
The “Democracy Ranking” rating is not annual. is he compiled only twice: according to 2007-2008 estimates. and 2010-2011 (the latter is named in the report 2012 rating of the year). The table compares the 104 indicators of countries (which the organization considers “democratic” and “semi-democratic”) using 42 indicators and weights - from 1 to 100.
The United States fell back in the ranking from the 14-th to the 15-th position. True, they have slightly improved in points - from 78,3 to 78,5. They climbed along the lines “Politics”, “Environment”, “Health” and “Knowledge”, but they lost in “Economy” and “Gender”.
Last, we note, is not at all strange. Barack Obama, and the Pentagon behind him, supported “same-sex” genders only in the 2012 year, and the rating is based on the 2011 results of the year. And the campaign to legalize same-sex marriages in some previously resisting states also gained momentum this year. The “Politics” is also clear: the United States added Obama's victory in Libya and, in general, a total war called the Arab Spring. It is also clear with the “Economy”: the crisis is a crisis and the national debt is the national debt.
The leading democratic countries in 2010-2011 were: Norway (88,5 points), Sweden (86,9), Finland (86,3), Switzerland (85,4), Denmark (84,1), Netherlands (83,0), New Zealand (82,7), Germany (81,6), Ireland (81,0) and Austria (80,6). This is the top ten. Recall that the organization is Austrian.
If the United States fell in democracy, then who rose?
The highest relative progress of democracy was achieved (plus points): in Tunisia (8,1), Bangladesh (6,3), Libya (4,1), Zambia (3,6), Pakistan (3,6). From the countries of the “Arab Spring” the best prospects for democracy are in Tunisia.
And who fell?
Most affected by the sharp decline in democracy: Hungary (-2,5), Bahrain (-2,5), Honduras (-2,3), Latvia (-2,2), Ukraine (-1,7), Sri Lanka (-1,7), Italy (-1,7 ), Greece (-1,7), Mexico (-1,3) and Guinea-Bissau (-1,2). Hungary and Italy separately lost in the line "Politics". There were losses in the quality of democracy in the countries of Central America.
In Asia, the most democratic countries were Japan (20 place in the table) and South Korea (33 place). In the Middle East, Israel has good positions (23 place).
Of course, Russia is at the bottom of the list - in the 88-th place. The “procession” is closed by Haiti, Nigeria, Egypt, China, Pakistan, Togo, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Syria, Yemen.
In another ranking of 2012 of the year, from the British analytical center “The Legatum Institute”, compiled from 2006 of the year, Russia is also not ahead, but the United States fell back on two positions. This rating is dedicated to the prosperity of the countries of the world, but its indicators are similar. The economy, business, management, education, health care, security, personal freedoms, social capital are evaluated here.
In this ranking of the prosperous countries, Russia was in the 66 position (last year it was in the 59 position).
Russia - approximately in the middle. All positions - 144. According to the study, the level of economy in the Russian Federation in 2012 has risen to 62-th place in the world from 72-th in 2011, but the business climate has not changed (remained at 50-th position). In terms of trust in the government, the country has seriously slipped: from 96 to 118. In terms of health, Russia dropped from 42 to 48 in terms of safety, from 82 to 97 in terms of personal finance from 48 to 74 in terms of personal finance. But on the level of education, the Russians suddenly rose from 34 to 27.
Bypassed Russia in the ranking of Kazakhstan (43-e place), Vietnam (53-e), Belarus (54-e), Mongolia (59-e) and Uzbekistan (64-e).
Near Russia, at 65, is Belize, and at 67, the Philippines.
Europe falls in the ranking: Greece fell from 10-th place to 49, France - from 18-th to 21, Italy - from 30-th place to 33.
Top three in the 2012 ranking occupy Scandinavians: Norway, Denmark, Sweden. Australia is at 4, and New Zealand is fifth. Britain is in 13-th place, after the United States, followed by Germany.
China settled down on the 55 st position. According to analysts of Legatum, if the economy in the Middle Kingdom is not bad, then the situation with the personal freedoms of citizens and security is in a deplorable state.
As for the United States, for the first time in 2012 they did not make it to the top ten most prosperous countries. According to the results of the study, America was in the 12-th place (last year occupied 10-e).
Researchers believe that the loss of the country from the dozens means: the “American dream” is in danger. Americans are less likely to believe that thanks to their work they will be able to succeed and achieve a lot, they have less confidence in their government. In their eyes, the country's economy is collapsing.
The worst situation in the USA is with security (27-e place in the column), with economy (20-e), with personal freedom (14-e). This is not surprising: in the country there is a growing demand for weapon. This year alone, two terrible massacre tragedies occurred - in Colorado and Connecticut, not counting the constant exchange of fire with 3-4 victims. Children are dying. US economy with public debt over 16 trillion dollars is facing a “financial cliff”: Republicans and Democrats cannot agree on cuts and cuts, including on social, insurance, retirement and military programs, and in January they are expected to fall into the abyss. As for personal freedoms, they have been unconstitutionally destroyed in the USA, for example, by the Enforcement Act on national defense against 2011 of the year, which easily transfers cases of internal terrorist investigations and interrogations into the hands of military and special services. The act removes the legal procedure and allows indefinite detention of any person. The white house can only enter the "troika" and declare the GULAG open.
Observed and translated by Oleg Chuvakin
- especially for topwar.ru
- especially for topwar.ru
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