Israel Rated More Democratic Than the U.S., Spain, Italy, and South Africa – Amnesty Int’l Hardest Hit
EIU Democracy Index also says highly-rated Canada’s score fell a bit as support increased there for non-democratic rule by experts, citizens chafe at pandemic-related restrictions on freedoms, and trust in gov’t falls.
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The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released its 2021 Democracy Index last week. That’s a week after Amnesty International released its report condemning Israel as an “apartheid” state and about a week before the UN appointed a committee to probe apartheid claims.
The report scores 167 countries according to how democratic they are, based on five criteria: (i) electoral process and pluralism, (ii) functioning of government, (iii) political participation, (iv) political culture, and (v) civil liberties.
The top scorer was Norway, followed by New Zealand and Finland. They were rated the most democratic countries.
At the bottom was Afghanistan at 167th. Myanmar (166th) and North Korea (165th) were rated second- and third-worst, respectively. Iran tied for the 154th spot, China was ranked 148th, and Russia came in at a comparatively liberal 124th. All of these bottom-feeders are classified as having “authoritarian” regimes.
And where was the “apartheid” state? Well, it ranked as the world’s 23rd most democratic nation, just below France (22nd) and just above Spain (24th), followed by Chile (25th) and – yes – the United States (26th). Portugal was ranked 28th, Italy ranked 31st, Belgium 36th, and so on. All – including the United States and France – were classified as “flawed democracies.”
With an overall score of 7.97, Israel scored highest in political participation (10 out of 10) and electoral process and pluralism (9.58 out of a possible 10). It scored least well in civil liberties (5.88), political culture (6.88), and functioning of government (7.5).
It had the highest ranking of any nation in the Middle East/North Africa. EIU downgraded both Tunisia and Lebanon, “two of the higher scorers in the region – with both countries’ political systems in turmoil.” Tunisia was downgraded from “flawed democracy” to “hybrid regime”, Lebanon from “hybrid regime” to “authoritarian regime.”
Turkey squeaked by ranked 103rd, near the bottom of the hybrid regimes.
Oh, and how did South Africa rate? It’s also classified as a flawed democracy, ranked 44th, 21 spots below Israel. Yes, EIU found the supposed “apartheid” state of Israel more democratic than the formerly apartheid South Africa.
The U.S. ranked 26th with an overall score of 7.85. It scored best in electoral process and pluralism (9.17), political participation (8.89) – remember that when you hear “voter suppression” charges, and civil liberties (8.53). It did least well in political culture (6.25) and government functioning (6.43).
Canada ranked significantly higher than the U.S. In 12th place, it was rated as a “full democracy.” Its overall score was 8.87. It rated highest in electoral process and pluralism (10), civil liberties (9.12), and political participation (8.89). Its scores were slightly weaker in political culture (8.13) and government functioning (8.21). The report comments:
Is Canada becoming more like America?
The sharp decline in the North America average score in 2021 was driven mainly by a deterioration in Canada, whose score fell by 0.37 points to 8.87. New survey data show a worrying trend of disaffection among Canada’s citizens with traditional democratic institutions and increased levels of support for non-democratic alternatives, such as rule by experts or the military. Canada’s citizens feel that they have little control over their lives, a sentiment that has been compounded by pandemic-related restrictions on individual freedoms. Canada’s worsening score raises questions about whether it might begin to suffer from some of the same afflictions as its US neighbour, such as extremely low levels of public trust in political parties and government institutions.
Given recent events in Canada – covered prominently by LIF – EIU’s observations seem prescient.
- Trudeau Reprimanded for Accusing Jewish, Conservative Party MP of Standing ‘With People Who Wave Swastikas’
- Parliament Jeers Prime Minister Trudeau During Speech About “Emergencies Act”
- Ottawa Police Chief Resigns Day After Trudeau Invokes Emergencies Act to Handle Freedom Convoy
- Trudeau Unleashes Terrorist Financing Rules on Freedom Convoy’s Crowdfunding and Cryptocurrency Funds
- Canada PM Justin Trudeau Invokes ‘Emergencies Act’ To Fight Trucker Freedom Convoys
- Ontario Premier Declares State of Emergency Over Freedom Convoy on Ambassador Bridge
This isn’t to say the index’s conclusions should be accepted at face value. The British-based Economist Intelligence Unit Limited is the research and analysis division of The Economist Group, sister company to The Economist newspaper. It is what passes for conservative in the UK, although it is politically-correct enough to include the non-existent state of “Palestine” in the index. Nevertheless, many of the EIU’s conclusions are credible.
“Palestine”, by the way, was ranked 109th and classified as “authoritarian”. Its overall score was 3.94. It scored best in political participation (8.33) and worst in government functioning (0.14). It received in-between scores for political culture (4.38), civil liberties (3.53), and electoral process and pluralism (3.33).
The government-functioning score, in particular, seems pretty on-target, given the Palestinian Authority’s refusal to do anything constructive for its people. If it were serious about wanting to build a Palestinian state rather than simply destroy and ultimately take over the Jewish state, the PA would engage in state-building such as resettling so-called refugees located in the West Bank, educating children in “refugee” camps who are currently being taught in UN-run schools, educating the children it does school for peace instead of war, building an economy, and negotiating a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel (let alone Hamas’ absolute refusal to do any of the above while attacking Israel as it uses its people as human shields, and steals donations given to rebuild civilian infrastructure to build terrorist infrastructure instead).
So, here’s to the Economist Intelligence Unit for being unafraid to sing out of a different hymnal than the anti-Israel crowd, and for calling Canada as they saw it.
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Comments
Democratic and good aren’t the same thing. The senate is a deliberative body that has as it’s constitutionally mandated purpose obstruction of pure democracy.
Even the house of representatives has Democrats/Republicans who live in the wrong color states are going to be very underrepresented.
Even at a state level Wyoming couldn’t ban CRT in school thanks to lack of 66% of the state legislature.
Not to defend the authoritarian regimes, but I am pointing out the difference between more or less democratic republics isn’t “more democracy=better”. Would you have wanted all of Biden’s agenda passed immediately on Jan 21st?
I could not agree more! America was never supposed to be a democracy. Remember, democracy is another way of saying “mob rule”.
That said the Wyoming example was just to show we aren’t state level Democracy either, every Republican who stands in the way of a CRT ban needs a primary.
Civil liberties in Israel are not great. Any country where insulting a public servant (including a policeman) is a crime can’t be called a truly free country.
Milhouse,
About which countries do you feel meet your expectations for civil liberties? When wouldn’t you comment here?
Are civil liberties better where the opposition political party spies on the other party and where the press finds little interest in even reporting it? Is it the one where they seize bank accounts of truckers who are protesting vaccine mandates? Perhaps it’s the one that bans modest swimsuits because it’s too Muslim (France). Maybe it’s the one where they let Muslim rapists run rampant for years at the risk of being politically incorrect and arresting the perpetrators (Britain). Do share your wisdom with your lessers.
While your criticisms of other countries suggests they’re not ideal, so Milhouse’s point regarding Israel is valid.
Perhaps you’d like one of the Nordic countries, they all scored very well.
Pretty much only the USA. Because we have a Bill of Rights with teeth, and a court system willing to enforce it impartially. This is one of the main reasons why I choose to live here rather than in Israel.
Until recently Canada and New Zealand were also free countries, in practice even freer than the USA, but there was nothing protecting that freedom. It was by the good grace of the government, and could be withdrawn at any time, as both countries have seen in the last two years. When we look at what has happened there we can only thank God for the USA.
“Because we have a Bill of Rights with teeth, and a court system willing to enforce it impartially”
ROFL
You may roll on the floor all you like, but it’s true. If you think it isn’t, I suggest you try going and living in some other country — any other country. Try living in Israel and expressing some of the extreme right-wing opinions that are commonly expressed in this forum. Friendly people will warn you that you have to watch what you say; not-so-friendly people will suspect that you might be working for the Shabak (the secret police, also known as “shin bet”), and will be careful what they say around you.
Those “teeth” were pulled out long ago! Ask the people that were utilizing their free speech guarantee on 1/6 – oh you can’t. They are being held in jail without being formally charged! The 2A is so infringed you cannot be caught outside with a weapon unless you have been granted special authority. I could go on and on covering all the Bill of Rights, but you get the picture. Our country is a joke right now. I love what the USA is supposed to be, but our freedoms that were promised to us ended several decades ago.
1. Nobody is being held without being charged. Habeas corpus has not been suspended.
2. If you think our Bill of Rights lacks teeth or is not being enforced, I invite you to spend some time in any other so-called “free country”, and particularly in Israel, since that is the topic of discussion. I love Israel and I defend it when it’s accused of persecuting the so-called “Palestinians” because that is not true, but it is certainly guilty of breaches of human rights against its own citizens.
Article 4 Section 4 of the Constitution of United States says:;
“The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.”
I’ve read some articles that failed to convince that democracy and republic are pretty much the same thing. Ahh, well, your church, my whorehouse, who cares it’s just words.
Actually, I don’t mind your whorehouse. Just don’t make me call it a church. And don’t try to Pelosi me into calling this whorehouse Democracy.
Have you noticed how quickly “Rage Against The Machine” became the machine, you disgusting unvaxxed Canadians? And unwashed ‘Murricans who are too fly over fug ugly to talk about. Who have apparently been granted personhood unlike truck drivers and therefore rights. The serfs who need to keep granting Justine Castreaux their/them whatever purchases their/them whatever their/them whatever Amazon packages. Trucks who need to be driven by if they know what’s best for them faceless drivers.
Bake that cake, Christian! Meanwhile, AOC weeps for a Honduran. For what, who knows or cares.
Next year’s report should be interesting. Think Canada will maintain its “full democracy” rating?
The fact that Canada ranked 12th is all the reason you need to reject the entire report. Even leaving aside that “democracy” does not mean what this report says it means, the category ratings are pure farce. Canada’s Westminster parliament and unchecked government bureaucracy means that anyone outside Canada’s extremely narrow and loony-left Overton Window has no access to the political process.
Until recently, Canada was very free in practice. Your point is that there was nothing protecting that freedom, but that’s not something this report measures. Now that freedom is gone.
I wish the Queen would come out against the little hitler, Covid and all
Fod safe the Queen cause her sons and grandsons are NOT up to the job
She can’t. She can’t interfere in politics at all. The whole reason why the crown exists is so that the head of state can be above politics and unite everyone. The moment she gets involved she loses that.
Israel ends its great vaccine experiment, scraps all shot requirements for tourists
https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/spoke_corona_health200222