The
results of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Democracy Index 2011 show
that democracy has been under intense pressure in many parts of the world. In
most regions the average democracy score for 2011 is lower than in 2010,
including the developed countries of North America and Western
Europe . There was a decline in the average score for Eastern
Europe and small declines for both Asia and
Latin America . These were offset by increase in average
scores in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and
Sub-Saharan Africa. The index released on first week of January 2012.
According
to 'The Democracy Index 2011 : Democracy under stress' Nepal
is ranked 108th among 167 countries and territories. In the index
other South Asian Association For Regional Cooperation (SAARC)'s members are India
39th, Sri Lanka 57th, Bangladesh
83rd, Bhutan
104th and Pakistan
105th. Maldives
is not included in the index.
The United
States ranks 19th, one notch below the United
Kingdom . At the bottom of the Democracy
Index 2011 rankings, at 167th, is North Korea .
A
total of 53 countries, including all three Baltic states ,
are considered flawed democracies. Hybrid regimes are found in 37 countries,
while authoritarianism reigns in 52.
The
report scores countries based on five measures: electoral process and
pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political
participation; and political culture. Based on their scores, countries are
placed in one of four different regime categories: full democracies, flawed
democracies, hybrid regimes and authoritarian regimes.
It
said almost one-half of the world’s population lives in a democracy of some
sort, although only 11 per cent reside in full democracies, adding that some 2.6
billion people, more than one-third of the world’s population, still lives
under authoritarian rule with a large share being in China .
The
report said flawed democracies are concentrated in Latin America
and eastern Europe, and to a lesser extent in Asia .
“This
has affected mainly electronic media, which is often under state control or
heavy state influence ‑ although repression and
infringements of the freedom of expression have also extended to the print
media and, most recently, the Internet,” said the report. The ranking shows the
first 10 full democracies as Norway ,
Iceland , Denmark ,
Sweden , New
Zealand , Australia ,
Switzerland , Canada ,
Finland and the
Netherlands .
And
according to the report, the last 10 authoritarian regimes are Syria ,
Iran , Central
African Republic , Saudi
Arabia , Equatorial
Guinea , Myanmar ,
Uzbekistan , Turkmenistan ,
Chad and North
Korea
The
report said free and fair elections and civil liberties are necessary
conditions for democracy, but they are unlikely to be sufficient for a full and
consolidated democracy if unaccompanied by transparent and at least minimally
efficient government, sufficient political participation and a supportive
democratic political culture.
However,
the report said: “It is not easy to build a sturdy democracy. Even in
long-established ones, democracy can corrode if not nurtured and protected.”
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