International Democracy Index
The International Democracy Index is a survey compiled by political scientists from Te Rōpū Rangahau Manapori o te Ao (the International Democracy Research Corporation), a non-profit NGO and research institute based in Tamaki, Tangatarehua.
We invite all national representatives and heads of state to take part in this open, honest and judgement-free survey regarding your nation's democratic culture and institutions (or lack thereof) for the purpose of better understanding the various systems of government throughout the world, with a specific focus on the spread or decline of democracy.
Please note that Te Rōpū Rangahau Manapori o te Ao is NOT funded by or in any way affiliated with the Imperial Government of Tangatarehua and therefore we ask that any complaints, questions or general angry threats be directed at ourselves directly, rather than at the government of Tangatarehua.
We do request that all nations taking part in this survey give their honest and sincere answers when filling out this questionnaire. This allows all parties involved to get a better idea of the entire situation regarding every country. No confidential data will ever be shared with any government and is protected by both national and international privacy laws and laws protecting the freedoms of NGOs.
PLEASE READ BEFORE CONTINUING
The questions in this survey are only applicable for nations with a "Modern Technology" standard. We classify this standard by any nation having their current timeline as between 2000 - 2030, with technology levels advanced up to 25 years above the current real-world standards. We hope to create an index for more advanced nations at a later date, and apologise for the inconvenience caused if your nation does not conform with this standard.
PLEASE NOTE - WE CANNOT GUARANTEE FAST PROCESSING OF YOUR SUBMISSIONS. PLEASE BE PATIENT.
NO SERIOUSLY, I MEAN THAT. THE PHRASE "I AM BUSY IN REAL LIFE" DOESN'T EVEN BEGIN TO COVER IT. CHANCES ARE IT WILL BE YOUR GREAT GRANDCHILDREN WHO END UP SEEING YOUR RESULT, AFTER YOU HAVE PASSED ON.
Index Outline
The questions nations are asked to answer are listed in the codebox below. Please answer all questions as best you can, otherwise your result may be distorted. Expanding on answers is permitted and couraged.
Index Scoring System
Nations will be given an score ranging from 0 - 100, based on 60 questions that measure across five categories. 100 represents a perfect democracy, while any score below 40 is considered to be an authoritarian regime.
Full Democracies (80 - 100)
Real world examples: Norway, Finland, New Zealand
Full democracies are nations where civil liberties and fundamental political freedoms are not only respected but also reinforced by a political culture conducive to the thriving of democratic principles. These nations have a valid system of governmental checks and balances, an independent judiciary whose decisions are enforced, governments that function adequately, and diverse and independent media. These nations have only limited problems in democratic functioning.
Flawed Democracies (60 - 79)
Real world examples: United States, South Korea, France
Flawed democracies are nations where elections are fair and free and basic civil liberties are honoured but may have issues (e.g. media freedom infringement and minor suppression of political opposition and critics). These nations have significant faults in other democratic aspects, including underdeveloped political culture, low levels of participation in politics, and issues in the functioning of governance.
Hybrid Regimes (40 - 59)
Real world examples: Thailand, Armenia, Turkey
Hybrid regimes are nations with regular electoral frauds, preventing them from being fair and free democracies. These nations commonly have governments that apply pressure on political opposition, non-independent judiciaries, widespread corruption, harassment and pressure placed on the media, anaemic rule of law, and more pronounced faults than flawed democracies in the realms of underdeveloped political culture, low levels of participation in politics, and issues in the functioning of governance.
Authoritarian Regimes (Below 40)
Real world examples: China, Russia, North Korea
Authoritarian regimes are nations where political pluralism is nonexistent or severely limited. These nations are often absolute monarchies or dictatorships, may have some conventional institutions of democracy but with meagre significance, infringements and abuses of civil liberties are commonplace, elections (if they take place) are not fair or free (including sham elections), the media is often state-owned or controlled by groups associated with the ruling regime, the judiciary is not independent, and censorship and suppression of governmental criticism are commonplace.
The Questionnaire
Please fill out the questions below and return them via a reply. Thank you in advance to all nations who decide to participate.
- Code: Select all
[spoiler=International Democracy Index][b]Your nation's full name (including pretitle):[/b]
[b]Short name of nation:[/b]
[b]Your nation's current year[/b]
[b]Your nation's IC population[/b]
[b]Confirmation - Is your nation MT?[/b]
[u]Section One - Electoral Process and Pluralism:[/u]
[i]Please place an X in the appropriate box. You are free to expand on your answer at any time or add additional information.[/i]
[b]Are elections for the national legislature and head of government free?[/b]
[ ] Yes, there are no restrictions on candidates
[ ] There are some restrictions on the electoral process. [If so please expand: ____]
[ ] There are significant restrictions, such as a single-party system
[b]Are elections for the national legislature and head of government fair?[/b]
[ ] Yes, there are no irregularities
[ ] There are some irregularities but they do not affect the overall outcome
[ ] There are significant irregularities in elections, or none are held at all
[b]Are municipal elections both free and fair?[/b]
[ ] Yes, they are free and fair
[ ] They are free but not fair
[ ] They are neither free nor fair
[b]Is there universal suffrage for all adults (barring exclusions such as criminals and non-nationals)?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[b]Can citizens cast their vote free of significant threats to their security from state or non-state bodies?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[b]Do laws provide for broadly equal campaigning opportunities?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes in theory, but in practice opportunities are limited for some candidates
[ ] No
[b]Is the process of financing political parties transparent and generally accepted?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Not fully transparent
[ ] No
[b]Following elections, are the constitutional mechanisms for the orderly transfer of power from one government to another clear, established and accepted?[/b]
[ ] Yes to all three criteria (clear, established and accepted)
[ ] Yes to two of the three
[ ] Yes to one or none of the three
[b]Are citizens free to form political parties that are independent of the government? [/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] There are some restrictions
[ ] No
[b]Do opposition parties have a realistic prospect of achieving government?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] There is a dominant two-party system in which other political forces never have any effective chance of taking part in national government
[ ] No
[b]Is potential access to public office open to all citizens?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Formally unrestricted, but in practice restricted for some groups, or for citizens from some parts of the country
[ ] No
[b]Are citizens free to form political and civic organisations free of state interference and surveillance?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Officially free, but subject to some restrictions or interference
[ ] No
[u]Section Two - Functioning of government:[/u]
[i]Please place an X in the appropriate box. You are free to expand on your answer at any time or add additional information.[/i]
[b]Do freely elected representatives determine government policy?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Exercise some meaningful influence
[ ] No
[b]Is the legislature the supreme political body, with a clear supremacy over other branches of government?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[b]Is there an effective system of checks and balances on the exercise of government authority?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes, but there are some serious flaws
[ ] No
[b] Is the government is free of undue influence by the military or the security services?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Influence is low, but the defence minister is not a civilian. If the current risk of a military coup is extremely low, but the country has a recent history of military rule or coups
[ ] No
[b]Are important government functions or policies dictated by a foreign power?[/b]
[ ] No
[ ]: There are some features of a protectorate
[ ] Yes (e.g. significant presence of foreign troops; important decisions taken by foreign power; country is a protectorate)
[b]Do special economic, religious or other powerful domestic groups exercise significant political power, parallel to democratic
institutions?[/b]
[ ] No
[ ] They have some influence
[ ] Yes
[b]Are sufficient mechanisms and institutions in place for assuring government accountability to the electorate in between elections?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes, but serious flaws exist
[ ] No
[b]Does the government’s authority extend over the full territory of the country?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[b]Is the functioning of government open and transparent, with sufficient public access to information?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes, but serious flaws exist
[ ] No
[b]How pervasive is corruption?[/b]
[ ] Corruption is not a major problem
[ ] Corruption is a significant issue
[ ] Pervasive corruption exists
[b]Is the civil service willing and capable of implementing government policy?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes, but serious flaws exist
[ ] No
[b]How many of your citizens believe they have control over their own lives and choices?[/b]
[ ] Over 70%
[ ] 50 - 70%
[ ] Less than 50%
[b]How many citizens say they have confidence in the government and its institutions?[/b]
[ ] More than 40%
[ ] 25 - 40%
[ ] Below 25%
[b]How many of your nation's citizens say they have confidence in one or more of your nation's political parties?[/b]
[ ] More than 40%
[ ] 25-40%
[ ] Below 25%
[u]Section Three - Political Participation:[/u]
[i]Please place an X in the appropriate box. You are free to expand on your answer at any time or add additional information.[/i]
[b]What is the average voter turn out in a national election?[/b]
[ ] Consistently above 70%
[ ] Between 50-70%
[ ] Below 50%
[ ] Voting is compulsory
[b]Do ethnic, religious and other minorities have a reasonable degree of autonomy and voice in the political process?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes, but serious flaws exist
[ ] No
[b]What percentage of your legislature is comprised of women?[/b]
[ ] More than 20%
[ ] 10-20%
[ ] Less than 10%
[b]What percentage of your population are members of a political party?[/b]
[ ] Over 7%
[ ] 4% to 7%
[ ] Under 4%.
[ ] Membership is compulsory or it's a single-party state
[b]How many of your citizens say they are interested in politics?[/b]
[ ] Over 60%
[ ] 40% to 60%
[ ] Less than 40%
[b]How many of your citizens have either taken part in a public demonstration, or indicated a willingness to do so lawfully?[/b]
[ ] Over 40%
[ ] 30% to 40%
[ ] Less than 30%
[b]What is the literacy rate in your nation?[/b]
[ ] Over 90%
[ ] 70% to 90%
[ ] Less than 70%
[b]How many of your adult citizens regularly watch or read the news?[/b]
[ ] Over 50%
[ ] 30% to 50%
[ ] Less than 30%
[b]Does your government try to promote citizens to engage in the political process?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Somewhat
[ ] No
[ ] Participation is mandatory or forced
[u]Section Four - Democratic political culture:[/u]
[i]Please place an X in the appropriate box. You are free to expand on your answer at any time or add additional information.[/i]
[b]Is there a sufficient degree of societal consensus and cohesion to underpin a stable, functioning democracy?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes, but there are some serious doubts and/or risks
[ ] No
[b]What percentage of your citizens say they desire strong leadership that can bypass the legislature and/or elections?[/b]
[ ] Less than 30%
[ ] 30 - 50%
[ ] More than 50%
[b]What percentage of citizens would support direct rule by the military?[/b]
[ ] Less than 10%
[ ] 10 - 30%
[ ] More than 30%
[b]What percentage of your nation's percentage say they would support experts or technocrats make decisions, rather than an elected government?[/b]
[ ] Less than 50%
[ ] 50% to 70%
[ ] More than 70%
[b]What percentage of your citizens would agree with the statement, "Democracies are not good at maintaining public order"?[/b]
[ ] Less than 30%
[ ] 30 - 50%
[ ] More than 50%
[b]What percentage of your nation's citizens believe that democracy negatively impacts the economy?[/b]
[ ] Less than 20%
[ ] 20 - 60%
[ ] More than 60%
[b]What percentage of your nation's citizens support democracy?[/b]
[ ] More than 90%
[ ] 75% to 90%
[ ] Less than 75%
[b]Is there a separation between church and state?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] There is some residual influence on the state
[ ] No
[u]Section Five- Civil liberties:[/u]
[i]Please place an X in the appropriate box. You are free to expand on your answer at any time or add additional information.[/i]
[b]Is there a free electronic media?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] There is, but state-controlled media is heavily favoured, or the media is dominated by a small number of private operators.
[ ] No
[b]Is there a free print media?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes, but state-controlled media is heavily favoured or there is high degree of concentration of private ownership of national newspapers
[ ] No
[b]Is there freedom of expression in your nation?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes, but minority viewpoints are often subject to harassment or alternatively there are restrictive libel and "hate speech" laws
[ ] No
[b]Is media coverage robust? Is there open and free discussion of public issues, with a reasonable diversity of opinions?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] There is formal freedom, but high degree of conformity of opinion, including through self-censorship, or discouragement of minority or marginal views
[ ] No
[b]Are there political restrictions on access to the internet?[/b]
[ ] No
[ ] Some moderate restrictions (if so, please expand: ______ )
[ ] Yes
[b]Are citizens free to form professional organisations and trade unions?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Officially free, but subject to some restrictions in practice (Feel free to expand: ______ )
[ ] No
[b]Do institutions provide citizens with the opportunity to successfully petition government to redress grievances? [/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Some opportunities
[ ] No
[b]What is the legal status of torture in your nation?[/b]
[ ] Torture is not used
[ ] Torture is used
[b]Is the judiciary free from government influence?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes, but public officials are subject to legal immunity
[ ] No
[b]What degree of religious freedom exists in your nation?[/b]
[ ] High - people from all religions are free to worship in public or private in your country
[ ] Moderate - some restrictions exist, or some religious groups feel unsafe despite official protections
[ ] Low - some or all religious groups are subject to significant restrictions
[b]Are all citizens equal before the law in your country?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Mostly, but some ethnic or religious minorities seem to be disproportionately targeted by law enforcement
[ ] No - the government clearly prejudices some groups over others
[b]Do citizens enjoy basic security and protections by the government?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Yes, but crime is pervasive and a major problem
[ ] No
[b]Is private business free from government undue interference and are property rights respected?[/b]
[ ] Yes
[ ] Somewhat
[ ] No
[b]How much personal freedom do your citizens have with regards to travel, work or study?[/b]
[ ] High levels of personal freedom
[ ] Moderate levels of personal freedom
[ ] Low or no levels of personal freedom
[b]What percentage of people think that human rights are respected in your country?[/b]
[ ] More than 70%
[ ] 50% to 70%
[ ] Less than 50%
[b]Is there significant discrimination based on race, colour or creed?[/b]
[ ] No
[ ] Generally no, but there are some exceptions (please expand: ________)
[ ] Yes
[b]How often does your government use new or emerging threats (such as war, pandemics or terrorism) as an excuse to curtail civil liberties?[/b]
[ ] Rarely or never
[ ] Sometimes
[ ] Frequently
[u](OPTIONAL) - More information[/u]
[size=75]We would appreciate filling in as much of this information as possible. However, this is not required to receive a complete score, and filling this information out will not change your score in any way.[/size]
[b]What is the approximate ethnic makeup of your nation? (in percentages)[/b]
[b]How many official languages are there in your nation? What are these?[/b]
[b]What is the political position of your nation's ruling Government?[/b]
[b]What type of Government does your country have?[/b]
[b]How many members of your nation's national assembly/legislature are there?[/b]
[b](OOC) Which real life nation would you describe yours as being most similar to?[/b]
[b](OOC) What result do you think you are mostly likely to get?[/b]
END
[b](OOC) Which best describes your feelings toward this quiz:[/b]
[ ] I will never feel pleasure again knowing that this quiz is over, because it was the absolute apogee of my life
[ ] I don't actually have feelings because you're alone in a simulation and I'm just an NPC created by the machine
[ ] All encompassing agape love accompanied by an inexplicable craving for a chocolate digestive.
[b]Do you think I'm abusing the multiple choice function?[/b]
[ ] No
[ ] Why would you even say that?
[/spoiler]
Scores for participating nations
Nations will be ranked on a 0 - 100 scale.
Full Democracies (80 - 100)
99.1 Unintra
98.3 Marlducro
97.5 Alinghi
96.6 Nantu
95.8 Difinbelk
95.8 Golyna
95.8 Polata City
95.0 Israel And Eastern Jordan
94.1 Cascadian Union
94.1 Kahekordne Union of Spib
93.3 HUElavia
93.3 New Hocksmith
92.5 Countesia
91.6 Nova Tero
90.0 Estrago
89.1 Kingdom of Congo
88.3 Aubado
87.5 Pacifica Solaris
86.6 Telbnis
85.8 Canvalland
85.0 Amaurita
84.1 The Aquaria
84.1 Birgenland
84.1 Comicsland
84.1 The Jamesian Republic
83.3 Australia-New Zealand
83.3 Restored Sumeru
82.5 Northern Seleucia
82.5 Oronia
81.6 Ostrovskiy
80.8 Drongonia
80.8 Nessin
80.8 Safiloa
80.0 Rovere
Flawed Democracies (60 - 79)
79.1 Juansonia
79.1 New Treyland
79.1 Uthossia
78.3 The Independent Republic of Boldonia
78.3 Magnolis
78.3 Nacrad
78.3 Neovilla
78.3 Socialist Ancomistan
78.1 Christian India
77.5 Tummylandia and Susistan
76.6 Nahelia
76.6 Terrapacis
75.8 Thermodolia
75.8 Vikanias
75.1 Ouestterre
75.0 European Federation Reunified
74.1 Beric
74.1 Free Republican Ireland
74.1 Plewnidminster
70.0 Jenha
69.1 República Federal de Catalunya
69.1 The Galapagos
67.5 Estegonia
65.0 Castellua
65.0 Rary
64.1 Jacrain
60.5 Goraria
60.0 Rhodevus
60.0 Svenska-Britannia
Hybrid Regimes (40 - 59)
59.1 Tangatarehua
59.1 Veraguas
58.3 Avallow
58.3 Stratonesia
58.3 Voipel
55.0 Bigpipstan
55.0 Platoon of Peace
54.1 Camelone
52.5 Saalenia
51.6 German Empire of Kaisereich
48.3 TECT
48.3 Western Shaudal
47.5 East Plate
45.8 Indecent Anime Empire
45.8 Maralago
45.0 Crossoveria
45.0 Dayganistan
43.3 Mlastrosi
40.8 Bosporean Republic
40.0 Islerum
Authoritarian Regimes (0 - 39)
39.1 Bharbosia
38.3 Aesmenia
37.5 Illiryja
37.5 Zaeylia
32.5 Ayodhyadesha
30.8 Apropin Che
30.0 Magna Plymptonium
30.0 Vioxa
25.8 Isla de Flores
25.8 Jermar James
25.0 The Great Nevada Overlord
21.6 East Lukalkus
21.6 Sagrea
17.5 Ridnez
15.8 Karazicu
12.5 Ardernland
12.5 The Infernum
12.5 New Mordka
11.6 Doge Land
7.5 Adnonia
1.5 South Yardlin
Acknowledgements:
The format for this thread has been shamelessly stolen from Drongonia, who deserves full credit for the layout. The questions are also almost verbatim copied and pasted from the Economic Intelligence Unit's Democracy Survey. Beyond copying, pasting and pressing the 'submit' button (oh and drawing a logo on MS Paint), very little of this thread deserves to be acknowledged as my own work.
The format for this thread has been shamelessly stolen from Drongonia, who deserves full credit for the layout. The questions are also almost verbatim copied and pasted from the Economic Intelligence Unit's Democracy Survey. Beyond copying, pasting and pressing the 'submit' button (oh and drawing a logo on MS Paint), very little of this thread deserves to be acknowledged as my own work.
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