Never before have so many states been badly governed in the past 20 years. Corrupt autocracies are on the rise worldwide and are eating away at the market economy, is the sobering conclusion of the current study by the Bertelsmann Foundation.
Every two years, the experts at the Bertelsmann Foundation create a transformation index (BTI) that assesses democracy, government work, social cohesion and the development of economic conditions in 137 countries. Within two years (from January 2021 to January 2023), elections in 25 of these countries were less free and fair, in 32 countries there was a regression in freedom of assembly and association, and in 39 countries freedom of expression and freedom of the press were more restricted. There are currently 63 democracies in the countries examined and a majority of 74 autocracies.
This development does not stop at Europe either. While the Baltic states, as well as Slovenia and Poland, have recently continued to develop positively, the situation in Hungary and Serbia has become precarious. According to the BTI, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which recently introduced reforms, is one of the states with major democratic deficits. And Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria also still have democratic deficits.
49 “Hardliner Autocracies”
At the same time, the authors attested that many countries had failed economic policies. There is massive social exclusion in 83 of the 137 countries. “In an increasing number of countries, it is the opponents of democratic and market economy reforms who are in power,” it says.
The 25 “moderate” autocracies include Turkey, Algeria, Iraq, Uganda, Nigeria and Jordan and Singapore, which, according to the foundation, have authoritarian rule, as well as Tunisia, Benin and El Salvador, which were still classified as democracies in 2022. There are also 49 “hardliner autocracies,” which, according to the analysis, also include Russia, where ruler Vladimir Putin secured another term in office just a few days ago. And the study authors write about the People’s Republic of China: “The Chinese regime under Xi Jinping is increasingly mutating from one-party rule to an absolutist monocracy.”
Also positive examples
It is similar with regimes in coup states such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Myanmar. And in Arab states such as Egypt, Sudan and Syria, repression has reached the highest levels and any political opposition is being nipped in the bud. The situation in Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Tajikistan, Iran and Chad is also drastic.
However, the study also highlights positive examples. There are growing democracy movements, for example, in Brazil and Poland, where the population has voted out authoritarian forces. “Authoritarian trends can be stopped at the ballot box,” says historian Hauke Hartmann, who is co-responsible for the index. “This requires civil society mobilization before the elections and a return to the rule of law after the elections.” There are also positive transformations in the Baltic states as well as in Taiwan, South Korea, Costa Rica, Chile and Uruguay, among others. All of these countries would strengthen the rule of law and enable the population to participate. Since the study is limited to developing and transition countries, no assessment of Australia, North America and Western Europe was made.
