Polity data series
The Polity data series is a widely used data series in political science research.[1] The latest version, Polity IV, contains coded annual information on the level of democracy for all independent states with greater than 500,000 total population and covers the years 1800–2017. Polity's conclusions about a state's level of democracy are based on an evaluation of that state's elections for competitiveness and openness, the nature of political participation in general, and the extent of checks on executive authority. For each year and country, a "Polity Score" is determined which ranges from -10 to +10, with -10 to -6 corresponding to autocracies, -5 to 5 corresponding to anocracies, and 6 to 10 to democracies.
| minimum value | maximum value | |
|---|---|---|
| autocracies | -10 | -6 |
| anocracies | -5 | 5 |
| democracies | 6 | 10 |
The Polity study was initiated in the late 1960s by Ted Robert Gurr; it is now continued by Gurr's former student, Monty G. Marshall, and sponsored by the Political Instability Task Force.
The 2002 paper "Conceptualizing and Measuring Democracy" claimed several problems with commonly used democracy rankings, including Polity, opining that the criteria used to determine "democracy" were misleadingly narrow.[2]
Scores for 2017
| Country | Democracy | Autocracy | Polity datasets IV number[3] | Polity datasets IV category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan |
1 | 2 | -1 | Closed Anocracy |
 Albania |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Algeria |
3 | 1 | 2 | Open Anocracy |
 Angola |
2 | 4 | -2 | Closed Anocracy |
 Argentina |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Armenia |
5 | 0 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Australia |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Austria |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Azerbaijan |
0 | 7 | -7 | Autocracy |
 Bahrain |
0 | 10 | -10 | Autocracy |
 Bangladesh |
6 | 1 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Belarus |
0 | 7 | -7 | Autocracy |
 Belgium |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Benin |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Bhutan |
6 | 1 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Bolivia |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Botswana |
8 | 0 | 8 | Democracy |
 Brazil |
8 | 0 | 8 | Democracy |
 Bulgaria |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Burkina Faso |
7 | 1 | 6 | Democracy |
 Burundi |
2 | 3 | -1 | Closed Anocracy |
 Cambodia |
3 | 1 | 2 | Open Anocracy |
 Cameroon |
1 | 4 | -3 | Closed Anocracy |
 Canada |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Cape Verde |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Chad |
1 | 4 | -3 | Closed Anocracy |
 Chile |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 China |
0 | 7 | -7 | Autocracy |
 Colombia |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Comoros |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Congo Brazzaville |
2 | 4 | -2 | Closed Anocracy |
 Congo Kinshasa |
4 | 1 | 3 | Open Anocracy |
 Costa Rica |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Croatia |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Cuba |
0 | 7 | -7 | Autocracy |
 Cyprus |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Czech Republic |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Denmark |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Djibouti |
5 | 1 | 4 | Open Anocracy |
 Dominican Republic |
8 | 0 | 8 | Democracy |
 East Timor |
9 | 1 | 8 | Democracy |
 Ecuador |
6 | 1 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Egypt |
1 | 4 | -3 | Closed Anocracy |
 El Salvador |
8 | 0 | 8 | Democracy |
 Equatorial Guinea |
0 | 6 | -6 | Autocracy |
 Eritrea |
0 | 7 | -7 | Autocracy |
 Estonia |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Ethiopia |
1 | 3 | -2 | Closed Anocracy |
 Fiji |
3 | 1 | 2 | Open Anocracy |
 Finland |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 France |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Gabon |
4 | 1 | 3 | Open Anocracy |
 Gambia |
0 | 5 | -5 | Closed Anocracy |
 Georgia |
8 | 1 | 7 | Democracy |
 Germany |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Ghana |
8 | 0 | 8 | Democracy |
 Greece |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Guatemala |
9 | 1 | 8 | Democracy |
 Guinea |
5 | 1 | 4 | Open Anocracy |
 Guinea-Bissau |
5 | 1 | 4 | Open Anocracy |
 Guyana |
8 | 1 | 7 | Democracy |
 Honduras |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Hungary |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 India |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Indonesia |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Iran |
0 | 7 | -7 | Autocracy |
 Iraq |
5 | 0 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Ireland |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Israel |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Italy |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Ivory Coast |
5 | 1 | 4 | Open Anocracy |
 Jamaica |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Japan |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Jordan |
2 | 5 | -3 | Closed Anocracy |
 Kazakhstan |
0 | 6 | -6 | Autocracy |
 Kenya |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Kosovo |
8 | 0 | 8 | Democracy |
 Kuwait |
0 | 6 | -6 | Autocracy |
 Kyrgyzstan |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Laos |
0 | 7 | -7 | Autocracy |
 Latvia |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Lebanon |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Lesotho |
9 | 1 | 8 | Democracy |
 Liberia |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Lithuania |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Luxembourg |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Macedonia |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Madagascar |
6 | 1 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Malawi |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Malaysia |
7 | 1 | 6 | Democracy |
 Mali |
6 | 1 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Mauritania |
1 | 3 | -2 | Closed Anocracy |
 Mauritius |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Mexico |
8 | 0 | 8 | Democracy |
 Moldova |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Mongolia |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Montenegro |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Morocco |
1 | 4 | -3 | Closed Anocracy |
 Mozambique |
6 | 1 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Myanmar |
3 | 2 | 1 | Open Anocracy |
 Namibia |
8 | 0 | 8 | Democracy |
 Nepal |
6 | 0 | 6 | Democracy |
 Netherlands |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 New Zealand |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Nicaragua |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Niger |
6 | 1 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Nigeria |
5 | 1 | 4 | Open Anocracy |
 North Korea |
0 | 10 | -10 | Autocracy |
 Norway |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Oman |
0 | 8 | -8 | Autocracy |
 Pakistan |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Panama |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Papua New Guinea |
5 | 0 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Paraguay |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Peru |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Philippines |
8 | 0 | 8 | Democracy |
 Poland |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Portugal |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Qatar |
0 | 10 | -10 | Autocracy |
 Romania |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Russia |
5 | 1 | 4 | Open Anocracy |
 Rwanda |
1 | 4 | -3 | Closed Anocracy |
 Saudi Arabia |
0 | 10 | -10 | Autocracy |
 Senegal |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Serbia |
9 | 1 | 8 | Democracy |
 Sierra Leone |
8 | 1 | 7 | Democracy |
 Singapore |
5 | 1 | 4 | Open Anocracy |
 Slovak Republic |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Slovenia |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Solomon Islands |
9 | 1 | 8 | Democracy |
 Somalia |
5 | 1 | 4 | Open Anocracy |
 South Africa |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 South Korea |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Spain |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Sri Lanka |
7 | 1 | 6 | Democracy |
 Sudan |
1 | 4 | -3 | Closed Anocracy |
 Suriname |
6 | 1 | 5 | Open Anocracy |
 Swaziland |
0 | 9 | -9 | Autocracy |
 Sweden |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Switzerland |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Syria |
0 | 9 | -9 | Autocracy |
 Taiwan |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Tajikistan |
0 | 4 | -4 | Closed Anocracy |
 Tanzania |
4 | 1 | 3 | Open Anocracy |
 Thailand |
7 | 1 | 6 | Democracy |
 Togo |
1 | 3 | -2 | Closed Anocracy |
 Trinidad and Tobago |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Tunisia |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 Turkey |
9 | 0 | 9 | Democracy |
 Turkmenistan |
0 | 9 | -9 | Autocracy |
 Uganda |
1 | 2 | -1 | Closed Anocracy |
 Ukraine |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
 United Arab Emirates |
0 | 8 | -8 | Autocracy |
 United Kingdom |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 United States |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Uruguay |
10 | 0 | 10 | Full Democracy |
 Uzbekistan |
0 | 9 | -9 | Autocracy |
 Venezuela |
5 | 1 | 4 | Open Anocracy |
 Vietnam |
0 | 7 | -7 | Autocracy |
 Zambia |
7 | 0 | 7 | Democracy |
See also
References
- ^ Casper, Gretchen, and Claudiu Tufis. 2003. “Correlation Versus Interchangeability: the Limited Robustness of Empirical Finding on Democracy Using Highly Correlated Data Sets.” Political Analysis 11: 196-203.
- ^ Gerardo L. Munck, Jay Verkuilen (February 2002), "Conceptualizing and measuring democracy: Evaluating Alternative Indices" (PDF), Comparative Political Studies, 35 (1), Sage Publications: 5–34
- ^ "Polity IV Annual Time-Series, 1800-2015". Retrieved 21 December 2015.