Indicator Descriptions

1. Democratic Participation

Indicator Name Indicator Description Indicator Source
Checks and Balances Global ranking of governmental checks and balances Database of Political Indicators, World Bank
Degree of Party Dominance Number of opposition members in the national legislature as a proportion of the total Database of Political Indicators, World Bank
Fractionalization of Legislature Herfindal Index Database of Political Indicators, World Bank
Percentage of Female Parliamentarians Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament (%) World Development Indicators
Polity Score Net Democracy/Autocracy Score Polity IV
Executive Recruitment — Regulation Global index measuring regulation of executive recruitment Polity IV
Executive Recruitment — Competition Global index measuring competitiveness of executive elections Polity IV
Executive Constraints Global index measuring legal and legislative constraints on executive activity Polity IV
Female Parliamentary Quota Quota for female parlimentaries (%) Global database of quotas for women
Minority Access to Civil Services Percentage of minority employees in the public service MAR
Minority Voting Rights Existence of voting rights for minorities, including the right to vote, degree of intimidation, access to polling station MAR
Federalism – Municipal Degree of autonomy provided to municipal governments Database of Political Indicators, World Bank
Federalism – Provincial Degree of autonomy provided to state/provincial governments Database of Political Indicators, World Bank

2. Government and Economic Efficiency

Indicator Name Indicator Description Indicator Source
Economic growth — Percentage of GDP GDP Growth % World Development Indicators
Economic Size — Relative — GDP per capita GDP per capita (constant 2000 US $) World Development Indicators
Economic Size — Total — GDP GDP (constant 2000 US $) World Development Indicators
External Debt — percentage of GNI Present value of debt (% of GNI) World Development Indicators
Ease of Doing Business Ease of Doing Business Survey  – Overall Rank World Bank, Ease of Doing Business
Starting a Business Starting a business rank World Bank, Ease of Doing Business
Protecting Investors Protecting investors rank World Bank, Ease of Doing Business
Trading Across Borders Trading across borders rank World Bank, Ease of Doing Business
Closing a Business Closing a business rank World Bank, Ease of Doing Business
Economic Freedom Economic Freedom score Heritage Foundation, Index of Economic Freedom
National Savings Level Gross domestic savings (% of GDP) World Development Indicators
Foreign Investment Freedom Investment Freedom Heritage Foundation, Index of Economic Freedom
Intellectual Property Protection of intellectual property Fraser Institute/ Free the World (Area 2C)
Contract Regulation Contract Regulation Heritage Foundation, Index of Economic Freedom
Enforcing Contracts Enforcing Contracts Rank World Bank, Ease of Doing Business
Dealing with Licences Dealing with Licenses Rank World Bank, Ease of Doing Business
Registering Property Registering Property Rank World Bank, Ease of Doing Business
Educational Attainment Proportion over 15 with no schooling World Bank, Thematic Data Educational Attainment
Enrolment Rates Gross enrolment ratio, all levels combined (except pre-primary) UNESCO Statistics
Health Expenditure Health expenditure, total (% of GDP) World Development Indicators
Access to Services — Improved Water Access to an Improved water source (% of population with access) World Development Indicators
Government Effectiveness Government Effectiveness, point estimate World Bank Group, Governance Matters V
FDI — percentage of GDP Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) World Development Indicators
Foreign Aid — percentage of Central Government Expenditures Aid (% of central government expenditures) World Development Indicators
Inequality — GINI Coefficient GINI Coefficient World Development Indicators
Trade Balance — percentage of GDP Current Account Balance (as % of GDP) World Development Indicators
Unemployment — Total Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) World Development Indicators
Paying Taxes Paying taxes rank World Bank: Ease of Doing Business indicators

3. Accountability

Indicator Name Indicator Description Indicator Source
Corruption — World Bank Control of Corruption World Bank Group, Governance Matters V
Voice and Accountability Voice and accountability, point estimate World Bank Group, Governance Matters V
Press Freedom Index of Press Freedom Freedom House
Political Donations Provision for disclosure of contribution to parties (binary variable) IDEA, Political Party Finance, Disclosure of Income
Party Financing System of regulation for financing of political parties (binary variable) IDEA, Political Party Finance, Regulation and Enforcement

4. Human Rights

Indicator Name Indicator Description Indicator Source
Disappearances Disappearances, Number of Cases CIRI Human Rights Index
Extrajudicial Killings Killings, number of cases CIRI Human Rights Index
Torture Torture, number of cases CIRI Human Rights Index
Freedom of Movement Freedom of Movement Index CIRI Human Rights Index
Freedom of Assembly and Association Freedom of Assembly and Association Index CIRI Human Rights Index
Freedom of Speech Freedom of Speech Index CIRI Human Rights Index
Women Political Rights Women Political Rights Index CIRI Human Rights Index
Women Social Rights Women Social Rights Index CIRI Human Rights Index
Women Economic Rights Women Economic Rights Index CIRI Human Rights Index
Civil Liberties Civil Liberties Index Freedom House, Annual Survey of Freedom
Political Rights Political Rights Index Freedom House, Annual Survey of Freedom
Human Rights — Empowerment Empowerment Rights Index CIRI Human Rights Index
Human Rights — Physical Integrity Physical Integrity Rights Index CIRI Human Rights Index
Minority Access to Education Minority Access to Education MAR
Minority Commerce Minority ability to engage in commercial activities MAR
Minority Professions Minority presence in professions MAR
Minority Official Positions Minority presence in governmental institutions MAR
Minority Organization Minority ability and right to organize MAR
Differential Ownership Differential rules and practices regarding ownership of property MAR
Minority Pol Mil recruitment Recruitment of minorities in to the police and military MAR

5. Political Stability and Violence

Indicator Name Indicator Description Indicator Source
Permanence of Regime Type Number of years since last regime change Polity IV
Black Market Informal Market Heritage Foundation, Index of Economic Freedom
Battle-related Deaths Number of Conflict-related deaths per year Uppsala Conflict Database
Dependence on external support Intervention of other states or external actors Fund for Peace (FfP) Failed States Index
Military Expenditure as a percentage of GDP Military expenditure (% of GDP) World Development Indicators
Political Stability Political stability/no violence, point estimate World Bank Group: Governance Matters V
Refugees Produced Refugee population by country or territory of origin World Development Indicators
Terrorism Fatalities Total number of fatalities during recorded terrorist attacks per year US National Counterterrorism Center
Terrorism Incidents Total number of recorded terrorist attacks per year US National Counterterrorism Center
Polity Fragmentation Degree of fragmentation of the polity Polity IV

6. Rule of Law

Indicator Name Indicator Description Indicator Source
Police, Law, and Criminality Rule of Law World Bank, Governance Matters database
Prison Population Rate Prison Population Rate International Centre for Prison Studies
Prison Occupancy Level No. of detainees compared to capacity Source:International Centre for Prison Studies
Number of Political Prisoners Number of Political Prisoners Fraser Institute/Free the World
Judicial Independence Independence of the Judiciary Fraser Institute/Free the World
Impartial Courts Impartiality of the court Fraser Institute/ Free the World
Integrity of the Legal System Integrity of the Legal System Fraser Institute/ Free the World
Military Interference in the Rule of Law Presence of the military in political systems Fraser Institute/ Free the World
Property Rights Protection of rights to private property Heritage Foundation
Minority Legal Protection Minority Legal Protection Source Minorities at Risk (MAR)
Minority Dispossessed Land Minority Dispossessed Land Source Minorities at Risk (MAR)
Minority Legal Procedures Minority Legal Procedures Minorities at Risk

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