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A study analyzes that the decline of democracies in developing countries has social and economic consequences.
© Federico Gambarini/dpa
An international study of developing and emerging countries reveals that autocracies that rely on repression and undermine rights are on the rise.
Gütersloh - According to an analysis, a decline in democracies among developing and emerging countries also has an impact on economic development, inequality and poverty.
Looking at 137 states from Algeria to the Central African Republic, the Bertelsmann Foundation's “Transformation Index” comes to the conclusion: “At no time in the past twenty years have so few states been governed democratically as today.” At the same time, the authors attested to economic inequality in many states and a failed economic policy.
There is massive social exclusion in 83 of the 137 countries.
The study of developing and emerging countries showed that there are now only 63 democracies with a total population of around three billion people, compared to 74 autocracies with around four billion people.
The first statements from the study had already been presented at an event organized by the foundation with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in Berlin.
Democracy under pressure
The evaluated country reports and data have shown “new lows” in terms of the quality of democracy, government performance and economic development.
“In an increasing number of countries, it is the opponents of democratic and market economy reforms who are in power.”
Governments in the overwhelming majority of countries therefore “do not see themselves as drivers of overall social development, but rather as representatives of particular interests in an economic system that is deliberately designed to be unfair.”
Efforts are often aimed at maintaining a corrupt system that does not allow free and fair economic competition, the study says.
“Concentration of power or retention of power by a small elite often takes precedence over the design of a more open and inclusive economic order.” This has negative consequences for the extent of inequality and poverty.
Who belongs to the autocracies and “hardliner autocracies”?
In the 74 autocratic countries, authoritarian leadership allows only very limited or no political participation, the study emphasizes.
Repression, concentration of power, elimination of remaining control bodies and decisions in narrow leadership circles are characteristic.
The 25 “moderate” autocracies include Turkey, Algeria, Iraq, Uganda, Nigeria and also Jordan and Singapore, which, according to the foundation, have authoritarian rule.
In addition, Tunisia, Benin and El Salvador, which were still classified as democracies in 2022.
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There are also 49 “hardliner autocracies,” which, according to the analysis, also include Russia, which is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine.
Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin declared himself the winner again on Sunday after a presidential election that was criticized as a farce.
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.” The situation 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 extreme levels and any political opposition is being nipped in the bud.
The situation is similarly drastic in Afghanistan, Nicaragua, Tajikistan, Iran and Chad.
Who is one of the 63 “solid” or “defective” democracies?
Even in democracies classified as “defective” or “severely defective”, freedom for political participation is shrinking; according to the study, the fairness of elections - for example in Hungary - is impaired, critical media are harassed - example in India - or the activities of organizations critical of the government are hindered - like this like in Serbia.
The analysis also includes Albania, Romania, Ukraine and South Africa in the group of democracies with defects.
According to the foundation, examples such as those recently in Poland give reason for hope - there the population voted out authoritarian forces.
The evaluation sees a particularly high level of democracy in the EU members Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic, but also in Jamaica, Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica, South Korea and Taiwan.
Good politics is therefore planned for the long term, transparent and geared towards the common good.
The stability of democratic systems depends largely on democratic institutions that are anchored in the rule of law, functioning and accepted.
And democracy thrives on a strong and vibrant society, it continued.
“An important, sometimes the last bastion in the defense of democracy is the resilience of democratic civil society.” dpa