Wenn etwas leicht

 GOTTFRIED BENN

Wenn etwas leicht

Wenn etwas leicht und rauschend um dich ist
wie die Glycinienpracht an dieser Mauer,
dann ist die Stunde jener Trauer,
daß du nicht reich und unerschöpflich bist.

Nicht wie die Blüte oder wie das Licht:
in Strahlen kommend, sich verwandelnd,
an ähnlichen Gebilden handelnd,
die alle nur der eine Rausch verflicht,

der eine Samt, auf dem die Dinge ruh’n
so strömend und so unzerspalten,
die Grenze zieh’n, die Stunden halten
und nichts in jener Trauer tun.

Democratic Recession in Major Emerging Countries

 “Democracy Under Siege” titled Freedom House – a US government-funded organisation (that survived the Trump reign) its latest annual “Freedom in the World” report. For the year 2020, it observed the 15th consecutive year of decline in ´global freedom´. The Freedom House annual global report is on ´political rights´ and ´civil liberties´, composed of numerical ratings and descriptive texts for 195 countries (and 15 territories). ´Political rights´ encompass three subcategories: Electoral Process; Political Pluralism and Participation; and Functioning of Government. ´Civil liberties´are defined by four subcategories: Freedom of Expression and Belief; Associational and Organizational Rights; Rule of Law; and Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights.

Table 1 provides information on how ´freedom´ has evolved during the recent period 2013-20 with overall scores for ´freedom´ and its constituents ´political freedom´and ´civil liberties´ in brackets. The period is dictated by ready (raw) data availability. And Xi Jinping became China´s President in 2013.

I have critically examined political rankings and indicators at several occasions; see here or here, notably. Nonetheless, the Freedom House indices provide some evidence on political governance, a theme that lends itself too easily to factless beliefs and insinuations. When in doubt, I prefer even political numbers over blindnesss.

Table 1: Political Freedom & Civil Liberties in Selected Emerging Countries, 2013-20

Country	2013	2020	Trend
Brazil*	81	74	↘
China*	17	09	↘
Egypt ^	41	18	↓
India*	76	67	↘
Indonesia	65	59	↘
Nigeria	46	45	→
Russia*	27	20	↘
Turkey	61	32	↓
South Africa	81	79	→
Memo: USA	93	83	↘

Notes: * BRICS member; ^ CwA partner.

Source: https://freedomhouse.org/reports/freedom-world/freedom-world-research-methodology. All Data, FIW 2013-2021 (Excel Download).

 Western media and politicians have focused on deteriorated political landscapes in China, Russia, Turkey – and the United States under the Trump Administration (2017-21). However, Egypt - a preferred destination of foreign capital and partner of the G20 ´Compact with Africa´ - has seen its freedom index tumble most steeply, in parallel with Turkey. Only the African giants Nigeria and South Africa have upheld freedom scores as measured by Freedom House.

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