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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