The Economist Democracy Index 2007

[TheStooge]

2007 democracy index calculated by The Economist. Here's a link to the full report (.pdf)

They divide the countries in 4 groups - Full democracies, Flawed democracies, Hybrid regimes and Authoritarian regimes. Can't be too sure regarding the objectivity of the study, but I guess it's a good start. Here are the full democracies:

[franc34]

cool

[RoyceDA59]

Numero Uno once again.

[TheStooge]

They acknowledge that difficulty. Here's how they start the report:

"There is no consensus on how to measure democracy, definitions of democracy are contested and there is an ongoing lively debate on the subject."

However, later on, they describe their criteria thoroughly. Does it make sense? You be the judge.

[franc34]

Sweden is a boring cold country tho

[D_Bokk]

Venezuela's Political Participation score: 5.66
USA's Political Participation score: 7.22

Venezuela's 2006 presidential voter turn out: 74%
USA's 2004 presidential voter turn out: 60%


Obviously a highly flawed study. It should be put in the trash where it belongs.

[TheStooge]

^Finding flaws in a study which tries compare over 170 countries is hardly a surprise, but come on, I believe you can do better than that.

While I'm not arguing which is a better democracy, I consider it fairly obvious that there's more to "Political Participation" than simply the voter turnout of the last presidential election. It matters of course, however it's only one of several factors.

Hell, by your criteria Turkmenistan should be up there next to Sweden.

[D_Bokk]

^Finding flaws in a study which tries compare over 170 countries is hardly a surprise, but come on, I believe you can do better than that.

These "flaws" are deliberate political attacks against democratic nations. The so-called study has a bias against the left, by left I mean the real left, not the petty-bourgeois posers in Northern Europe.

While I'm not arguing which is a better democracy, I consider it fairly obvious that there's more to "Political Participation" than simply the voter turnout of the last presidential election. It matters of course, however it's only one of several factors.

Venezuela has the USA beat on all fronts. Read into Participatory Democracy in Venezuela.

Hell, by your criteria Turkmenistan should be up there next to Sweden.

Quickly refresh my mind of what "my" criteria is.

[Troll]

These "flaws" are deliberate political attacks against democratic nations. The so-called study has a bias against the left, by left I mean the real left, not the petty-bourgeois posers in Northern Europe.
Venezuela has the USA beat on all fronts. Read into Participatory Democracy in Venezuela.
Quickly refresh my mind of what "my" criteria is.

How can Venezuela have USA beat on all fronts, when they've just given Hugo total power?

Oh wait, the jews must of made this study. My fault.

[D_Bokk]

How can Venezuela have USA beat on all fronts, when they've just given Hugo total power?

You mean temporary power.

Venezuela is a far better example of democracy than the US for many reasons. The most evident is that Venezuela actually has an opposition party whereas the USA has two parties who are more or less the same. That alone tells me that Venezuela is far more democratic than the US.

Oh wait, the jews must of made this study. My fault.

Who said anything about Jews? You must be an anti-semite to have such an obsession.

[Troll]

You mean temporary power.
Venezuela is a far better example of democracy than the US for many reasons. The most evident is that Venezuela actually has an opposition party whereas the USA has two parties who are more or less the same. That alone tells me that Venezuela is far more democratic than the US.
Who said anything about Jews? You must be an anti-semite to have such an obsession.

Your first sentence alone makes the rest of your post totally wrong. He has complete control of the country. Whether its temporary or not is beyond the point. That is not a Democracy that is a Dictatorship. That would never happen in USA, infact the constitution was made exactly for that purpose. The two parties here in the states are very different when it comes to HOME issues. However when it goes beyond the borders, they aren't too far apart on issues.

And about the Jews, every bad deed in the world seems to be placed on the Jews, white people, or the rich.

[-Sil-]

The U.S. has never been and will never be a democracy.....

[D_Bokk]

Your first sentence alone makes the rest of your post totally wrong. He has complete control of the country. Whether its temporary or not is beyond the point. That is not a Democracy that is a Dictatorship.

Dictatorship? I would like you to find evidence of this case.

If Venezuelans wanted Chavez out, they wouldn't have given him an overwhelming majority in the last election; they would remove him from office with a referendum or coup, however both of these actions failed. Venezuelans want him in power and want him to further the revolution without having to wait on the slow bourgeois system.

That would never happen in USA, infact the constitution was made exactly for that purpose. The two parties here in the states are very different when it comes to HOME issues. However when it goes beyond the borders, they aren't too far apart on issues.

You're right, it would never happen in the US because a Socialist who had any power whatsoever would be murdered by the US government even if the people love him.

I don't give two shits about "HOME" issues because the only "HOME" issues they differ on are fucking retarded, such as abortion, gay marriage, creation/evolution and the list of dumbass topics goes on. They're nearly one in the same when it comes to foreign politics and the economy.. which are the two topics that truly matter.

And about the Jews, every bad deed in the world seems to be placed on the Jews, white people, or the rich.

Wow, do you need counseling? You can't go one post without insulting Jews.

The U.S. has never been and will never be a democracy.....

Exactly.

[Shinobie]

reppin tha republic... maybe we'll change our name to the American Empire, and after our fall, we can have a comeback and call it The Empire Strikes Back... that would be cool

[Troll]

Dictatorship? I would like you to find evidence of this case.

If Venezuelans wanted Chavez out, they wouldn't have given him an overwhelming majority in the last election; they would remove him from office with a referendum or coup, however both of these actions failed. Venezuelans want him in power and want him to further the revolution without having to wait on the slow bourgeois system.

You're right, it would never happen in the US because a Socialist who had any power whatsoever would be murdered by the US government even if the people love him.

I don't give two shits about "HOME" issues because the only "HOME" issues they differ on are fucking retarded, such as abortion, gay marriage, creation/evolution and the list of dumbass topics goes on. They're nearly one in the same when it comes to foreign politics and the economy.. which are the two topics that truly matter.

Wow, do you need counseling? You can't go one post without insulting Jews.

Exactly.

Just because the majority of people "love" him, and gave him an overwhelming vote in the majority doesn't really mean anything. The German people loved Hitler, but he also was a dictator. BTW if Chavez truly wanted a Democracy, why didn't he simply turn down absolute power? The people already love him to death, he shouldn't have any problems doing what he wanted in the first place.

BTW Why do you think that the Government would go kill a socialist leader? Democrats, republicans, independants, and just about everyone else is slamming the Administration. Funny though, none of them are being killed. In one or two states there is actually a decent number of people who vote Socialist, none of them have been murdered either.

See I live in America. America is a DEMOCRACY. Those home issues that you say are retarded, and don't meant shit. Well, I get to vote on those issues. Which means they actually have meaning. They affect over 300 million people. Not to mention our economy and forgein politics, which sorry to burst your bubble, but yes there our many different views on the subject within are government.