Measuring democracy: The problem of indicators and criteria

Abstract

This article deals with the problem of assessing democracy and the multiplicity of criteria and indicators contained in the various evaluation models. The failure to agree on unified criteria for measuring the status of democracy at the national and international levels has led to some discrepancies in reading the democratic scene in general, and on the ranking of countries and their classification within the various annual reports that describe the state of democracy in the world.

By reviewing the components of three of the most prominent indexes of democracy in the world, edited by Freedom House, the Economist Intelligence Unit and the Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance, we found that the main reason behind this confusion lies in the lack of agreement on the definition of democracy, its components and its patterns in the various indexes, In addition to the methodological obstacles in data collection and translation process. This has affected even the general perception of the state of democracy in the world, and is it in progress or regression.