In 2021, according to the International Monetary Fund, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 217 countries and territories was 94.6 trillion dollars.
Also in 2021, according to the Democracy Index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), 48 of these countries and territories were full democracies, 67 were flawed democracies, 39 had hybrid systems, and 63 had authoritarian governments.
The EIU defines the four systems as follows:
“Full democracies: not only are basic political and civil liberties respected, but they also tend to be sustained by a political culture that leads to the strengthening of democracy. The functioning of the government is satisfactory. The media are independent and diverse. There is an effective system of checks and balances. The judiciary is independent and judicial decisions are carried out. There are only limited problems with its operation.
“Flawed democracies: They also have free and fair elections and, even if there are problems (such as press freedom violations), basic civil liberties are respected. However, there are significant weaknesses elsewhere, including governance problems, an underdeveloped political culture, and low levels of political participation.
“Hybrid Regimes: Elections have substantial irregularities that often prevent them from being both free and fair. Government pressure on opposition parties and candidates can be common. The most serious weaknesses are more frequent than in flawed democracies: in political culture, government performance, and political participation. Corruption tends to be widespread and the rule of law is weak. Civil society is weak. There is usually harassment and pressure on journalists, and the judiciary is not independent.
“Authoritarian regimes: political pluralism is absent or very limited. Many countries in this category are outright dictatorships. Some formal institutions of democracy may exist, but they have little substance. Elections, if they occur, are neither free nor fair. Abuses and violations of civil liberties are ignored. The media are often state-owned or controlled by groups linked to the ruling regime. There is a crackdown on criticism of the government and extensive censorship. There is no independent judiciary.”
Interestingly, some countries that we believe to be full democracies, such as the United States, Spain, France or Italy, are not because they have “significant weaknesses.”
Mexico is considered a hybrid system along with other Latin American countries. 13 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are flawed democracies and four have authoritarian systems.
23% of global GDP is generated by the 48 full democracies, 47% by defective democracies. In other words, 70% of global GDP is produced in democratic countries. 5% is generated by countries with hybrid systems and the remaining 25% by those governed by autocrats.
So far it seems that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador wants to play it with those who generate only 30% of the planet’s GDP, who are not examples of the democracy that he preaches.
It is still time for him to change his course.
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