Freedom on the Decline: Annual Report Released by Freedom House
Today, independent watchdog Freedom House released its annual Freedom in the World report for 2011. The report is not a governance survey; rather, it assesses political rights and civil liberties as experienced by citizens on the ground. Using key performance indicators, researchers from Freedom House assigned a freedom status--Free, Partly Free, or Not Free--to 194 countries and 14 territories. (Learn more about how they determine their ratings here.)
Freedom House notes that 2010 marks the fifth consecutive year that global freedom has been on the decline and “the longest continuous period of decline in the nearly 40-year history of the survey.” Furthermore, in 2010 there were 115 electoral democracies in the world - the lowest number since 1995. In total, 87 countries or territories were named Free, 60 were Partly Free, and 47 were Not Free.
There are some surprising and not-so-surprising shifts this year:
- Mexico dropped from Free to Partly Free in status due to the wave of drug violence that has impacted the press, local governance, and daily life.
- Ukraine also fell from Free to Partly Free due to the “crackdowns on foreign-funded NGOs and media outlets that have taken place since [Yanukovych] came to power.”
- Other countries showing declines in freedom include Bahrain, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, and Sri Lanka.
- France remains Free, but researchers noted a downward trend taking place due to the country's treatment of Roma and its problems with immigrants from the MENA region.
- Venezuela saw greater unification of the political opposition, but Parliament passed laws which further constricted freedom of press and freedom of expression, constrained NGOs, and gave Chavez the right to rule by decree for the next 18 months.
- Kyrgyzstan and Guinea moved from Not Free to Partly Free after both states held comparatively free and fair elections.
- Modest improvements were also seen in Kenya, Moldova, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Tanzania.
- Burma, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Tibet, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan received the lowest possible rating for both political rights and civil liberties.
The report highlights the actions of many authoritarian regimes in 2010, from China’s disdain for the Nobel Peace Prize and Iran's move to prosecute the cases of Green Movement activists to sham elections held in Egypt and Belarus. While the researchers note that many of the actions undertaken by authoritarian regimes - rigged elections, persecution of dissidents, intimidation - are nothing new, “the violations were carried out with a striking degree of aggressiveness, self-assurance, and disregard for outside opinion.”
Numerous questions are raised in the repot: Are influential authoritarian regimes changing the landscape for democracy? Where is the resistance from democratic states against authoritarian regimes? Why are countries like Brazil, India, and South Africa not actively promoting democracy around the world? What actions should Obama’s administration take moving forward?
Just today, amidst the ongoing civil unrest in Tunisia and Algeria and the collapse of the Lebanese government, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, during a visit to Doha, Qatar, made remarks directed at Arab leaders. She said:
"While some countries have made great strides in governance, in many others, people have grown tired of corrupt institutions and a stagnant political order...Those who cling to the status quo may be able to hold back the full impact of their countries' problems for a little while, but not forever. If leaders don't offer a positive vision and give young people meaningful ways to contribute, others will fill the vacuum....Extremist elements, terrorist groups, and others who would prey on desperation and poverty are already out there appealing for allegiance and competing for influence. This is a critical moment and this is a test of leadership for all of us."
As economic issues seemingly take precedence over issues of human rights and good governance, how will democracy’s champions push for development and support change from within societies?
