The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Index of Democracy 2008 scores countries on five separate categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political participation; and political culture.
Unsurprisingly the top of the table is taken up by 'the usual suspects' – Sweden, Norway, Iceland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, and so on. Needless to say, countries in Europe, North America and the Antipodes almost monopolise the Top 20.
The index awards an overall score based on the five categories – 10 is the maximum possible score. The average score for Western Europe is 8.61.
Ireland (i.e. the south) scores 9.01 – above-average even in Western Europe – and gets a perfect 10 for Civil Liberties, bringing it to 12th place worldwide.
The UK scores 8.15 – barely ahead of Greece and well below the Western European average. Worldwide it comes in at 21st place.
Unsurprisingly the top of the table is taken up by 'the usual suspects' – Sweden, Norway, Iceland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, and so on. Needless to say, countries in Europe, North America and the Antipodes almost monopolise the Top 20.
The index awards an overall score based on the five categories – 10 is the maximum possible score. The average score for Western Europe is 8.61.
Ireland (i.e. the south) scores 9.01 – above-average even in Western Europe – and gets a perfect 10 for Civil Liberties, bringing it to 12th place worldwide.
The UK scores 8.15 – barely ahead of Greece and well below the Western European average. Worldwide it comes in at 21st place.
The lesson is clear. Those who value democracy, and especially civil liberties, should not be unionists, because the UK is a below-average Western democracy. The "Irish Free State" might no longer exist, but the Irish Freer State certainly does, and it starts just south of Newry! Reunification offers everyone in the country the opportunity to enjoy greater democracy and more civil liberty.
5 comments:
Those who value their children's innocence should stay out of Ireland.
He's right ya know. Come up to British Ulster, you're safe there. Can't get a place in Kincora? Stay with the Robinson family for a while.
Anonymous at 19 January 2010 21:23
Blogger doesn't allow me to edit comments - just to delete them. That is what happened to you comment. There are limits to my tolerance.
Is andy being a bold boy?
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