Global Democracy Report Card
Evaluate the extent to which your country is upholding the values essential to a true democracy
(free elections, citizenship participation, majority rule minority rights, Constitutional government).
Free Elections
Citizen Participation
Majority/Minority
Constitutional Government
- Locate and identify the political parties active in your country. Evaluate whether that number makes for a stronger or weaker democracy.
- Universal suffrage (Look it up!) is essential to a working democracy. How is voting run in your country and are there any obstacles that prevent these people from casting their votes?
Citizen Participation
- Education & literacy are very important to democracies. Locate and evaluate education levels and literacy rates. Note discrepancies between genders…it’s an important clue!
- Economic Security allows people to be satisfied with the experience of democracy and will thereby are more likely to support democratic governments. Look for poverty rates, unemployment rates, GDP growth (look it up!), per capita income levels to name a few indicators.
- Are the citizens of your country afforded individual rights such as freedom of speech, press and assembly? Look for proof either way.
Majority/Minority
- Are All Citizens Equal Before the Law? Locate and analyze stories about fair/equal treatment of all citizens before the law.
- Do the citizens of your country have a Shared National Identity? Locate and evaluate issues whereby the majority of citizens worked together for the common good. Maybe disaster relief?
- Are the rights of individuals guaranteed and protected by the government (example freedom of religion)? Look for examples whereby the rights of individual citizens were either protected or denied by the government.
- Are representatives that were elected by the citizens to carry out their will doing so? Look for examples of corruption and abuse of power by elected government officials.
Constitutional Government
- Is there a clear body of traditions and laws on which the government is based? Does your country have a Constitution and abide by its dictates?
- Do the schools in your country have widespread education about how government works? Search for education mandates (mandatory requirements for school attendance).
- Do the citizens in your country accept the decisions of the majority? Look for recent elections and whether or not the results of the elections were met with violent denial or acceptance by the minority.
- Is there a shared belief that no one is above the law in your country? Locate information as to whether or not the wealthy/powerful are treated the same as are the poor/powerless in legal circumstances. In other words can the rich and powerful simply buy their freedom? Look for examples.
Recommended Research Sites
CIA World Factbook
www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities.
Human Rights Watch
www.hrw.org
Dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. Search human rights issues by region or topic. Includes multimedia links.
Department of State
www.state.gov
The United States Department of State, commonly referred to as the State Department, is the federal executive department that advises the President and conducts international relations.
Human Rights First
www.humanrightsfirst.org
Human Rights First is a nonpartisan, 501, international human rights organization based in New York City and Washington, D.C.
Amnesty International
www.amnesty.org
To “protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.” Read about human rights issues and check out Student Center activities you can do to help campaign for human rights.
Freedom House
www.freedomhouse.org
Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom and democracy around the world.
UNICEF
www.unicef.org/index.php
Focuses on child- and gender-related human rights issues.
WHO (World Health Organization)
www.who.int/
WHO's primary role is to direct international health within the United Nations' system and to lead partners in global health responses.
CIA World Factbook
www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities.
Human Rights Watch
www.hrw.org
Dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. Search human rights issues by region or topic. Includes multimedia links.
Department of State
www.state.gov
The United States Department of State, commonly referred to as the State Department, is the federal executive department that advises the President and conducts international relations.
Human Rights First
www.humanrightsfirst.org
Human Rights First is a nonpartisan, 501, international human rights organization based in New York City and Washington, D.C.
Amnesty International
www.amnesty.org
To “protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.” Read about human rights issues and check out Student Center activities you can do to help campaign for human rights.
Freedom House
www.freedomhouse.org
Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom and democracy around the world.
UNICEF
www.unicef.org/index.php
Focuses on child- and gender-related human rights issues.
WHO (World Health Organization)
www.who.int/
WHO's primary role is to direct international health within the United Nations' system and to lead partners in global health responses.