Our Mission

Governance Labs (CGL) is an independent research organization dedicated to applying quantitative methods to the study of democratic governance. We develop empirical frameworks for understanding how political systems evolve, stabilize, and collapse — grounded in data rather than ideology.

Our work bridges political science, physics, and data science to provide policymakers, journalists, and citizens with rigorous tools for evaluating institutional health.

The Governance Topology Project

Governance Topology is CGL's flagship research framework. It maps political systems as physical topology — countries as marbles rolling across a landscape of attractor basins. Rather than treating democracy and autocracy as a simple spectrum, this approach reveals the gravitational dynamics that pull nations toward stable equilibria or catastrophic transitions.

Think of a marble on a hilly landscape. Democracies sit in a high, stable plateau. Autocracies are trapped in a deep well. In between lies a shallow basin — the hybrid trap — where countries can linger for years before tipping in either direction. The topology tells you where gravity is pulling.

Core Dataset

Our analysis is built on a longitudinal dataset spanning more than two centuries of political history, synthesized from the world's leading governance indices.

91
Countries
225
Years
1,656
Observations
4
Source Indices

Data is derived from Freedom House, the Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-Dem), the Fragile States Index, and the World Governance Indicators.

Methodology Overview

At the heart of the framework is a ternary constraint: every political system allocates power among three forces — Liberty, Tyranny, and Chaos — as a zero-sum system.

L + T + C = 100

Liberty (L) is measured via Freedom House scores. Chaos (C) is derived from the Fragile States Index. Tyranny (T) is computed as the residual. This constraint enables a unified coordinate system for mapping political trajectories across time and geography.

For full methodological detail, see the Methodology page.

Open Analysis

All analysis code for the Governance Topology Project is open and available. Replication scripts, raw data files, and documentation can be found in the Downloads section. We believe that reproducibility is non-negotiable for credible quantitative research on governance.

✓ This project has undergone a rigorous 4-phase independent audit

Data Sources & Acknowledgments

The Governance Topology framework draws on data generously made available by the following organizations and projects:

  • —Freedom House — Freedom in the World annual reports (1972–2025)
  • —Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) — Comprehensive democracy indicators (1789–2024)
  • —Fragile States Index — State fragility and conflict indicators (2006–2024)
  • —World Governance Indicators — Six governance dimensions (1996–2023)

Contact

For inquiries about the Governance Topology Project, data access, or collaboration opportunities, please contact the advisory staff at Governance Labs.