The Great Democratic Recession, 2010–2025
Of 91 countries tracked, 72 lost ground in the past fifteen years. Only 17 improved. The democratic high-water mark of 2010 now looks like a peak that may not be revisited for a generation.
72
Countries declined
17
Countries improved
2
Unchanged
−46
Worst decline (USA)
+17
Best gain (Armenia)
−46−30−20−100+5+10+17
The United States (−46) experienced the steepest democratic decline of any country in the dataset — a fall from 94 to 48 in just fifteen years, without a military coup, revolution or foreign invasion. Turkey (−34), Nicaragua (−30), and Mali (−23) follow, but none match the velocity of America's retreat.
METHODOLOGY NOTE: The PTI score of L≈48 reflects the author's real-time institutional assessment incorporating executive action pace through early 2026. Published indices score the US higher: Freedom House 83/100 (2024 report), V-Dem LDI ≈0.65–0.72 (scaled: ~65–72). The divergence reflects the PTI's faster update cycle, weighting toward institutional constraint erosion, and incorporation of events post-dating published index coverage. All claims should be evaluated under both the author's PTI and established indices.