The Democratic vs Autocratic axis asks who should hold power and how accountable they should be: the many, through elections and checks, or one leader or a small elite.
Leaders are chosen and can be removed through free, fair elections, and their power is limited by courts, a free press and citizens’ rights.
Power is concentrated in one person or a small group with few effective limits, and citizens have little say in choosing or removing them.
The question this axis asks: How should leaders be chosen, and how limited should their power be?
Every adult citizen should have an equal vote in choosing the country’s leaders.
Nothing is sent anywhere.
The question this axis asks
How should leaders be chosen, and how limited should their power be?
This axis measures your preference for broad participation and accountability against concentrated, decisive authority. It covers voting rights, referendums, the independence of courts and media, the role of opposition parties and whether leaders may hold power indefinitely.
People on the Democratic side usually argue that legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed and that checks prevent abuse. People on the Autocratic side usually argue that decisive leadership and stability matter more than debate, or that some decisions should be left to a qualified few.
Neither side is better or worse. They are different answers to the same question.
Leaders are chosen and can be removed through free, fair elections, and their power is limited by courts, a free press and citizens’ rights.
Typical positions
Power is concentrated in one person or a small group with few effective limits, and citizens have little say in choosing or removing them.
Typical positions
Scores run from 0% to 100% toward Autocratic. Here is how to read them.
| Score | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| 0–15% | Very strongly Democratic |
| 16–30% | Strongly Democratic |
| 31–43% | Leaning Democratic |
| 44–56% | Near the middle |
| 57–69% | Leaning Autocratic |
| 70–84% | Strongly Autocratic |
| 85–100% | Very strongly Autocratic |
A middle score often reflects support for strong institutions and effective government together, or wanting democracy with a few limits.
Indexes such as V-Dem, Freedom House and the EIU Democracy Index rank countries from full democracies, such as Norway and New Zealand, through hybrid regimes to closed autocracies. Many countries sit in between. Estimated profiles of countries and ideologies at each end of this axis.
Norway96% toward Democratic
Switzerland95% toward Democratic
Denmark95% toward Democratic
Sweden95% toward Democratic
Finland95% toward Democratic
North Korea99% toward Autocratic
Eritrea98% toward Autocratic
Turkmenistan97% toward Autocratic
Afghanistan96% toward Autocratic
Saudi Arabia95% toward AutocraticThese are editorial estimates for discussion, not rankings of quality.
Words you may meet in the test statements about this axis.
Suffrage is the right to vote in political elections. “Universal suffrage” means the right belongs to all adult citizens, and “secret suffrage” means votes are cast in private.
Read the explanationA referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to accept or reject a specific proposal, such as a law, a constitutional change or a question of independence.
Read the explanationAn autocracy is a system of government in which one person or a small group holds unlimited power, with few or no effective checks from elections, courts or a free press.
Read the explanationSomething else on your mind? Get in touch
Three statements show one axis. The full test scores every axis and finds your closest countries and ideologies.