RASC News Agency: The latest Democracy Index 2024, published by The Economist Intelligence Unit, has once again ranked Afghanistan at the absolute bottom of the global index, officially designating it as the most authoritarian country in the world. Under Taliban rule, Afghanistan has received an abysmal 0.25 out of 10, reflecting the near-total eradication of democratic governance. The report, which assesses 167 nations, highlights stark disparities between Afghanistan, North Korea, and China, underscoring Afghanistan’s unparalleled decline into autocracy. The Democracy Index evaluates nations based on five fundamental criteria: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, government functioning, political participation, and political culture. Afghanistan ranks dead last across nearly all of these metrics, solidifying its status as the world’s most repressive regime.
Afghanistan’s Democracy Scores: A Breakdown, Electoral Process and Pluralism: 0.0
Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, all electoral mechanisms have been dismantled, eliminating any semblance of democratic participation. The absence of political competition and public representation underscores the country’s complete departure from pluralistic governance. Civil Liberties: 0.0
This category assesses fundamental freedoms, including speech, assembly, religion, and personal rights. Under Taliban rule, civil liberties have been systematically and brutally suppressed, with women and minorities bearing the brunt of draconian restrictions.
Government Functioning: 0.0
Measuring efficiency, transparency, and accountability, this criterion reflects the Taliban’s unchecked consolidation of power within an exclusive inner circle. The regime’s utter disregard for public accountability and governance best practices has resulted in the lowest possible score.
Political Participation: 0.0
This indicator evaluates the public’s engagement in political and civic life. In Afghanistan, political parties have been abolished, electoral competition is non-existent, and independent civic activism is outright banned. The regime’s rigid control ensures that no space for political expression remains.
Political Culture: 1.25
This metric gauges the extent to which democratic values are embedded within society. The Taliban’s absolute ideological dominance and rejection of democratic principles have resulted in one of the lowest scores recorded, reflecting a political culture completely devoid of democratic foundations.
Afghanistan vs. North Korea and China: A Comparative Analysis
With a 0.25 score, Afghanistan ranks as the most undemocratic nation on earth. In contrast, North Korea, scoring 1.08, ranks slightly higher. Under Kim Jong-un’s totalitarian rule, North Korea remains a hermetically sealed, one-party state where elections serve only as a facade. However, the presence of a structured government and an entrenched state propaganda apparatus has given North Korea a marginally better standing in the political culture category compared to Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, China, scoring 2.12, also falls under the category of authoritarian regimes but fares significantly better than both Afghanistan and North Korea. The Chinese Communist Party’s absolute monopoly on power, stringent media censorship, and ruthless suppression of dissent define its governance model. However, China’s political stability and economic strength contribute to its higher ranking, distinguishing it from the world’s most extreme autocracies.
A Regime Defined by Absolute Repression
The Economist’s findings reinforce the reality that Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, has not only abandoned all traces of democratic governance but has also become the most repressive state on the planet. The abolition of elections, systematic suppression of civil liberties, consolidation of power within an unaccountable elite, and the absolute absence of political participation are the primary factors driving Afghanistan’s historically low ranking.
While North Korea and China continue to operate under authoritarian rule, Afghanistan has recorded the worst performance across all democratic indicators, firmly establishing it as the world’s most despotic and politically regressive state.
