Bastian Herre
@bastianherre.bsky.social
Politics & Society Lead @ourworldindata.org. I make research on democracy, human rights, and conflict easier to access and understand. he/him
Check out my work: https://ourworldindata.org/team/bastian-herre
Check out my work: https://ourworldindata.org/team/bastian-herre
Several countries have recently managed to stop and even reverse the erosion of their democratic institutions.
In each case, people resisted growing authoritarianism.
This shows that when democracy deteriorates, its fate is not sealed, and democratic institutions can be reclaimed.
In each case, people resisted growing authoritarianism.
This shows that when democracy deteriorates, its fate is not sealed, and democratic institutions can be reclaimed.
April 1, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Several countries have recently managed to stop and even reverse the erosion of their democratic institutions.
In each case, people resisted growing authoritarianism.
This shows that when democracy deteriorates, its fate is not sealed, and democratic institutions can be reclaimed.
In each case, people resisted growing authoritarianism.
This shows that when democracy deteriorates, its fate is not sealed, and democratic institutions can be reclaimed.
More than 80% of countries vote, but less than 40% do so freely and fairly.
Most countries grant their citizens the right to vote and have multi-party elections for parliament and government.
But many fewer countries have genuinely competitive elections and freedoms of expression and association.
Most countries grant their citizens the right to vote and have multi-party elections for parliament and government.
But many fewer countries have genuinely competitive elections and freedoms of expression and association.
March 5, 2025 at 8:54 AM
More than 80% of countries vote, but less than 40% do so freely and fairly.
Most countries grant their citizens the right to vote and have multi-party elections for parliament and government.
But many fewer countries have genuinely competitive elections and freedoms of expression and association.
Most countries grant their citizens the right to vote and have multi-party elections for parliament and government.
But many fewer countries have genuinely competitive elections and freedoms of expression and association.
Polity now considers the Trump administration’s authority to be “unlimited” and gives it a score of 1.
But the examples the codebook gives for the score are a poor match for the situation the US is in right now.
But the examples the codebook gives for the score are a poor match for the situation the US is in right now.
February 12, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Polity now considers the Trump administration’s authority to be “unlimited” and gives it a score of 1.
But the examples the codebook gives for the score are a poor match for the situation the US is in right now.
But the examples the codebook gives for the score are a poor match for the situation the US is in right now.
This article has some nice visualizations of the State of the Nation's Progress Report:
The US is growing faster than other countries, but falling behind on important indicators of well-being.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/b...
The US is growing faster than other countries, but falling behind on important indicators of well-being.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/b...
February 11, 2025 at 5:04 PM
This article has some nice visualizations of the State of the Nation's Progress Report:
The US is growing faster than other countries, but falling behind on important indicators of well-being.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/b...
The US is growing faster than other countries, but falling behind on important indicators of well-being.
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/b...
In total, the page has 30 interactive charts, accompanied by both detailed and simple descriptions of the data.
October 21, 2024 at 1:17 PM
In total, the page has 30 interactive charts, accompanied by both detailed and simple descriptions of the data.
We also have a few charts related to successful aid programs:
PEPFAR, which has saved millions of lives from HIV and AIDS.
GAVI, which has vaccinated hundreds of millions of children.
The Carter Center, which has led the near eradication of guinea worm disease.
PEPFAR, which has saved millions of lives from HIV and AIDS.
GAVI, which has vaccinated hundreds of millions of children.
The Carter Center, which has led the near eradication of guinea worm disease.
October 21, 2024 at 1:16 PM
We also have a few charts related to successful aid programs:
PEPFAR, which has saved millions of lives from HIV and AIDS.
GAVI, which has vaccinated hundreds of millions of children.
The Carter Center, which has led the near eradication of guinea worm disease.
PEPFAR, which has saved millions of lives from HIV and AIDS.
GAVI, which has vaccinated hundreds of millions of children.
The Carter Center, which has led the near eradication of guinea worm disease.
The page also has numerous charts that break down the many forms of assistance:
- By official and private donors
- By sector
- By grants and loans
- By aid for emergencies and longer-term development
- By income group
- By official and private donors
- By sector
- By grants and loans
- By aid for emergencies and longer-term development
- By income group
October 21, 2024 at 1:15 PM
The page also has numerous charts that break down the many forms of assistance:
- By official and private donors
- By sector
- By grants and loans
- By aid for emergencies and longer-term development
- By income group
- By official and private donors
- By sector
- By grants and loans
- By aid for emergencies and longer-term development
- By income group
We also have charts that show how much countries receive in foreign aid from wealthier countries: in absolute terms, as a share of national income, and per capita.
October 21, 2024 at 1:15 PM
We also have charts that show how much countries receive in foreign aid from wealthier countries: in absolute terms, as a share of national income, and per capita.
The page has charts showing how much wealthy countries give in foreign aid, expressed both in absolute amounts and as a share of their national income.
We show the data both in the new reporting method of grant equivalents and the old one of net amounts, for a longer-term view.
We show the data both in the new reporting method of grant equivalents and the old one of net amounts, for a longer-term view.
October 21, 2024 at 1:14 PM
The page has charts showing how much wealthy countries give in foreign aid, expressed both in absolute amounts and as a share of their national income.
We show the data both in the new reporting method of grant equivalents and the old one of net amounts, for a longer-term view.
We show the data both in the new reporting method of grant equivalents and the old one of net amounts, for a longer-term view.
We @ourworldindata.bsky.social now have a topic page on foreign aid!
It allows you to explore data on who gives and receives foreign aid, the different types of assistance, and a few examples of when it has been successful.
A thread on what the page has in store:
It allows you to explore data on who gives and receives foreign aid, the different types of assistance, and a few examples of when it has been successful.
A thread on what the page has in store:
October 21, 2024 at 1:13 PM
We @ourworldindata.bsky.social now have a topic page on foreign aid!
It allows you to explore data on who gives and receives foreign aid, the different types of assistance, and a few examples of when it has been successful.
A thread on what the page has in store:
It allows you to explore data on who gives and receives foreign aid, the different types of assistance, and a few examples of when it has been successful.
A thread on what the page has in store:
Their work was truly formative for me, and I was thrilled to have James as my doctoral advisor.
I always appreciated how open he was to my research challenging his work.
Congratulations to him, Daron Acemoglu, and Simon Johnson!
I always appreciated how open he was to my research challenging his work.
Congratulations to him, Daron Acemoglu, and Simon Johnson!
October 14, 2024 at 12:38 PM
Their work was truly formative for me, and I was thrilled to have James as my doctoral advisor.
I always appreciated how open he was to my research challenging his work.
Congratulations to him, Daron Acemoglu, and Simon Johnson!
I always appreciated how open he was to my research challenging his work.
Congratulations to him, Daron Acemoglu, and Simon Johnson!
While the decline in violence has been uneven across countries, relationships between countries have become more peaceful around the world.
Violent rivalries have steadily declined, and bilateral cooperation has spread.
Violent rivalries have steadily declined, and bilateral cooperation has spread.
September 20, 2024 at 11:35 AM
While the decline in violence has been uneven across countries, relationships between countries have become more peaceful around the world.
Violent rivalries have steadily declined, and bilateral cooperation has spread.
Violent rivalries have steadily declined, and bilateral cooperation has spread.
Some countries are much more affected by conflict than others.
In a large number of countries, few to no people die due to conflicts.
Other countries, however, see dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of deaths per year.
In a large number of countries, few to no people die due to conflicts.
Other countries, however, see dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of deaths per year.
September 20, 2024 at 11:35 AM
Some countries are much more affected by conflict than others.
In a large number of countries, few to no people die due to conflicts.
Other countries, however, see dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of deaths per year.
In a large number of countries, few to no people die due to conflicts.
Other countries, however, see dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of deaths per year.
After World War II, hundreds of thousands of people died in conflicts each year.
Conflict deaths surged again in the 1970s and 1980s, though peaking at lower levels.
They fell to much lower levels in the 1990s and have stayed below previous peaks in the decades since — if barely.
Conflict deaths surged again in the 1970s and 1980s, though peaking at lower levels.
They fell to much lower levels in the 1990s and have stayed below previous peaks in the decades since — if barely.
September 20, 2024 at 11:34 AM
After World War II, hundreds of thousands of people died in conflicts each year.
Conflict deaths surged again in the 1970s and 1980s, though peaking at lower levels.
They fell to much lower levels in the 1990s and have stayed below previous peaks in the decades since — if barely.
Conflict deaths surged again in the 1970s and 1980s, though peaking at lower levels.
They fell to much lower levels in the 1990s and have stayed below previous peaks in the decades since — if barely.
Armed conflict is a rare cause of death in most years.
It is even less common than other causes of violent death, such as homicides and suicides.
However, the number of conflict deaths can change a lot from year to year.
It is even less common than other causes of violent death, such as homicides and suicides.
However, the number of conflict deaths can change a lot from year to year.
September 20, 2024 at 11:34 AM
Armed conflict is a rare cause of death in most years.
It is even less common than other causes of violent death, such as homicides and suicides.
However, the number of conflict deaths can change a lot from year to year.
It is even less common than other causes of violent death, such as homicides and suicides.
However, the number of conflict deaths can change a lot from year to year.
Among armed conflicts, conflicts between states are rare; intrastate conflicts and one-sided violence are more frequent; and non-state conflicts have become the most common type of conflict.
September 20, 2024 at 11:33 AM
Among armed conflicts, conflicts between states are rare; intrastate conflicts and one-sided violence are more frequent; and non-state conflicts have become the most common type of conflict.
Armed conflict is common.
Recently, at least 150 armed conflicts were ongoing each year.
This number is up from previous decades, but even then, it rarely fell below 100, and there has been no year without armed conflict for centuries.
Recently, at least 150 armed conflicts were ongoing each year.
This number is up from previous decades, but even then, it rarely fell below 100, and there has been no year without armed conflict for centuries.
September 20, 2024 at 11:33 AM
Armed conflict is common.
Recently, at least 150 armed conflicts were ongoing each year.
This number is up from previous decades, but even then, it rarely fell below 100, and there has been no year without armed conflict for centuries.
Recently, at least 150 armed conflicts were ongoing each year.
This number is up from previous decades, but even then, it rarely fell below 100, and there has been no year without armed conflict for centuries.
Tomorrow is #PeaceDay. What’s the current state of peace and conflict worldwide?
We are closer to peace than for most of the 20th century, when many more people died in conflicts.
But deaths have recently increased in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
A thread with key charts:
We are closer to peace than for most of the 20th century, when many more people died in conflicts.
But deaths have recently increased in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
A thread with key charts:
September 20, 2024 at 11:32 AM
Tomorrow is #PeaceDay. What’s the current state of peace and conflict worldwide?
We are closer to peace than for most of the 20th century, when many more people died in conflicts.
But deaths have recently increased in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
A thread with key charts:
We are closer to peace than for most of the 20th century, when many more people died in conflicts.
But deaths have recently increased in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
A thread with key charts:
Yet, democratic progress happened because people advocated relentlessly for governing themselves democratically.
We confronted enduring injustices and even setbacks, and people gained more democratic rights than ever before.
We can do it again.
We confronted enduring injustices and even setbacks, and people gained more democratic rights than ever before.
We can do it again.
September 16, 2024 at 12:06 PM
Yet, democratic progress happened because people advocated relentlessly for governing themselves democratically.
We confronted enduring injustices and even setbacks, and people gained more democratic rights than ever before.
We can do it again.
We confronted enduring injustices and even setbacks, and people gained more democratic rights than ever before.
We can do it again.
This has affected both democracies and autocracies.
September 16, 2024 at 12:06 PM
This has affected both democracies and autocracies.
And the world has recently become less democratic.
People in dozens of countries have fewer rights than a decade ago.
People in dozens of countries have fewer rights than a decade ago.
September 16, 2024 at 12:05 PM
And the world has recently become less democratic.
People in dozens of countries have fewer rights than a decade ago.
People in dozens of countries have fewer rights than a decade ago.
While people around the world have gained democratic rights, some have many more rights than others.
September 16, 2024 at 12:05 PM
While people around the world have gained democratic rights, some have many more rights than others.
But in most countries, democracy is a recent achievement. Dictatorship is far from a distant memory.
Democracies are often younger than many of their citizens.
Democracies are often younger than many of their citizens.
September 16, 2024 at 12:05 PM
But in most countries, democracy is a recent achievement. Dictatorship is far from a distant memory.
Democracies are often younger than many of their citizens.
Democracies are often younger than many of their citizens.
Two centuries ago, everyone lacked democratic rights. Now, billions of people have them.
September 16, 2024 at 12:05 PM
Two centuries ago, everyone lacked democratic rights. Now, billions of people have them.
In the 19th century, there were few countries one could call democracies. Today, there are around 90 democracies, about half of all countries.
September 16, 2024 at 12:04 PM
In the 19th century, there were few countries one could call democracies. Today, there are around 90 democracies, about half of all countries.