Effects of Income Distribution on Democratic Regimes

Year 2017, Volume: 21 Issue: 2, 1 - 10, 29.12.2017

Süleyman Bilgin Kılıç , Mehmet Fatih Cin

Abstract

This study investigates effects of the income inequality on democratic regimes levels of the nations. Democratic
regime levels are measured by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Index of Democracy which is based on five
categories: electoral process and pluralism; civil liberties; the functioning of government; political participation;
and political culture. Based on their scores on a range of indicators within these categories, each country is then
categorized as one of four types of regime: “full democracies”; “flawed democracies”; “hybrid regimes”; and
“authoritarian regimes”. In the study, income inequality levels of the nations are measured by considering their
GINI index values. A cross-country regression analysis was performed in order to see whether any significant
relation exist between the democratic regimes levels of the nations and their income inequality levels. 

Keywords

: Democracy index, Economic Inequality, GINI index, Cross-country regression analysis

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