What portion of the world's countries are full democracies?

1. How accurate was your prediction?

2. What most surprised you about this graph?

3. What is the big story from this graph?

4. Why do you think that only 15% of the world's countries are full democracies?

5. What do you imagine this graph would have looked like 100 years ago?

6. What do you imagine this graph will look like in 25 years?

7. What two traits do countries that are full democracies share?

8. Considering his positions on limiting the freedom of the press, of religion, and of speech, if Donald Trump became president, do you think the U.S. would still be considered a full democracy?

9. Do you think that most people who live in authoritarian states (countries that lack full voting rights, due process, and civil liberties like freedom of the press and speech) know that they live in authoritarian states?

10. What are two examples of countries that are authoritarian states?

11. According to recent scholarship, the number of democracies in the world is in decline. Why do you think that is?

Learning Extension

Read the Economist Intelligence Unit Democracy Index 2014.

Action Extension

Go to Amnesty International USA and sign a petition demanding political freedom from an authoritarian regime.