Political rights lower in richer countries
Comparing GDP per capita with Political rights rating fh, gaps filled across 189 countries, 2025–2025.
- Rank correlation
- -0.56
- Holding size constant
- -0.44
- Countries compared
- 189
- Period
- 2025–2025
What might link these
The relationship between political rights and GDP per capita might be influenced by factors such as economic inequality or the presence of natural resources, which can impact political stability. A careful reader should consider the potential role of education as a confounder, as it can affect both political participation and economic growth. The correlation suggests a complex interplay between economic and political factors.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. This correlation could mislead by implying a causal link between wealth and political rights, when in fact other underlying factors may be driving the relationship.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.