DEVELOPMENT

Figure 2.2.1
Assessments of Estonia’s democracy in the temporal perspective
Freedom in the World Polity IV Nations in Transit Economist
100
100
95
95
90
90
85
85
80
80
75
75
70
70
65
65
68 Estonian Human Development Report 2012/2013 a composite scale of -10 (fully institutionalized autocracies)
since it makes Estonia the state with almost the high-
to +10 (fully institutionalized democracies). In est level of democracy among the (post-Communist)
addition to democracies and autocracies, “anocracies” states under observation. The Economist’s assessment of
are evaluated on a scale of -5 to +5, as an interim category
Estonia’s democracy has remained at a somewhat lower
between the first two. The index is comprised of level, placing it between 75% and 80%. In the global
six measures, which form the basis for evaluating the context, this places Estonia in the 40s, in the category
execution of executive authority, constraints on executive
of flawed democracies. At the same time, it should be
authority, and political competition. Therefore, mentioned that, even in this index, Estonia’s position,
the emphasis of this index is primarily on institutional at least among the post-Communist states, is good – in
processes and the balance between them, and less on 2011, only the Czech Republic and Slovenia achieved
the direct measurements of freedom.
a better result.
The main categories, which the given indices focus Therefore, Estonia’s result in the context of all the
on, are shown in the following Table 2.2.1.
indices under observation is very positive, and we can
conclude that, in the category of states with similar short
histories, Estonia is one of the most successfully democratized
states. The comparative data (the point scores of the
2.2.2
Estonia’s position in the democracy indices indices and the percentage of possible maximum values)
If we convert Estonia’s position, based on the assessments
on Estonia’s results in the context of Central and Eastern
of the indices (to achieve comparability), into Europe, as well as the former Soviet Union, are shown in
percentages of the maximum possible result, we get Table 2.2.2. As far as the states in the world with a higher
the picture shown in Figure 2.2.1. The Freedom in the level of democracy is concerned, it is worth remembering
World and Polity IV indices, which cover the longest that in the Freedom in the World and Polity IV indices,
periods of time, both produce a very similar trajectory these states are assigned practically the maximum possible
in regard to the end of Estonia’s political transition,
value, and in The Economist’s index, values higher
and the consolidation of the democratic political system,
than 8 points.
during the 1990s. Currently, the values of both It is possible to obtain more information about
indices have stabilised at the best possible result. The Estonia’s position from these indices if we concentrate
Nations in Transit and The Economist’s index, which on the indices that have a greater degree of differentiation.
cover a shorter period, does not indicate the same
Therefore, we should set aside the Freedom
change, and based thereon, Estonia’s political system in the World and maybe, at first glance, the Polity IV
gets a relatively stable assessment, in the covered index, since a result that is close to the maximum generally
period, from all four indices.
means that, based on this index, the state has
It would be important, at this point, to mention fulfilled all the criteria of democracy to the maximum
the differences between the indices, since they cannot degree, or has come very close to doing so. This, in
always be interpreted on a one-to-one basis. Freedom turn, means that the two indices do not enable one to
in the World and Polity IV give Estonia an almost focus on the possible shortcomings of the democracy,
maximum result, which means that, currently, Estonia since the index is not sensitive to these shortcomings.
has achieved the highest level of democracy that can Among the four indices under consideration, The Economist’s
be determined based on these indices. In the given
index and Nations in Transit have the greatest
period, Nations in Transit gives Estonia an assessment degree of differentiation, and, by examining the subscores,
that is between 80–85% of the index’s maximum
it is possible to focus on the weaknesses of
value, and this is a very good result in the given index, Estonia’s democracy.
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011