How to Include Political Capabilities in the HDI? An Evaluation of Alternatives

José Antonio Cheibub ()
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José Antonio Cheibub: Cline Center for Democracy at University of Illinois at Urgana-Champaign

No HDRP-2010-41, Human Development Research Papers (2009 to present) from Human Development Report Office (HDRO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Abstract: This paper evaluates existing measures of political regimes and political freedom with respect to their desirability as indicators of political capabilities. It argues that the focus of desirable measures should be on the political and civil institutions that affect individuals’ opportunities to pursue their goals (their capabilities). Attempts to capture “actual” capabilities are misleading since they replicate what the existing HDI already does and muddle a measure that derives power from its simplicity. The paper then suggests indicators that are intuitive, clear and sufficiently encompassing to capture the political and civil environment within which individuals must pursue their goals.

Keywords: democracy; regime classification; civil and political freedom (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C80 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 63 pages
Date: 2010-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cdm, nep-hap and nep-pol
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (19)

Published as background research for the 2010 Human Development Report.

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hdr:papers:hdrp-2010-41

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