Democracy Index in China
China: Democracy Index was -7 in 2018. ▼ Falling
Latest (2018)
-7
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
150th
of 168 countries
All-time high
2
in 1912
All-time low
-9
in 1966
Years of data
208
1800–2018
Democracy Index in China, 1800–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for democracy index in China is -7, measured in 2018.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in China peaked at 2 in 1912 and was at its lowest, -9, in 1966.
China ranks 150th of 168 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 208 years of available data.
Democracy Index in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | -6 | — |
| 1801 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1802 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1803 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1804 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1805 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1806 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1807 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1808 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1809 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1810 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1811 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1812 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1813 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1814 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1815 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1816 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1817 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1818 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1819 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1820 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1821 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1822 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1823 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1824 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1825 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1826 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1827 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1828 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1829 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1830 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1831 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1832 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1833 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1834 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1835 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1836 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1837 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1838 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1839 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1840 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1841 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1842 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1843 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1844 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1845 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1846 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1847 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1848 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1849 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1850 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1851 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1852 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1853 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1854 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1855 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1856 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1857 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1858 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1859 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1862 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1863 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1864 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1865 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1866 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1867 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1868 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1869 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1870 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1871 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1872 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1873 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1874 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1875 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1876 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1877 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1878 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1879 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1880 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1881 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1882 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1883 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1884 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1885 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1886 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1887 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1888 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1889 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1890 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1891 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1892 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1893 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1894 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1895 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1896 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1897 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1898 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1899 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1900 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1901 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -2 | -66.7% |
| 1912 | 2 | -200.0% |
| 1913 | -2 | -200.0% |
| 1914 | -5 | +150.0% |
| 1915 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -8 | +60.0% |
| 1950 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -9 | +12.5% |
| 1967 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -8 | -11.1% |
| 1970 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -7 | -12.5% |
| 1977 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -7 | -0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's -7 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7. (47 countries reporting)
- China's -7 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7.5. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1810s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1820s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1830s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1840s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1850s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1860s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 8 |
| 1870s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1880s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1890s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1900s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1910s | -3.8 | -6 | 2 | 10 |
| 1920s | -5 | -5 | -5 | 10 |
| 1930s | -5 | -5 | -5 | 7 |
| 1940s | -5.75 | -8 | -5 | 4 |
| 1950s | -8 | -8 | -8 | 10 |
| 1960s | -8.3 | -9 | -8 | 10 |
| 1970s | -7.6 | -8 | -7 | 10 |
| 1980s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 10 |
| 1990s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 10 |
| 2000s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 10 |
| 2010s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 9 |
Countries ranked near China
More social development data for China
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 230 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 153,962 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 153,962 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in China?
- Democracy index in China was -7 in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy index recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2 in 1912.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -9 in 1966.
- How does China rank for democracy index?
- China ranks 150th out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 208 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
It combines information on the extent to which open, multi-party, and competitive elections choose a chief executive who faces comprehensive institutional constraints, and political participation is competitive. It ranges from -10 to 10 (fully democratic).