Participatory Democracy Index in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.533 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.533
Change on year
down 7.6%
World rank
28th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.646
in 2018
All-time low
0.088
in 1789
Years of data
237
1789–2025
Participatory Democracy Index in United Kingdom, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 0.533 for participatory democracy index in 2025.
The figure is down 7.6% on the previous year and down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in United Kingdom peaked at 0.646 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.088, in 1789.
That places United Kingdom 28th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Participatory Democracy Index in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.088 | — |
| 1790 | 0.094 | +6.8% |
| 1791 | 0.098 | +4.3% |
| 1792 | 0.096 | -2.0% |
| 1793 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 0.097 | +1.0% |
| 1797 | 0.096 | -1.0% |
| 1798 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.097 | +1.0% |
| 1802 | 0.097 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.096 | -1.0% |
| 1804 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.097 | +1.0% |
| 1807 | 0.097 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.114 | +17.5% |
| 1809 | 0.114 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.116 | +1.8% |
| 1811 | 0.114 | -1.7% |
| 1812 | 0.116 | +1.8% |
| 1813 | 0.115 | -0.9% |
| 1814 | 0.115 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.115 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.113 | -1.7% |
| 1817 | 0.113 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.114 | +0.9% |
| 1819 | 0.111 | -2.6% |
| 1820 | 0.114 | +2.7% |
| 1821 | 0.112 | -1.8% |
| 1822 | 0.112 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.112 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.112 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.115 | +2.7% |
| 1826 | 0.119 | +3.5% |
| 1827 | 0.118 | -0.8% |
| 1828 | 0.118 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.116 | -1.7% |
| 1830 | 0.135 | +16.4% |
| 1831 | 0.135 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.138 | +2.2% |
| 1833 | 0.14 | +1.4% |
| 1834 | 0.141 | +0.7% |
| 1835 | 0.152 | +7.8% |
| 1836 | 0.15 | -1.3% |
| 1837 | 0.151 | +0.7% |
| 1838 | 0.154 | +2.0% |
| 1839 | 0.154 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.157 | +1.9% |
| 1841 | 0.16 | +1.9% |
| 1842 | 0.158 | -1.3% |
| 1843 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.16 | +1.3% |
| 1848 | 0.158 | -1.3% |
| 1849 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.158 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.16 | +1.3% |
| 1852 | 0.161 | +0.6% |
| 1853 | 0.159 | -1.2% |
| 1854 | 0.159 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.159 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.159 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.16 | +0.6% |
| 1858 | 0.159 | -0.6% |
| 1859 | 0.161 | +1.3% |
| 1860 | 0.159 | -1.2% |
| 1861 | 0.159 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.159 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.159 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.159 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.163 | +2.5% |
| 1866 | 0.164 | +0.6% |
| 1867 | 0.172 | +4.9% |
| 1868 | 0.174 | +1.2% |
| 1869 | 0.172 | -1.1% |
| 1870 | 0.173 | +0.6% |
| 1871 | 0.173 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.173 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.174 | +0.6% |
| 1874 | 0.18 | +3.4% |
| 1875 | 0.178 | -1.1% |
| 1876 | 0.178 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.178 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.178 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.178 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.183 | +2.8% |
| 1881 | 0.183 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.183 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.183 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.197 | +7.7% |
| 1885 | 0.199 | +1.0% |
| 1886 | 0.209 | +5.0% |
| 1887 | 0.211 | +1.0% |
| 1888 | 0.255 | +20.9% |
| 1889 | 0.278 | +9.0% |
| 1890 | 0.278 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.278 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.282 | +1.4% |
| 1893 | 0.289 | +2.5% |
| 1894 | 0.289 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.287 | -0.7% |
| 1896 | 0.288 | +0.3% |
| 1897 | 0.288 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.29 | +0.7% |
| 1899 | 0.29 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.294 | +1.4% |
| 1901 | 0.296 | +0.7% |
| 1902 | 0.296 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.296 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.296 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.296 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.297 | +0.3% |
| 1907 | 0.297 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.297 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.297 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.297 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.297 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.297 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.297 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.294 | -1.0% |
| 1915 | 0.292 | -0.7% |
| 1916 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.292 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.431 | +47.6% |
| 1920 | 0.437 | +1.4% |
| 1921 | 0.437 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.439 | +0.5% |
| 1923 | 0.448 | +2.1% |
| 1924 | 0.445 | -0.7% |
| 1925 | 0.443 | -0.4% |
| 1926 | 0.443 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.445 | +0.5% |
| 1928 | 0.445 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.45 | +1.1% |
| 1930 | 0.454 | +0.9% |
| 1931 | 0.452 | -0.4% |
| 1932 | 0.456 | +0.9% |
| 1933 | 0.456 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.456 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.456 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.455 | -0.2% |
| 1937 | 0.455 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.455 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.446 | -2.0% |
| 1940 | 0.448 | +0.4% |
| 1941 | 0.448 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.448 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.448 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.448 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.461 | +2.9% |
| 1946 | 0.521 | +13.0% |
| 1947 | 0.524 | +0.6% |
| 1948 | 0.524 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.524 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.548 | +4.6% |
| 1951 | 0.548 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.547 | -0.2% |
| 1953 | 0.547 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.547 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.543 | -0.7% |
| 1956 | 0.525 | -3.3% |
| 1957 | 0.525 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.525 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.526 | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 0.533 | +1.3% |
| 1961 | 0.533 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.533 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.533 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.535 | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 0.546 | +2.1% |
| 1966 | 0.548 | +0.4% |
| 1967 | 0.55 | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 0.542 | -1.5% |
| 1969 | 0.542 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.551 | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 0.551 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.551 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.551 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.554 | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 0.575 | +3.8% |
| 1976 | 0.581 | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 0.581 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.581 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.565 | -2.8% |
| 1980 | 0.571 | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 0.569 | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 0.568 | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 0.566 | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 0.564 | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 0.562 | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 0.56 | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 0.559 | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 0.557 | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 0.556 | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 0.572 | +2.9% |
| 1991 | 0.57 | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 0.567 | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 0.565 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 0.563 | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 0.563 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.563 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.561 | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 0.561 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.579 | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 0.599 | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 0.605 | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 0.604 | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 0.604 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.604 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.611 | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 0.614 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 0.614 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.614 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.614 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.611 | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 0.636 | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 0.64 | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 0.637 | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 0.635 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 0.631 | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 0.63 | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 0.639 | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 0.646 | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 0.626 | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 0.642 | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 0.628 | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 0.604 | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 0.608 | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 0.577 | -5.1% |
| 2025 | 0.533 | -7.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 0.533 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.529, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 0.533 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.4995, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Participatory Democracy Index in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | +47.6% | 0.292 | 0.431 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.088 | 0.088 | 0.088 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.0961 | 0.094 | 0.098 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.1 | 0.096 | 0.114 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.1142 | 0.111 | 0.116 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.1148 | 0.112 | 0.119 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.145 | 0.135 | 0.154 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.1583 | 0.157 | 0.16 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.1595 | 0.158 | 0.161 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.164 | 0.159 | 0.174 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.1763 | 0.173 | 0.18 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.2081 | 0.183 | 0.278 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.2859 | 0.278 | 0.29 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.2962 | 0.294 | 0.297 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.3081 | 0.292 | 0.431 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.4432 | 0.437 | 0.45 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.4541 | 0.446 | 0.456 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.4794 | 0.448 | 0.524 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.5381 | 0.525 | 0.548 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.5395 | 0.533 | 0.55 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.5641 | 0.551 | 0.581 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5632 | 0.556 | 0.571 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5664 | 0.561 | 0.579 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6083 | 0.599 | 0.614 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6331 | 0.611 | 0.646 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5987 | 0.533 | 0.642 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 25 Luxembourg 0.556 compare
- 26 Netherlands 0.553 compare
- 27 South Korea 0.551 compare
- 29 Malta 0.529 compare
- 29 Portugal 0.529 compare
- 31 Brazil 0.528 compare
More social development data for United Kingdom
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 581,072 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 517 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0084 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 participatory democracy index in United Kingdom?
- Participatory democracy index in United Kingdom was 0.533 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 0.646 in 2018.
- What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.088 in 1789.
- How does United Kingdom rank for participatory democracy index?
- United Kingdom ranks 28th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.