Varieties of democracy in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Varieties of democracy was 0.772 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
0.772
Change on year
down 7.2%
World rank
37th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.875
in 2018
All-time low
0.243
in 1789
Years of data
237
1789–2025
Varieties of democracy in United Kingdom, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for varieties of democracy in United Kingdom is 0.772, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.2% on the previous year and down 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, varieties of democracy in United Kingdom peaked at 0.875 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.243, in 1789.
That places United Kingdom 37th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.
Varieties of democracy in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.243 | — |
| 1790 | 0.264 | +8.6% |
| 1791 | 0.278 | +5.3% |
| 1792 | 0.274 | -1.4% |
| 1793 | 0.274 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.274 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.27 | -1.5% |
| 1796 | 0.275 | +1.9% |
| 1797 | 0.27 | -1.8% |
| 1798 | 0.27 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.27 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.27 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.275 | +1.9% |
| 1802 | 0.276 | +0.4% |
| 1803 | 0.27 | -2.2% |
| 1804 | 0.27 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.27 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.275 | +1.9% |
| 1807 | 0.276 | +0.4% |
| 1808 | 0.27 | -2.2% |
| 1809 | 0.27 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.276 | +2.2% |
| 1811 | 0.271 | -1.8% |
| 1812 | 0.276 | +1.8% |
| 1813 | 0.271 | -1.8% |
| 1814 | 0.271 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.271 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.266 | -1.8% |
| 1817 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.271 | +1.9% |
| 1819 | 0.258 | -4.8% |
| 1820 | 0.267 | +3.5% |
| 1821 | 0.262 | -1.9% |
| 1822 | 0.262 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.262 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.262 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.276 | +5.3% |
| 1826 | 0.288 | +4.3% |
| 1827 | 0.282 | -2.1% |
| 1828 | 0.282 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.279 | -1.1% |
| 1830 | 0.285 | +2.2% |
| 1831 | 0.285 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.293 | +2.8% |
| 1833 | 0.301 | +2.7% |
| 1834 | 0.301 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.306 | +1.7% |
| 1836 | 0.301 | -1.6% |
| 1837 | 0.305 | +1.3% |
| 1838 | 0.3 | -1.6% |
| 1839 | 0.304 | +1.3% |
| 1840 | 0.311 | +2.3% |
| 1841 | 0.318 | +2.3% |
| 1842 | 0.311 | -2.2% |
| 1843 | 0.311 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.311 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.311 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.311 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.317 | +1.9% |
| 1848 | 0.312 | -1.6% |
| 1849 | 0.312 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.314 | +0.6% |
| 1851 | 0.316 | +0.6% |
| 1852 | 0.322 | +1.9% |
| 1853 | 0.314 | -2.5% |
| 1854 | 0.314 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.314 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.314 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.32 | +1.9% |
| 1858 | 0.314 | -1.9% |
| 1859 | 0.321 | +2.2% |
| 1860 | 0.316 | -1.6% |
| 1861 | 0.316 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.316 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.316 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.316 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.327 | +3.5% |
| 1866 | 0.327 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.345 | +5.5% |
| 1868 | 0.348 | +0.9% |
| 1869 | 0.345 | -0.9% |
| 1870 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.35 | +1.4% |
| 1874 | 0.365 | +4.3% |
| 1875 | 0.36 | -1.4% |
| 1876 | 0.36 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.36 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.36 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.36 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.373 | +3.6% |
| 1881 | 0.375 | +0.5% |
| 1882 | 0.375 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.375 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.409 | +9.1% |
| 1885 | 0.413 | +1.0% |
| 1886 | 0.437 | +5.8% |
| 1887 | 0.442 | +1.1% |
| 1888 | 0.442 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.442 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.442 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.442 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.448 | +1.4% |
| 1893 | 0.464 | +3.6% |
| 1894 | 0.464 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.459 | -1.1% |
| 1896 | 0.463 | +0.9% |
| 1897 | 0.463 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.466 | +0.6% |
| 1899 | 0.466 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.471 | +1.1% |
| 1901 | 0.477 | +1.3% |
| 1902 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.467 | -2.1% |
| 1915 | 0.464 | -0.6% |
| 1916 | 0.464 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.464 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.464 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.696 | +50.0% |
| 1920 | 0.706 | +1.4% |
| 1921 | 0.706 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.707 | +0.1% |
| 1923 | 0.717 | +1.4% |
| 1924 | 0.715 | -0.3% |
| 1925 | 0.713 | -0.3% |
| 1926 | 0.713 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.713 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.713 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.717 | +0.6% |
| 1930 | 0.721 | +0.6% |
| 1931 | 0.719 | -0.3% |
| 1932 | 0.725 | +0.8% |
| 1933 | 0.725 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.725 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.725 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.725 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.725 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.725 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.697 | -3.9% |
| 1940 | 0.7 | +0.4% |
| 1941 | 0.7 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.7 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.7 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.7 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.709 | +1.3% |
| 1946 | 0.784 | +10.6% |
| 1947 | 0.791 | +0.9% |
| 1948 | 0.791 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.791 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.811 | +2.5% |
| 1951 | 0.81 | -0.1% |
| 1952 | 0.808 | -0.2% |
| 1953 | 0.808 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.808 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.804 | -0.5% |
| 1956 | 0.802 | -0.2% |
| 1957 | 0.802 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.802 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.803 | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 0.808 | +0.6% |
| 1961 | 0.808 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.808 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.808 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.81 | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 0.825 | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 0.824 | -0.1% |
| 1967 | 0.829 | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 0.819 | -1.2% |
| 1969 | 0.819 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.823 | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 0.822 | -0.1% |
| 1972 | 0.822 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.822 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.824 | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 0.825 | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.821 | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 0.805 | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 0.805 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.805 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.803 | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 0.802 | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 0.802 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.802 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.803 | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 0.804 | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 0.804 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.816 | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 0.816 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.815 | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 0.814 | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 0.814 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.814 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.814 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.811 | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 0.814 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 0.835 | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 0.848 | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 0.856 | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 0.857 | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 0.857 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.857 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.863 | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 0.87 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 0.87 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.87 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.87 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.866 | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 0.865 | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 0.868 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 0.864 | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 0.861 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 0.855 | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 0.854 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.865 | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 0.875 | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 0.854 | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 0.871 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 0.857 | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 0.844 | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 0.852 | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 0.832 | -2.3% |
| 2025 | 0.772 | -7.2% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 0.772 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.786, 98% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 0.772 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.737, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Varieties of democracy 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 | +50.0% | 0.464 | 0.696 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.243 | 0.243 | 0.243 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.2719 | 0.264 | 0.278 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.2722 | 0.27 | 0.276 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.2697 | 0.258 | 0.276 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.2722 | 0.262 | 0.288 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.2981 | 0.285 | 0.306 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.3125 | 0.311 | 0.318 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.3163 | 0.314 | 0.322 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.3272 | 0.316 | 0.348 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.355 | 0.345 | 0.365 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.4083 | 0.373 | 0.442 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.4577 | 0.442 | 0.466 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.4764 | 0.471 | 0.477 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.4927 | 0.464 | 0.696 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.712 | 0.706 | 0.717 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.7212 | 0.697 | 0.725 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.7366 | 0.7 | 0.791 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.8058 | 0.802 | 0.811 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.8158 | 0.808 | 0.829 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.8234 | 0.821 | 0.825 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8035 | 0.802 | 0.805 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8163 | 0.811 | 0.835 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8618 | 0.848 | 0.87 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8627 | 0.854 | 0.875 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.838 | 0.772 | 0.871 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
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 varieties of democracy in United Kingdom?
- Varieties of democracy in United Kingdom was 0.772 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 0.875 in 2018.
- What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.243 in 1789.
- How does United Kingdom rank for varieties of democracy?
- United Kingdom ranks 37th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Varieties of democracy. 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 to which political leaders are elected under comprehensive suffrage in free and fair elections, and freedoms of association and expression are guaranteed.