Government and Politics

Abstract

How America Compares offers data and analysis on an encyclopedic range of social indicators, comparing the United States with 17 other politically stable, economically affluent democracies. Occasionally, there are more global perspectives, but most of the book examines commonalities and contrasts among these advanced democracies. These 18 long-standing, stable democracies show great variation in their institutional arrangements—federal and unitary systems, parliamentary and presidential systems, differing electoral systems, different constellations of party competition, different means of forming cabinets, and ensuring government accountability. This chapter also looks at issues of political performance, electoral integrity and perceptions of corruption.