Fact check: What are the implications of a declining democracy ranking for the US?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses reveal significant implications of the US's declining democracy ranking across multiple dimensions:

Formal Democratic Decline

The United States has been demoted from a 'full democracy' to a 'flawed democracy' by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), ranking 28th globally ^[1]. The US performed particularly poorly in Political Culture and Functioning of Government categories ^[1]. This decline is part of a broader global trend, with the overall Democracy Index score falling to a historic low of 5.17 in 2024 ^[2].

Structural Democratic Erosion

The analyses identify two primary forms of democratic erosion: election manipulation and executive overreach ^[3]. State legislatures have been restricting voter access, while executive power has expanded significantly ^[3]. The strategic manipulation of elections, executive overreach, and undermining of the civil service have become prominent features under recent administrations ^[4].

International Perception Impact

The US global perception has plummeted dramatically, with the nation's net global perception rating falling from +22% to -5% in 2025, placing it just above Russia's -9% rating ^[5]. Less than half of surveyed countries now hold a net positive image of the US, and the US president has a net negative perception in 82% of countries surveyed ^[5].

Societal Consequences

32% of Americans now subscribe to authoritarianism as the best governance solution, while half of Americans feel unrepresented by the two-party system ^[1]. The analyses highlight increasing political polarization, mistrust of public officials, and the influence of authoritarianism as key factors eroding democratic values ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Economic Inequality Connection

The analyses reveal a crucial missing element: the relationship between income inequality and democratic backsliding ^[6]. Economic conditions significantly impact democratic stability, yet this economic dimension is often overlooked in discussions of democratic decline.

Elite Manipulation vs. Popular Movement

There's an important debate about whether political elites are driving the 'populist wave' or responding to genuine popular sentiment ^[1]. This distinction matters significantly for understanding whether democratic erosion is top-down manipulation or bottom-up dissatisfaction.

Judicial System Role

The analyses emphasize the critical role of the judiciary and the need for robust checks and balances to prevent democratic backsliding ^[3]. This institutional perspective provides important context about potential safeguards and their effectiveness.

Global Context

While the US faces democratic challenges, the analyses show this is part of a worldwide trend affecting every region except Western Europe and North America ^[2]. The categories showing the biggest deterioration globally since 2008 are civil liberties and electoral process and pluralism ^[2].

Beneficiaries of Different Narratives

• Authoritarian leaders globally benefit from narratives that normalize democratic decline and present authoritarianism as effective governance
• Political elites who engage in election manipulation and executive overreach benefit from public acceptance of these practices
• International competitors like Russia and China benefit from declining US democratic credibility and global perception

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself appears neutral and factual, asking about implications rather than making claims. However, there are several important considerations:

Framing Limitations

The question focuses solely on "declining democracy ranking" without acknowledging that multiple measurement systems exist ^[7]. The Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) project provides different metrics than the EIU Democracy Index, potentially offering varying perspectives on the extent and nature of democratic decline.

Temporal Context Missing

The question doesn't specify timeframes, which is crucial since democratic erosion has accelerated under specific administrations ^[4]. The analyses show that certain periods have seen more dramatic erosion of democratic norms than others.

Causation vs. Correlation

The question implies that ranking decline has implications, but the analyses suggest the relationship is more complex - ranking decline reflects underlying structural problems rather than causing new ones (p1_s2, p3_