I think the Economist map displayed by Jack is of a genre beloved of comparative political scientists. This risk here is that such depictions become reductive and reflect more a general distaste of regimes “below par”. I really would quibble with the inclusion of France & Italy as “flawed”. Have their constitutions really been stretched à la USA recently? And India? Too soon to say. Fine, there is currently flux, but if the prospect or reality of right wing rule requires such a country reclassification, then this ends up becoming a depiction where only the well-behaved centre left to centre right gets top marks. The thrust of Jack’s article is good. I am focussing here on that map.
I think the Economist map displayed by Jack is of a genre beloved of comparative political scientists. This risk here is that such depictions become reductive and reflect more a general distaste of regimes “below par”. I really would quibble with the inclusion of France & Italy as “flawed”. Have their constitutions really been stretched à la USA recently? And India? Too soon to say. Fine, there is currently flux, but if the prospect or reality of right wing rule requires such a country reclassification, then this ends up becoming a depiction where only the well-behaved centre left to centre right gets top marks. The thrust of Jack’s article is good. I am focussing here on that map.
Fair challenge. I’m not an expert on the French constitution, but I can offer this joke:
A person walks into a library and asks for a copy of the French constitution. The librarian looks up and says "I’m sorry. We don't carry periodicals."
Awh! Nice one 😂 Carry on……….