http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/2007/07/20/are-the-statistics-on-nazarbayevs-side/ neweurasia\'s Kazakhstan blog Sun, 7 Sep 2008 23:34:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/2007/07/20/are-the-statistics-on-nazarbayevs-side/#comment-37254 Global Voices Online » Kazakhstan: Election (and Cycling) Races Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:39:36 +0000 http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/2007/07/20/are-the-statistics-on-nazarbayevs-side/#comment-37254 [...] of neweurasia reacts on a recent article of an American expert that claims that autocracies are allegedly more [...] […] of neweurasia reacts on a recent article of an American expert that claims that autocracies are allegedly more […]

]]> http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/2007/07/20/are-the-statistics-on-nazarbayevs-side/#comment-36146 ru.kazakhstan.neweurasia.net » ?? ???? ??????? ??????????? Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:13:03 +0000 http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/2007/07/20/are-the-statistics-on-nazarbayevs-side/#comment-36146 [...] ????? ??????? ? ???????????? ?????? [...] […] ????? ??????? ? ???????????? ?????? […]

]]> http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/2007/07/20/are-the-statistics-on-nazarbayevs-side/#comment-35939 Arthur Mon, 23 Jul 2007 08:41:19 +0000 http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/2007/07/20/are-the-statistics-on-nazarbayevs-side/#comment-35939 Sorry, a point of clarification: Japan is not the second largest democracy in the world, it is the second largest democratic ECONOMY in the world. Sorry, a point of clarification: Japan is not the second largest democracy in the world, it is the second largest democratic ECONOMY in the world.

]]> http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/2007/07/20/are-the-statistics-on-nazarbayevs-side/#comment-35938 Arthur Mon, 23 Jul 2007 08:39:27 +0000 http://kazakhstan.neweurasia.net/2007/07/20/are-the-statistics-on-nazarbayevs-side/#comment-35938 There is another misleading point about these statics, which was noted by Jonathan Chait over at the New Republic: undemocratic societies often post higher growth rates because they are playing catch up. Of course a nation like Kazakhstan is going to have higher growth than France or Italy-- there simply aren't vast, untapped resources in those mature states. The same is true in Russia, where the Soviets lacked the nohow and market incentive to develop much of their mineral and petrochemical wealth. But use something like the Human Development Index and it becomes clear that democratic societies are still way ahead. Or, if you want to take a more limited AEI-esqu view, just measure per capita GDP or output per worker. Finally, I think even the modest claims of Hasstt's article are hamstrung by the time frame: from 1991 until 2000 or so the second largest democracy in the world, Japan, was in the doldrums. Japan has since recovered, and Europe is also posting higher growth rates today then in decades. Add to that the spectacular growth of China, as noted by Free Exchange, and it's clear Hassett's 1991-2005 time frame is custom fitted to his paper. Let's wait for the 2005-2020 results before we start appointing AEI or Heritage Foundation scholars as Developing World dictators. There is another misleading point about these statics, which was noted by Jonathan Chait over at the New Republic: undemocratic societies often post higher growth rates because they are playing catch up. Of course a nation like Kazakhstan is going to have higher growth than France or Italy– there simply aren’t vast, untapped resources in those mature states. The same is true in Russia, where the Soviets lacked the nohow and market incentive to develop much of their mineral and petrochemical wealth. But use something like the Human Development Index and it becomes clear that democratic societies are still way ahead. Or, if you want to take a more limited AEI-esqu view, just measure per capita GDP or output per worker. Finally, I think even the modest claims of Hasstt’s article are hamstrung by the time frame: from 1991 until 2000 or so the second largest democracy in the world, Japan, was in the doldrums. Japan has since recovered, and Europe is also posting higher growth rates today then in decades. Add to that the spectacular growth of China, as noted by Free Exchange, and it’s clear Hassett’s 1991-2005 time frame is custom fitted to his paper. Let’s wait for the 2005-2020 results before we start appointing AEI or Heritage Foundation scholars as Developing World dictators.

]]>