About the project

Democracy and freedom are under threat globally, with data from the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes showing a steady decline in political freedom and the rule of law since 2012.  

Autocrats are hollowing out institutions and crushing dissent to amass power and wealth. Regimes in China, Russia, and Iran are not only suppressing their own people but also working to create a world safe for autocracy by exporting surveillance technology and authoritarian governance practices. They are waging a well-resourced global campaign to dismantle the elements of democracy that strengthen the United States and undermine its adversaries.

US President Donald Trump has consistently affirmed that US actions overseas must directly benefit citizens at home. Supporting democracy in developing countries—through diplomacy, investment, and foreign assistance—meets this criterion because the United States and its people are more secure and prosperous in a world that is free and open.

Supporting democracy abroad is not an ideological crusade to impose policies on foreign governments. Rather, it is a soft-power tool focused on strengthening the institutions of democracy—political parties, electoral commissions, legislatures, and others—that allow citizens to choose their own leaders and govern as they see fit. This approach benefits both Americans, who gain more reliable export markets and stable allies, and citizens abroad, who profit from an open marketplace of ideas and policy choices.

Yet US resources are limited. The United States must therefore prioritize which democracy-related challenges to tackle and how. The Atlantic Council’s Freedom and Prosperity Center’s series “The future of democracy assistance” aims to inform US strategy and tactics. Through a series of succinct, accessible policy papers, experts will identify the most pressing regional challenges to freedom and democracy, explain why strengthening democratic institutions and practices serves US and global prosperity, and articulate policy solutions.

Led by senior fellow Patrick Quirk, the series will deliver insights and policy recommendations from leading experts to improve democracy-strengthening efforts and associated policy in key regions. 

Featured content

A three-pillar strategy for US democracy assistance in Central and Eastern Europe

By Stephen Nix and Megan Tamisiea

As Europe faces rising authoritarian pressure and democratic backsliding, the United States must revitalize its approach to democracy assistance by prioritizing citizen participation, judicial independence, and fair elections.

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South and Southeast Asia are on the front lines of the democracy-autocracy showdown

By Prakhar Sharma and Gauri Kaushik

Across South and Southeast Asian countries grappling with authoritarianism, the United States must adopt country-specific democracy assistance efforts that preserve civic space, delegitimize authoritarian leaders, and protect free media.

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Trackers and Data Visualizations

Jun 15, 2023

Freedom and Prosperity Indexes

The indexes rank 164 countries around the world according to their levels of freedom and prosperity. Use our site to explore twenty-eight years of data, compare countries and regions, and examine the sub-indexes and indicators that comprise our indexes.

Explore the program

The Freedom and Prosperity Center aims to increase the prosperity of the poor and marginalized in developing countries and to explore the nature of the relationship between freedom and prosperity in both developing and developed nations.

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