Democracy & Secularism
Democracy & Secularism Lead to Greater Peace & Prosperity
The Secular Community believes that greater democracy, coupled with secularism, would lead to greater overall happiness and prosperity across the globe. But that's not just a belief, it is born out by the facts, data compiled on nations across our planet.
The most democratic countries that also rank among the least religious are Norway, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom. Here is how those countries rank on key indicators from among nearly 200 existing nations:
| Nation | Happiness Index | Prosperity Index | Global Peace Index | Healthcare Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 2 | 1 | 16 | 2 |
| Sweden | 9 | 5 | 14 | 8 |
| New Zealand | 8 | 2 | 2 | 16 |
| Australia | 10 | 9 | 13 | 5 |
| Switzerland | 5 | 4 | 12 | 7 |
| Netherlands | 6 | 6 | 23 | 3 |
| Germany | 15 | 11 | 17 | 18 |
| United Kingdom | 19 | 10 | 57 | 23 |
By contrast, the most religious nations are Niger, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Burundi, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia and Afghanistan. Their key rankings are:
| Nation | Form of Government | Happiness Index | Prosperity Index | Global Peace Index | Healthcare Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niger | Authoritarian | 134 | 139 | 128 | 183 |
| Sri Lanka | Flawed Democracy | 116 | 53 | 67 | 71 |
| Yemen | Authoritarian | 152 | - | 158 | 140 |
| Burundi | Authoritarian | 156 | 140 | 134 | 186 |
| Djibouti | Authoritarian | - | 110 | 115 | 158 |
| Mauritania | Authoritarian | 126 | 144 | 127 | 146 |
| Somalia | - | - | - | 159 | 194 |
| Afghanistan | Flawed Democracy | 145 | 146 | 162 | 191 |
Data sources:
- Happiness Index - Gallup World Poll
- Prosperity Index - Legatum Institute
- Global Peace Index - Institute for Economics and Peace
- Healthcare Access - Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Form of Government - Economist Intelligence Unit
