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(Un)Sustainable Development: Do Democracies Outperform Autocracies?

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  • Leonel Prieto
  • Arman Canatay
  • Muhammad R. Amin

Abstract

Political regimes significantly determine the ability of nations to develop in one way or another. The current crisis of democracy has prompted the following question: to what degree does democracy deliver? To answer this question, it is necessary to conduct research that investigates political regimes' performance in terms of multiple sustainable development indicators. This study examines relationships between governance, institutions, infrastructure, technology and innovation, prosperity (economic), the biophysical environment, and people (social). Using 69 development indicators from 116 countries with political regimes categorized into closed and electoral autocracies, electoral and liberal democracies, autocracies, and democracies, six model configurations were analyzed utilizing PLS‐SEM. This study substantially expands the criteria previously used for comparing political regimes, thereby empirically and comprehensively testing the performance of autocracies and democracies. Based on several patterns of relationships' strength, democracies show a slightly stronger socio‐ecological development than autocracies. However, crucial social and environmental deficits remain.

Suggested Citation

  • Leonel Prieto & Arman Canatay & Muhammad R. Amin, 2026. "(Un)Sustainable Development: Do Democracies Outperform Autocracies?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(1), pages 554-584, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:34:y:2026:i:1:p:554-584
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.70228
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