The latest United Nations Human Development Index has just been released for the year 2011. For over two decades the index has been an authoritative guide, measuring and combining statistics concerning health, wealth and education in the development of the countries of the world.
And once again constitutional monarchies or crowned republics do better than their numbers in the world would suggest. Of the top three countries all are constitutional monarchies and of the top five countries, four our constitutional monarchies – statistically there should barely be one.
Of the top 10, seven are constitutional monarchies. Statistically there should be less than two. Of the top 20, 10 are constitutional monarchies. There should only be three. Of the top 20, 10 are constitutional monarchies. There should barely be four.
And all of the lowest 20 are… republics
…experience…
The first time I argued these statistics was during the 1999 Republic referendum. Invited to a 1999 debate on the republic referendum at an inner city branch of the Liberal Party , my assertion that constitutional monarchies or crowned republics were among the world’s most advanced countries was greeted with hoots of derision and ridicule.
It was difficult to believe this was a branch of the party founded by Sir Robert Menzies.
Saying " Well may you laugh," I recited a list of countries with admirable records, all constitutional monarchies. This was greeted in resentful silence.
…the HDI…
The human development data utilized in the preparation of the Human Development Index (HDI) and other composite indices featured in the Human Development Report are provided by a variety of public international sources and represent the best and most current statistics available for those indicators at the time of the preparation of this annual report.
Calculations of HDI values and country rankings are the sole responsibility of the Human Development Report Office.
The 2011 Human Development Report, an editorially independent publication commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme, was published in print and on line on November 2nd, 2011. Read more
…Very High Human Development list….
1 Norway 0.943
2 Australia 0.929
3 Netherlands 0.910
4 United States 0.910
5 New Zealand 0.908
6 Canada 0.908
7 Ireland 0.908
8 Liechtenstein 0.905
9 Germany 0.905
10 Sweden 0.904
11 Switzerland 0.903
12 Japan 0.901 83.4
13 Hong Kong, China (SAR) 0.898
14 Iceland 0.898 81.8
15 Korea, Republic of 0.897
16 Denmark 0.895
17 Israel 0.888
18 Belgium 0.886
19 Austria 0.885
20 France 0.884
1. Norway
2. Australia
3. Netherlands
4. United States
5. New Zealand
6. Canada
7. Ireland
8. Liechtenstein
9. Germany
10. Sweden
11. Switzerland
12. Japan
13. Hong Kong, China (SAR)
14. Iceland
15. Korea (Republic of)
16. Denmark
17. Israel
18. Belgium
19. Austria
20. France