Posted by Benjamin on: 06.06.2007 /
Recently I ran across The Global Peace Index from Vision of Humanity (H/T to Byron). They are studying “peace” from an academic perspective, and they have some fascinating ideas and conclusions. One big question the are trying to approach is “What exactly *is* peace, anyway?”
In their peace rankings for 121 countries , they are looking at 24 indicators under 3 broad categories: 1. Measures of ongoing domestic and international conflict, 2. Measures of safety and security in countries, and 3. Measures of militarization.
Here’s the top 10, and then a couple others of interest by rank.
1. Norway
2. New Zealand
3. Denmark
4. Ireland
5. Japan
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Canada
9. Portugal
10. Austria
25. Australia
49. United Kingdom
96. United States
119. Israel
120. Sudan
121. Iraq
Some of the 24 indicators used to rate peace were:
3. Number of deaths from organized conflict (internal)
6. Level of distrust in other citizens
15. Number of internal and security officers and police per 100,000 population
22. Aggregate number of heavy weapons per 100,000 people
I found the whole web site quite fascinating.
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Comment by: Sharon
1 06/6/07 4:21 AM | Comment Link |Hi from peaceful little NZ!
It is interesting you should post this, my husband and I were just talking about it yesterday. A flier turned up in our letterbox from the National Security Spokes(wo)man of a right-wing political party. She claims that she is “shocked by the level of crime in Wellington” and that “our police and justice system are overwhelmed”. My husband, who is from Central America, wondered if perhaps she needs to travel overseas for a while. We think it is quite possible that she isn’t even aware that we are now officially the second most peaceful nation in the world!
NZ’s ranking doesn’t really surprise me, given our isolation, small population and relaxed culture. It doesn’t mean we have no crime, or that we don’t have a problem but I think the peace ranking puts our problems into perspective. Unfortunately if you believe the media (and politicians) that perspective is sadly missing and you would think we did live in a dangerous and violent society. NZ’s ranking was reported in a few places, generally hidden in the middle of the paper while the front page shouts about the latest crime. The drive-by shooting of a 2-year old, horrible as it is, has occupied the front pages across the country for weeks.
Sorry Benjamin, coming up with an empirical metric for “peace” is quite beyond my tired brain today… I’ll have to sleep on that one.
Comment by: Rachel
2 06/7/07 8:07 AM | Comment Link |Congratulations to you and your fellow Kiwis, Sharon! Now THAT is a distinction a nation SHOULD be proud of!
Comment by: Doreen
3 06/7/07 11:08 AM | Comment Link |gee, yet another reason to move to Canada!
Comment by: Janice
4 06/7/07 11:49 AM | Comment Link |I’m still trying to interpret all the data points. There is a lot to take in there. Thanks for sharing this Benjamin!
Comment by: adaniel
5 06/9/07 7:57 AM | Comment Link |I think this map should show the world that there is a turn for the better. Europe has started two world wars in the 20th century and its nations were in bloody wars for hundreds of years. The European Union was invented 50 years ago to prevent war and promote peace. There has not been war ever since within its borders and all of its member states became blue on the map. Thanks for the great map!
Comment by: Rachel
6 06/9/07 8:30 AM | Comment Link |Welcome to Justice and Compassion, Daniel!
Comment by: Benjamin Ady
7 06/9/07 5:04 PM | Comment Link |Daniel,
That’s great–I hadn’t thought of it–but you’re right. A huge turnaround is possible. I’m thinking about what the European countries would have looked like on this map in 1944? Maybe there is some hope for my own country, the U.S. Thankyou for pointing that out!
Comment by: Benjamin Ady
8 06/9/07 5:07 PM | Comment Link |Doreen, Sharon,
Yeah–what’s up with Australia, Canada, and New Zealand all being so near the top? I have a little essay idea in the back of my head about how the U.S. was birthed in violence, and so we are continuingly violent, while Aus, Canada, and NZ were birthed in less violence–such peaceful “separations” from mother England compared to the US!. Of course I’m probably getting this all wrong as history and geography are very weak points with me.
Comment by: adaniel
9 06/10/07 11:39 AM | Comment Link |Dear Benjamin, I think it would be worthwile to use EIU’s methodology within the US. I guess that there would be almost as big regional differences among states as within many continents. But truly, what an irony: in the early 20th century the US was overall a very peaceful pleace with no real standing army. It was the US that stopped the bloodshed in Europe and Japan and forced these countries to accept international law and the build a peaceful polity. 60 years later, Japan is the 5th most peaceful country in the world, Germany scores 12th and the US ranks 96th.
Rachel: it’s a good blog!
Comment by: Rachel
10 06/10/07 7:32 PM | Comment Link |Thanks, Daniel! We’re glad you’ve joined the conversation!
Benjamin, if I were to design a metric for peace, it would include factors like adequate nutrition and housing, infant morality, literacy, and access to clean water and health care, because I believe that an environment of deprivation and economic insecurity is fertile ground for violent conflicts.
Comment by: adaniel
11 08/10/07 4:13 AM | Comment Link |Here is an update on the European interest in world peace, related to the unfolding American-Chinese cold war.
Comment by: benjamin ady
12 08/10/07 7:36 PM | Comment Link |Daniel
Thankyou! I greatly fear my understanding of economics and international relations is so meagre that I find it hard to follow a lot of your post.
But “the unfolding american chinese cold war” is an intriguing topic. It’s different, isn’t it–not so much a cold war in terms of weapons as a cold war in terms of … economics?
Have you seen Dave Richards defeatpoverty.com? Like you, he has a much greater understanding of economics than I do, and he seems to have fascinating things to say when I can follow it. =)
Comment by: Rachel
13 08/12/07 9:11 AM | Comment Link |Thanks for the link, Daniel! I admire your knowledge of global economics. I noticed in your profile that you work as a civil servant in Hungary. If you don’t mind me asking…what sort of work do you do with the Hungarian government?