Global Peace Index

Global Peace Index

www.visionofhumanity.org

The ground-breaking Global Peace Index (GPI) has been expanded and updated with the latest available figures for 2008, a year on from the completion of the first GPI, which ranked 121 nations according to their relative states of peace.

The index is composed of 24 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources, which combine internal and external factors ranging from a nation's level of military expenditure to its relations with neighbouring countries and the level of respect for human rights. These indicators were selected by an international panel of academics, business people, philanthropists and peace institutions. The GPI is collated and calculated by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

(visit the link for the full news article)

The Rankings complete with score can be found here:
www.visionofhumanity.org...

Excerpts:

*The Top* (most secure)

Iceland ............1
Denmark .........2
Norway ............3
New Zealand ....4
Japan ...............5
Ireland .............6
Portugal ...........7
Finland .............8
Luxembourg .....9
Austria ............10
Canada ...........11

*The Lower Middle* (not so secure)

El Salvador ......................89
Brazil ..............................90
Cambodia ........................91
Cameroon .......................92
Mexico ............................93
Belarus ...........................94
Papua New Guinea ...........95
Jamaica ..........................96
United States of America ..97

*The Bottom* (least secure)

Russia ...........................131
Lebanon ........................132
North Korea ...................133
Central African Republic ..134
Chad .............................135
Israel ............................136
Afghanistan ...................137
Sudan ...........................138
Somalia ........................139
Iraq .............................140

While the bottom is quite obvious, the ranking of the US is less than flattering but understandable.

You can do your own thoughts about this, but the source must be considered reliable.

www.visionofhumanity.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by khunmoon


No surprises there really..right in line with quality of life issues.

By the way, Switzerland is number 12 - ( unashamed agenda there, I know! )

Notice Paraguay --possible future home of Dubaya-- is almost 30 steps higher than the US, in class with China, Egypt and Indonesia.

Originally posted by khunmoon
the ranking of the US is less than flattering but understandable.

Sure, it's understandable, when you look at the fact that this site most likely has a left wing bias and perhaps even a left wing agenda.

It uses a UNITED NATIONS definition of peace.

- quote from the article -

The UN defined a culture of peace as involving values, attitudes and behaviours that:

- Reject violence
- Endeavour to prevent conflicts by addressing root causes
- Aim at solving problems through dialogue and negotiation

So unless you subscribe to appeasement - you are a non-peaceful nation.

baaaaa humbug.
But you probably knew I'd say that.

reply to post by FlyersFan


Well, it was brought in this weeks edition of The Economist. Hardly a left wing publication.

Don't blame the UN (too easy).

This scale looks a lot like the Failed States Index, in which the U.S. also ranks in the 2nd group down (of four, though).

The FSI takes into account far more than only 24 indicators, and reviews 56 more countries. Plus, it has also been around since 2005, so I don't see why the article calls this Global Peace Index 'ground breaking'.

Originally posted by khunmoon
Don't blame the UN (too easy).

Okay .... but I disagree with what it says and what it's based upon.
Again .. no surprise there ...

thought the U.S. would be higher, but go canada... can't forget australia either lol.

reply to post by FlyersFan


How is using diplomacy for its intended purpose appeasement? It doesn't say "bend over backwards to any aggressor and do what he says", does it? That would be appeasement.

At least get your UN-bashing accurate