FAS

Democracy in Decline?

10.18.18 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

Democracy as a political system has not advanced around the world in the past decade and by some measures it has actually declined, a new report from the Congressional Research Service observes.

The obstacles are not all located abroad. Unlike its predecessors, the Trump Administration does not include democracy promotion as part of its national security strategy, CRS noted. And for the first time last year, the Economist Intelligence Unit categorized the United States as a “flawed democracy.”

See Global Trends in Democracy: Background, U.S. Policy, and Issues for Congress, October 17, 2018.

Other new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

FY2019 National Defense Authorization Act: Selected Military Personnel Issues, October 16, 2018

The Peace Corps: Current Issues, updated October 12, 2018

NIH Funding: FY1994-FY2019, updated October 15, 2018

Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs Funding for FY2019, CRS In Focus, updated October 15, 2018

publications
See all publications
Emerging Technology
Blog
Team Science needs Teamwork: Universities should get in on the ground floor in shaping the vision for new NSF Tech Labs

At a time when universities are already facing intense pressure to re-envision their role in the S&T ecosystem, we encourage NSF to ensure that the ambitious research acceleration remains compatible with their expertise.

12.12.25 | 4 min read
read more
Emerging Technology
Blog
NSF Plans to Supercharge FRO-style Independent Labs. We Spoke with the Scientists Who First Proposed the Idea.

FAS CEO Daniel Correa recently spoke with Adam Marblestone and Sam Rodriques, former FAS fellows who developed the idea for FROs and advocated for their use in a 2020 policy memo.

12.12.25 | 10 min read
read more
Government Capacity
Blog
Demystifying the New President’s Management Agenda

In a year when management issues like human capital, IT modernization, and improper payments have received greater attention from the public, examining this PMA tells us a lot about where the Administration’s policy is going to be focused through its last three years.

12.11.25 | 20 min read
read more
Government Capacity
day one project
Policy Memo
A Digital Public Infrastructure Act Should Be America’s Next Public Works Project

Congress must enact a Digital Public Infrastructure Act, a recognition that the government’s most fundamental responsibility in the digital era is to provide a solid, trustworthy foundation upon which people, businesses, and communities can build.

12.08.25 | 18 min read
read more