Mar 24, 2009

Economic distress index - USA is 5.3 for moderate alert on national safety and security

U.S. Political Instability Index - 5.3
We define social and political unrest or upheaval as those events or developments that pose a serious extra-parliamentary or extra-institutional threat to governments or the existing political order. The events will almost invariably be accompanied by some violence as well as public disorder. These need not necessarily succeed in toppling a government or regime. Even unsuccessful episodes result in turmoil and serious disruption.

The overall index on a scale of 0 (no vulnerability) to 10 (highest vulnerability) has two component indexes an index of underlying vulnerability and an economic distress index. The overall index is a simple average (on a 1-10 scale) of the two component indexes.


There are 15 indicators in all12 for the underlying and 3 for the economic distress index:
inequality; state history; corruption; ethnic fragmentation; trust in institutions; status of minorities; history of political instability; proclivity to labour unrest; level of social provision; a country’s neighbourhood; regime type (full democracy, flaweddemocracy, hybrid or authoritarian); and the interaction of regime type with political factionalism.

Who's at risk as deepening economic distress foments social unrest?
Read report at www.eiu.com/special by The Economist

Haase - Safety and our nations security need to be address 'proactively' not after events... I wonder if my years planning RMP's and Community and Business Contingency Plans would be of value around here ;-)