Thu Jun 10, 12:11 pm ET
BRUSSELS – Cuba and China are more peaceful than the United States, according to a report published Thursday.
The global peace index, prepared by the Sydney, Australia-based Institute for Economics and Peace, says the world in general is becoming a more violent place. The report says nearly two-thirds of the countries it ranks every year have become more violent since 2007.
Iraq is the most violent nation in the world, the report says, followed by Somalia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Pakistan, Israel, Georgia, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Beacons of peace are New Zealand — which tops the index — Iceland, ***an, Austria, Norway, Ireland, Denmark, Luxembourg, Finland and Sweden.
The United States ranks 85th, below Cuba and China and just ahead of Angola.
The idea for the index came from Steve Killelea, an Australian entrepreneur who wanted to identify what makes a peaceful country. He asked the Economist Intelligence Unit, which is affiliated with the Economist news magazine, to look at a range of variables, from levels of homicides per 100,000 people — which drags down America and boosts Denmark — to corruption and access to primary education.
The survey also looks at levels of crime, social unrest and military spending.
World peace would save the global economy $7 trillion a year, the report says. Becoming more peaceful translates into economic gains, the report claims, because less money needs to be spent on security and can be invested instead to make the country more prosperous.
Or, maybe it has something to do with demographics.
Demographics, culture, and in some cases, government response to violent civilian offenders. I would think that poverty levels would be a very good predictor of violence levels. Certainly, a country where justice is swift, sure and severe has lower levels of violent crime than ones that are more lax. I would think a Chinese jail might be something to AVOID...contrasted with an American jail which, for many, can be better than a mutant's own home complete with A/C, heat, 3 meals a day, a place to sleep, a gym, law library, educational programs, internet access and job training programs.
In my opinion, of course.
Bergall, i think that your opinion is very accurate. Jail is a place that should want to be avoided. However since here in America it seems that criminals have more rights than anyone else, jail is the place to be for the lack luster lazy members of society. As well as the rapists, murderers, and thieves.
What these kinds of crime studies generally fail to consider is lack of law enforcement. If the police don't investigate or make arrests, there aren't going to be crimes to report. Corruption can play a huge role in this regard. Liberal standards of behavior can also play a part, particularly in such 'beacons of peace' as the Scandanavian countries.
What these kinds of crime studies generally fail to consider is lack of law enforcement. If the police don't investigate or make arrests, there aren't going to be crimes to report. Corruption can play a huge role in this regard. Liberal standards of behavior can also play a part, particularly in such 'beacons of peace' as the Scandanavian countries.
Point taken. While we're at it, let's make sure we include something I think is pretty important, CULTURE. In our sick and twisted world, being 'in da joint' is something that some add to their 'street creds'. In some societies, being a convict bears some social stigma which is reflected in social status, limited work/career opportunities, where you're allowed to live, etc. Not here ! The libs have made prison time, like abortion, meaningless in terms of social acceptance. No stigma attached. Societal rejection (or conversely, societal pressure to conform) can be a more powerful motivator for good than the threat of long-term incarceration. This is the fruit we harvest nowadays.
Apparently we're not very peaceful...
