ABSTRACT
Most studies that employ the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) have used them as independent variables, or explanatory factors, to predict one or more dependent variables, which are usually economic in nature. This chapter examines that country area is more important for most qualities of governance, but population has the greater effect on some qualities. Although recent scholarship shows that some sources of country wealth-oil, for example, create governmental and social problems, the chapter considers only the effects of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, regardless of the source of the country's wealth. Some scholars do link satisfaction with governance to the presence of democracy. Many, however, question whether democracy improves governance, and some writers argue that democracy actually weakens governance. As scholars who specialize in the comparative analysis of political parties and party systems, and study here the effects of political party systems on country governance.
