Scartascini, Carlos, et al. (2015). Political Institutions, State Capabilities, and Public Policy: An International Dataset (2014 Update). IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/hpduslhw

1. English

What is the database of political institutions (2014 update)?

The database of political institutions (as of the 2014 update) is a cross-national dataset that presents institutional and electoral results—measures of checks and balances, government stability and tenure, party affiliation and ideology, and legislative fragmentation and covers multiple decades.

What is the time span and geographical coverage in this version?

In the 2014 update, the dataset covers approximately 180 countries from 1975–2015 (roughly 40 years).

Who created it, and who hosts it now?

It was first compiled around 2000 by researchers in the World Bank Development Research Group. The current version is hosted and maintained by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

What types of variables are included?

• Checks and balances across branches of government
• Tenure and stability of leaders
• Party affiliation and ideology
• Fragmentation of governing and opposition parties in legislatures
• Electoral and institutional variables essential for empirical political analysis

How extensively is it used?

It is one of the most cited datasets in comparative political economy and comparative institutions. Nearly 3,000 studies have used it in empirical research (through the 2014/2015 version).

What research questions is it especially suited for?

• Comparing institutional design (executive vs legislative power)
• Studying how institutional checks affect policy outcomes
• Analyzing how party fragmentation shapes legislative success or gridlock
• Longitudinal studies of government turnover and institutional change

What should users watch out for (limitations)?

• Definitions and coding of variables may shift across versions
• Some country-year cells may be missing
• Institutional measures are complex — always check the codebook for definitions

What is the Database of Political Institutions (DPI)?

It is a global dataset compiled by the World Bank and updated by the IDB, covering about 180 countries from 1975 to 2015. It tracks institutional and electoral outcomes, including checks and balances, tenure, stability, party affiliation, ideology, and legislative fragmentation.

What is the primary purpose and scope of the World Bank Database of Political Institutions (DPI)?

The Database of Political Institutions (DPI) is now hosted with the IDB. Its purpose is to provide institutional and electoral data for empirical analysis of political economy and governance, covering 40 years across 180 countries.

How is 'executive constraint' coded within the Database of Political Institutions?

Variables include checks and balances, tenure, stability, and executive-legislative relations, which capture executive constraints.

What is the evolution of the Database of Political Institutions from 1975 to the present?

Originally compiled in 2000, expanded in 2014 to cover 1975–2015, hosted by IDB.

How does the DPI track political party tenure and fragmentation?

Variables include party age, fragmentation indices, opposition/government party composition, and legislative coalitions.

What are the 'checks and balances' (CHECKS) variables in the DPI specifically measuring?

They measure institutional constraints on the executive, legislative fragmentation, and the strength of opposition.

What are the specific indicators for military involvement in politics within the DPI?

Variables include military involvement indices and executive-military relations.

What is the accessibility and licensing of the Database of Political Institutions for commercial use?

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivs 3.0 IGO, not for commercial use.