Chris Blattman

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Today is a big day in the history of democracy

India is voting. To put things in perspective:

  • The number of Indians eligible to vote in the current election: ~815 million
  • The total voting age population in the US, European Union, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand: ~700 million

Other interesting factoids:

  • Putting the representative back in representative democracy, there are 543 constituencies, meaning each member of parliament represents roughly 1.5 million people.
  • Today is a big voting day, but the logistical challenges are large enough that voting is taking pace in nine phases between April 7 and 12 May.
  • Parties are expected to spend ~$500 million in the election, the world’s second highest after the US$7 billion spent on the 2012 U.S. presidential election.
  • The ruling Congress party is expected to have a historic and humiliating defeat, putting in power the Hindu Nationalist party.

I welcome other points and items.

For the India versus West voter numbers I thank Tavneet Suri and Roberto Rigobon. Their source.

44 Responses

  1. Poverty, Secularism and Economic Growth are three issues over which this election has been focused. Let us wait and see dance of the democracy….

  2. The Wikipedia article traces back to an NDTV report that quotes the election costs as $5 billion, which would make it the second-most expensive. Brazil’s 2014 campaign should also top the $1 billion mark, which made me suspect your ~$500 million number.

    Also, no mention of the election should fail to note Narendra Modi’s role in anti-Muslim violence. Not a good guy, but a likely winner.

  3. and you could have added japan and mexico and still india would still be kicking some serious b…..s

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