Meaning: Categorical scale zones on the citizen rights index, distinguishing four categories from more completely to less completely autocratic, and then from less completely to more completely democratic.
Source: Welzel, Freedom Rising (2013: 255-256). Categorization is available in annual measures for most countries of the world from 1981 to 2010.
Scaling: 1 Complete Autocracy'': citizen rights score less equal 0.25; 2Incomplete Autocracy'': citizen rights score above 0.25 and less equal 0.50; 3 Incomplete Democracy'': citizen rights score above 0.50 and less equal 0.75; 4Complete Democracy'': citizen rights score above 0.75.
Links: Data sources, rescaling procedures and replication data are meticulously documented in the Online Appendix to Welzel's (2013) Freedom Rising at www.cambridge.com/welzel (p. 72). Test statistics documenting this index's superior validity in comparison to alternative democracy measures are reported in Welzel (2013: 267-271).