Robert J. Barro's 1999 study examines the determinants of democracy across over 100 countries from 1960 to 1995. The study finds that improvements in living standards, measured by per capita GDP and primary education, predict increases in democracy, as indicated by subjective measures of electoral rights. Democracy tends to decline with urbanization and reliance on natural resources but is positively related to the share of the middle class in income. The Lipset/Aristotle hypothesis, which posits that prosperity stimulates democracy, is strongly supported by the data. However, the relationship between democracy and colonial heritage weakens when economic variables are held constant, and the interplay between democracy and religious affiliation is complex, with Muslim and non-religious affiliations having negative effects on democracy. The study also explores additional factors such as health indicators, income inequality, ethnolinguistic fractionalization, and the rule of law, finding varying degrees of influence on democracy. Overall, the findings suggest that economic development plays a crucial role in promoting democracy, while other factors like religion and colonial history have more indirect effects.Robert J. Barro's 1999 study examines the determinants of democracy across over 100 countries from 1960 to 1995. The study finds that improvements in living standards, measured by per capita GDP and primary education, predict increases in democracy, as indicated by subjective measures of electoral rights. Democracy tends to decline with urbanization and reliance on natural resources but is positively related to the share of the middle class in income. The Lipset/Aristotle hypothesis, which posits that prosperity stimulates democracy, is strongly supported by the data. However, the relationship between democracy and colonial heritage weakens when economic variables are held constant, and the interplay between democracy and religious affiliation is complex, with Muslim and non-religious affiliations having negative effects on democracy. The study also explores additional factors such as health indicators, income inequality, ethnolinguistic fractionalization, and the rule of law, finding varying degrees of influence on democracy. Overall, the findings suggest that economic development plays a crucial role in promoting democracy, while other factors like religion and colonial history have more indirect effects.