A dataset containing the leaders in dictatorships data from Milan Svolik, 2012.
The Politics of Authoritarian Rule. New York: Cambridge University Press. The
original data and codebook can be found at
http://campuspress.yale.edu/svolik/the-politics-of-authoritarian-rule/.
This is based on Archigos, but it is slightly different.
svolik_leader
An object of class tbl_df (inherits from tbl, data.frame) with 708 rows and 39 columns.
Variable descriptions
- country_name
- Standardized country name. This is the same
across all datasets in this package, so you can always join them by
country_name and year. Character with 135 distinct values. Most common: Bolivia
(24), Haiti (25), Russia (Soviet Union) (18). NAs = 0.
- GWn
- Gleditsch-Ward numeric country code. See Gleditsch and Ward (1999).
Numeric. Max = 990, min = 40, distinct = 135, mean = 450.984, sd = 260.346, NAs
= 0.
- leader
- Leader name. Character with 650 distinct values. Most common:
Abdallah (2), Ahomadegbe (2), Ali Nassir Hassani (2), Anastasio Somoza Garcia
(2), Andropov (2), Azali Assoumani (2), Balaguer (2), Barrientos Ortuna (2),
Botha (2), Bouterse (2), Brezhnev (2), Buyoya (2), Cantave (2), Castro (3),
Chernenko (2), Dacko (2), Duarte (2), El-Kudsi (2), Gorbachev (2), Hun Sen (2),
Jabir As-Sabah (2), Jigme Thinley (2), Khrushchev (2), Kouandete (2), Lamizana
(2), Lanusse (2), Lon Nol (2), Lopez Arellano (2), Maga (2), Makarios (2),
Malenkov (2), Mba (2), Medvedev (2), Milosevic (2), Namphy (2), Ne Win (2),
Nguesso (2), Noriega (2), Odria (2), Osorio (2), Ovando Candia (2), Paz
Estenssoro (2), Preval (2), Putin (2), Rahman (2), Rawlings (2), Razak (2),
Shahid Suhrawardy (2), Sihanouk (2), Siles Zuazo (2), Soglo (2), Stalin (2),
Suarez (2), Thanon Kittakachorn (2), Tofilau Eti Alesana (2), Va'ai Kolone (2),
Velasco Ibarra (2). NAs = 0.
- startdate
- Date of entry into office. Date. Max = 2008-08-06, min =
1921-04-11, distinct = 682, NAs = 0.
- enddate
- Date of exit from office. Date. Max = 2008-12-31, min =
1946-01-11, distinct = 627, NAs = 0.
- leadid
- Leader ID. Character with 698 distinct values. Most common:
A2.2-5032 (2), A2.2-5470 (2), A2.2-5473 (2), A2.2-5476 (2), A2.2-5497 (2),
A2.2-5500 (2), A2.2-5503 (2), A2.2-5506 (2), M1.0-007 (2), M1.0-016 (2). NAs =
0.
- entry
- The manner by which the leader assumed office. Civil war: the
previous leader left office due to a civil war and the current leader either
won the civil war or was installed as a leader by a peace conference or
settlement; consensus: the leader was chosen consensually by a collective;
typically in communist dictatorships and military juntas; coup: the leader came
to power after an elite or military-led conspiracy deposed the previous leader
by threating or using force; elections: the leader won a general election;
foreign: the leader was installed by a foreign intervention; independence: the
leader entered office after a war of independence; interim: the leader assumed
office for an explicitly stated temporary period and obeyed it; typically when
the previous leader leaves office due to natural causes, resigns, or is
assassinated and the new leader is the constitutionally mandated successor and
resigns at the end of the constitutionally mandated period; the previous leader
is forced out of office in a coup or revolution and the new leader is
designated (often for idiosyncratic reasons) as a temporary successor and
resigns from office within a year; revolt: the leader participated in a mass
protest, uprising, or riot that replaced the previous leader; succession: the
leader succeeded the previous leader due to a customary or institutionalized
dynastic succession; other: a residual category for entries into office that do
not fit into any of the above. Character with 10 distinct values. Most common:
consensus (145), coup (214), elections (158). NAs = 0.
- exit
- The manner by which the leader left office (coded as missing if the
leader's tenure is right-censored): assassination: the leader was killed in an
event that was not an organized attempt to replace him in power (and therefore
does not qualify as a coup or revolt); civil war: the leader left office due to
a civil war; consensus: the leader left office by a consensual collective
decision; typically at the end of his term in communist dictatorships and
military juntas; coup: the leader was deposed by an elite or military-led
conspiracy that involved the threat or use of force; elections: the leader ran
for re-election but lost; foreign: the leader was forced out of office as a
result of a foreign intervention or interstate war; interim: the leader assumed
office for an explicitly stated temporary period and obeyed it when he left;
typically when the previous leader left office due to natural causes, resigned,
or was assassinated and the current leader was the constitutionally mandated
successor and resigned at the end of the constitutionally mandated period; the
previous leader was forced out of office in a coup or revolution and the new
leader was designated (often for idiosyncratic reasons) as a temporary
successor and resigned from office within a year; this category also includes
various rotation agreements as long as the mandated period in office has been
explicitly stated and obeyed; natural: the leader left office due to sickness
or death; no contest: a leader who was eligible to serve for another term if
re-elected chose not to run for re-election; resignation: a leader voluntarily
left office, typically to retire; revolt: the leader was forced out of office
by a mass protest, uprising, strike, or riot (revolts among military units that
led to the exit of a leader were coded as a revolt instead of coup if they
involved mass public participation); stepdown: the leader left office due to
events resulting in a transition to democracy; term limit: the leader left
office because he was constitutionally prevented from serving for another term;
other: a residual category for exits from office that do not fit into any of
the above. Character with 15 distinct values. Most common: coup (202), interim
(59), natural (86). NAs = 65.
- pol_aff
- The leader's political relationship to the previous leader prior
to assuming office: regime: the leader has explicitly stated his pro-government
position prior to assuming office, typically by being a member of the
government, a member of the legislature from a governing party, or a member of
the ruling family; Soldiers are coded as "regime" if they held a government
position or were explicitly adopting a political position favoring the
government against the opposition (e.g. member of the junta, government, or
high military leadership); Members of royal and ruling families are coded as
"regime" unless they were openly in the opposition; Leaders of pre-independence
governments are coded as "regime." opposition: the leader has explicitly stated
his anti-government position prior to assuming office, typically by being an
opposition candidate in an election, a member of the legislature from a party
that opposes the government, a guerrilla; Soldiers are coded as "opposition" if
they explicitly adopted a political position opposing the government (e.g. a
decommissioned general running as an opposition candidate or starting an
insurgency). unaffiliated: the leader has not unambiguously stated his support
or opposition to the government prior to assuming office, typically a member of
the military who has not publicly stated his position prior to intervening or
interim leader who was previously a member of the judiciary independence: a
leader of an independence movement. Character with 5 distinct values. Most
common: opposition (80), regime (420), unaffiliated (135). NAs = 20.
- inst_aff_1
- First of the leader's three most significant institutional
affiliations prior to assuming office from among the following alternatives:
government: a member of the government; guerrilla: a participant in an
guerrilla or independence movement judiciary: a member of the judiciary;
legislature: a member of the legislature; military: a member of the military;
opposition: an opposition candidate or party member; party: regime party member
royal: a member of the royal or ruling family (a relative of the ruler); other:
a residual category. Character with 10 distinct values. Most common: government
(248), military (236), royal (63). NAs = 6.
- inst_aff_2
- Second of the leader's three most significant institutional
affiliations prior to assuming office from among the following alternatives:
government: a member of the government; guerrilla: a participant in an
guerrilla or independence movement judiciary: a member of the judiciary;
legislature: a member of the legislature; military: a member of the military;
opposition: an opposition candidate or party member; party: regime party member
royal: a member of the royal or ruling family (a relative of the ruler); other:
a residual category. Character with 10 distinct values. Most common: government
(59), legislature (32), party (75). NAs = 470.
- inst_aff_3
- Third of the leader's three most significant institutional
affiliations prior to assuming office from among the following alternatives:
government: a member of the government; guerrilla: a participant in an
guerrilla or independence movement judiciary: a member of the judiciary;
legislature: a member of the legislature; military: a member of the military;
opposition: an opposition candidate or party member; party: regime party member
royal: a member of the royal or ruling family (a relative of the ruler); other:
a residual category. Character with 8 distinct values. Most common: guerilla
(5), military (5), party (11). NAs = 680.
- cen
- An indicator of whether the leader's entry into office occurred
according to written or customary rules: 0 if the leader's entry into office
did not occur according to written or customary rules. Typically involves an
entry by a coup, revolt, foreign intervention, civil war, and interim periods
following exits by a coup, revolt, foreign intervention, or civil war; 1 if the
leader's entry into office occurred according to written or customary rules.
Typically involves an entry by an election, consensus, and interim periods
following exits by an election or consensus. Numeric. Max = 1, min = 0,
distinct = 2, mean = 0.49, sd = 0.5, NAs = 0.
- cex
- An indicator of whether the leader's exit from office occurred
according to written or customary rules: NA if the leader's tenure is
right-censored; 0 if the leader's exit from office did not occur according to
written or customary rules. Typically involves an exit by a coup, revolt,
stepdown, assassination, foreign intervention, or civil war; 1 if the leader's
exit from office occurred according to written or customary rules. Typically
involves an exit by election, consensus, or resignation. Numeric. Max = 1, min
= 0, distinct = 3, mean = 0.392, sd = 0.488, NAs = 67.
- milentry
- An indicator of whether the military overtly participated in
the leader's entry into office: 0 no; 1 yes. Numeric. Max = 1, min = 0,
distinct = 2, mean = 0.387, sd = 0.487, NAs = 0.
- milexit
- An indicator of whether the military overtly participated in the
leader's exit from office: NA if the leader's tenure is right-censored; 0 no; 1
yes. Numeric. Max = 1, min = 0, distinct = 3, mean = 0.326, sd = 0.469, NAs =
66.
- ventry
- An indicator of whether the leader's entry into office involved
violence: 0 no; 1 yes. Numeric. Max = 1, min = 0, distinct = 2, mean = 0.189,
sd = 0.392, NAs = 0.
- vexit
- An indicator of whether the leader's exit from office involved
violence: NA if the leader's tenure is right-censored; 0 no; 1 yes. Numeric.
Max = 1, min = 0, distinct = 3, mean = 0.186, sd = 0.389, NAs = 67.
- baathist
- An indicator of whether the leader was associated with a
Baathist party: 0 no; 1 yes. Numeric. Max = 1, min = 0, distinct = 2, mean =
0.013, sd = 0.112, NAs = 0.
- communist
- An indicator of whether the leader was associated with a
communist party: 0 no; 1 yes. Numeric. Max = 1, min = 0, distinct = 2, mean =
0.134, sd = 0.341, NAs = 0.
- birth
- Year of birth; primarily from www.wikipedia.org and
www.rulers.org. Numeric. Max = 1971, min = 1870, distinct = 93, mean =
1922.228, sd = 19.895, NAs = 14.
- death
- year of the death (NA if alive as of 2008); primarily from
www.wikipedia.org and www.rulers.org. Numeric. Max = 2008, min = 1946, distinct
= 62, mean = 1981.175, sd = 14.77, NAs = 330.
- entry_summary
- Summary of entry: irregular or regular. Factor with 2
levels. Most common: Irregular (361), Regular (347). NAs = 0.
- exit_summary
- Summary of exit: irregular or regular. Factor with 2
levels. Most common: Irregular (390), Regular (251), NA (67). NAs = 67.
- censoring
- An indicator of right-censoring: 0 if the leader continues in
office beyond enddate; 1 if the leader leaves office on enddate. Numeric. Max =
1, min = 0, distinct = 2, mean = 0.907, sd = 0.291, NAs = 0.
- consecutive
- An indicator of whether the current leader entered into
office immediately after the preceding leader: NA if the current leader is the
first recorded leader for a country; 0 if the current leader does not enter
into office immediately after the preceding leader; 1 if the current leader
enters into office immediately after the preceding leader (a few ad hoc
exceptions are made when there was a gap of a few days, typically due to
procedural issues). Numeric. Max = 1, min = 0, distinct = 3, mean = 0.9, sd =
0.3, NAs = 136.
- svolik_country
- Original country name in dataset. Character with 137
distinct values. Most common: Bolivia (24), Haiti (25), Russia (18). NAs = 0.
- GWc
- Gleditsch-Ward alphabetic country code. See Gleditsch and Ward
(1999). Character with 135 distinct values. Most common: BOL (24), HAI (25),
RUS (18). NAs = 0.
- cown
- Correlates of War numeric country code. Differs from GWn for a few
country-years. See Gleditsch and Ward (1999). Numeric. Max = 990, min = 40,
distinct = 136, mean = 450.681, sd = 259.749, NAs = 0.
- polity_ccode
- Country code in Polity datasets. Differs from GWn for a few
country-years. See Gleditsch and Ward (1999). Numeric. Max = 990, min = 40,
distinct = 136, mean = 450.681, sd = 259.749, NAs = 0.
- region
- Region. Character with 18 distinct values. Most common: South
America (96), Western Africa (92), Western Asia (82). NAs = 0.
- continent
- Continent. Character with 5 distinct values. Most common:
Africa (213), Americas (192), Asia (211). NAs = 0.
- GW_startdate
- Date at which the state entered the system of states
according to Gleditsch and Ward, or NA if it has never been a member. Date. Max
= 1993-05-24, min = 1816-01-01, distinct = 117, NAs = 0.
- GW_enddate
- Date at which the state ceased to be a member of the system
of states according to Gleditsch and Ward, or NA if it still exists. Date. Max
= 2006-06-04, min = 1975-04-30, distinct = 6, NAs = 678.
- microstate
- Indicator of whether the state is a microstate, according to
Gleditsch's list of microstates. Logical. TRUE = 21, FALSE = 687, NAs = 0.
- lat
- Latitude. Numeric. Max = 61.524, min = -38.416, distinct = 135, mean
= 13.998, sd = 21.961, NAs = 0.
- lon
- Longitude. Numeric. Max = 178.68, min = -175.198, distinct = 135,
mean = 10.413, sd = 67.995, NAs = 0.
- in_cow
- Whether the country-year is in the Correlates of War system of
states. Logical. TRUE = 675, FALSE = 33, NAs = 0.
- in_system
- Whether the country-year is in the Gleditsch-Ward system of
states. See Gleditsch and Ward (1999). Logical. TRUE = 708, FALSE = 0, NAs =
0.
References
Svolik, Milan (2012). The Politics of Authoritarian Rule. New York: Cambridge
University Press.