Polity Data: Persistence and Change in Political Systems, 1800-1971 (ICPSR 5010)
Version Date: Feb 16, 1992 View help for published
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s)
Ted Robert Gurr;
Erika Gurr
https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR05010.v1
Version V1
Summary View help for Summary
This data collection consists of coded descriptions of the political structures of 144 countries worldwide (428 polities) in the period 1800-1971. One of four distinct but related datasets developed by Robert Gurr and his associates at Princeton University and Northwestern University to test hypotheses about the causes of conflict within contemporary nations and the correlates of institutional change, this study probes why some political institutions perform well and persist in response to challenges and crises while others change abruptly. Operational conceptualization of the study is provided with the description of salient characteristics of political systems in terms of the dimensions of authority patterns. Included are indicators of dimensions of authority, such as the openness of recruitment, decision constraints, participation, directiveness, and complexity, the degree to which each polity was autocratic, democratic, and anocratic, and the dichotomous indicator of coherence of a polity as consistently democratic. Additional data provide information on the circumstances of the birth and death of a polity, including the character of the polity and reasons for its termination. Three related studies focus on civil conflicts in polities: CONFLICT AND SOCIETY (ICPSR 7452), CIVIL STRIFE EVENTS, 1955-1970 (ICPSR 7531), and CIVIL STRIFE CONFLICT MAGNITUDES, 1955-1970 (ICPSR 7485).
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Geographic Coverage View help for Geographic Coverage
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Universe View help for Universe
A total of 144 nations, most of which were members of the international system between 1817 and 1940.
Data Source View help for Data Source
(1) STATESMAN'S YEARBOOK, (2) ANNUAL REGISTER, (3) ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WORLD HISTORY, (4) Banks, Arthur S., and Robert B. Textor. A CROSS POLITY SURVEY. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1963, and (5) Banks, Arthur S., and Robert B. Textor. CROSS POLITY SURVEY, 1963 (ICPSR 5004)
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HideOriginal Release Date View help for Original Release Date
1984-05-10
Version History View help for Version History
- Gurr, Ted Robert, and Erika Gurr. Polity Data: Persistence and Change in Political Systems, 1800-1971. ICPSR05010-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2009-01-29. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR05010.v1
Notes
These data are freely available to data users at ICPSR member institutions. The curation and dissemination of this study are provided by the institutional members of ICPSR. How do I access ICPSR data if I am not at a member institution?