Graphic detail | Shining light on lies
A study of lights at night suggests dictators lie about economic growth
Satellite data hints at the scale of their deception
Benito Mussolini was a tyrant, but at least he made the trains run on time. Or so the story goes. Dictators are often seen as ruthless but effective. Official GDP figures support this view. Since 2002 average reported economic growth in autocracies has been twice as fast as in democracies.
This article appeared in the Graphic detail section of the print edition under the headline “Shining light on lies”
From the October 1st 2022 edition
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