Potential Schengen members

 

Potential Schengen members based on corruption, press freedom, and democracy:

• ·      Australia
• ·      Botswana
• ·      Canada
• ·      Chile
• ·      Costa Rica
• ·      Cyprus
• ·      Ireland
• ·      Jamaica
• ·      Mauritius
• ·      Namibia
• ·      New Zealand
• ·      Norway
• ·      South Africa
• ·      Switzerland
• ·      United Kingdom
• ·      United States
• ·      Uruguay

If we add in GDP per capita as a requirement:

• ·      Australia
• ·      Canada
• ·      Chile
• ·      Cyprus
• ·      Ireland
• ·      Japan
• ·      New Zealand
• ·      South Korea
• ·      United Kingdom
• ·      United States
• ·      Uruguay

If we add in Homicide as a requirement:

• ·      Australia
• ·      Canada
• ·      Chile
• ·      Cyprus
• ·      Ireland
• ·      Japan
• ·      New Zealand
• ·      South Korea
• ·      United Kingdom

 

Once Bulgaria and Romania have full membership, these countries fulfill all 6 metrics:

• ·      Australia
• ·      Canada
• ·      Chile
• ·      Cyprus
• ·      Ireland
• ·      Japan
• ·      Mauritius
• ·      New Zealand
• ·      South Korea
• ·      United Kingdom

The only country which will become a theoretical candidate when Romania and Bulgaria join on January 1st is Mauritius.

Only two countries fulfill only 5 metrics, the United States, and Uruguay. The United States and Uruguay have homicide rates above the minimum in Schengen.

Andorra is missing data for corruption and democracy, but it certainly could become a member of Schengen if it wanted to.

Singapore’s press freedom and democracy indices are below standard for the European Union, but the other 4 metrics are in line with the European Union. No other country is in this category.

The reality is there is a strong correlation between corruption, press freedom, democracy, income, and homicide rates. When a country starts to impact one lever, the other metrics will respond. Particularly when it comes to corruption and democratization. When countries democratize and crack down on corruption, the economy improves, inequality drops, and homicide drops.

What the trends show clearly is that Democracy + low corruption + a high level of education = wealth. With more press freedom comes a longer life expectancy. Latitude makes no significant difference.