Statizoid

Clientelism Index in Canada

Canada: Clientelism Index was 0.058 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.058
Change on year
down 3.3%
World rank
168th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.564
in 1845
All-time low
0.053
in 2016
Years of data
185
1841–2025

Clientelism Index in Canada, 1841–2025

00.20.40.6184119332025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for clientelism index in Canada is 0.058, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.3% on the previous year and down 3.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, clientelism index in Canada peaked at 0.564 in 1845 and was at its lowest, 0.053, in 2016.

That places Canada 168th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Clientelism Index in Canada, year by year

Year Value Change
1841 0.509 —
1842 0.545 +7.1%
1843 0.545 +0.0%
1844 0.55 +0.9%
1845 0.564 +2.5%
1846 0.564 +0.0%
1847 0.564 +0.0%
1848 0.528 -6.4%
1849 0.528 +0.0%
1850 0.528 +0.0%
1851 0.532 +0.8%
1852 0.543 +2.1%
1853 0.543 +0.0%
1854 0.542 -0.2%
1855 0.541 -0.2%
1856 0.541 +0.0%
1857 0.541 +0.0%
1858 0.541 +0.0%
1859 0.535 -1.1%
1860 0.535 +0.0%
1861 0.533 -0.4%
1862 0.533 +0.0%
1863 0.529 -0.8%
1864 0.523 -1.1%
1865 0.523 +0.0%
1866 0.523 +0.0%
1867 0.531 +1.5%
1868 0.544 +2.4%
1869 0.544 +0.0%
1870 0.544 +0.0%
1871 0.544 +0.0%
1872 0.54 -0.7%
1873 0.536 -0.7%
1874 0.535 -0.2%
1875 0.535 +0.0%
1876 0.535 +0.0%
1877 0.535 +0.0%
1878 0.502 -6.2%
1879 0.419 -16.5%
1880 0.419 +0.0%
1881 0.419 +0.0%
1882 0.419 +0.0%
1883 0.418 -0.2%
1884 0.418 +0.0%
1885 0.418 +0.0%
1886 0.418 +0.0%
1887 0.424 +1.4%
1888 0.425 +0.2%
1889 0.425 +0.0%
1890 0.425 +0.0%
1891 0.443 +4.2%
1892 0.446 +0.7%
1893 0.446 +0.0%
1894 0.446 +0.0%
1895 0.446 +0.0%
1896 0.423 -5.2%
1897 0.401 -5.2%
1898 0.401 +0.0%
1899 0.401 +0.0%
1900 0.406 +1.2%
1901 0.429 +5.7%
1902 0.429 +0.0%
1903 0.429 +0.0%
1904 0.427 -0.5%
1905 0.413 -3.3%
1906 0.413 +0.0%
1907 0.413 +0.0%
1908 0.416 +0.7%
1909 0.425 +2.2%
1910 0.425 +0.0%
1911 0.428 +0.7%
1912 0.437 +2.1%
1913 0.437 +0.0%
1914 0.437 +0.0%
1915 0.392 -10.3%
1916 0.392 +0.0%
1917 0.391 -0.3%
1918 0.373 -4.6%
1919 0.373 +0.0%
1920 0.407 +9.1%
1921 0.383 -5.9%
1922 0.383 +0.0%
1923 0.383 +0.0%
1924 0.383 +0.0%
1925 0.38 -0.8%
1926 0.364 -4.2%
1927 0.364 +0.0%
1928 0.364 +0.0%
1929 0.364 +0.0%
1930 0.351 -3.6%
1931 0.334 -4.8%
1932 0.334 +0.0%
1933 0.334 +0.0%
1934 0.334 +0.0%
1935 0.335 +0.3%
1936 0.328 -2.1%
1937 0.328 +0.0%
1938 0.328 +0.0%
1939 0.328 +0.0%
1940 0.254 -22.6%
1941 0.249 -2.0%
1942 0.249 +0.0%
1943 0.249 +0.0%
1944 0.249 +0.0%
1945 0.244 -2.0%
1946 0.241 -1.2%
1947 0.263 +9.1%
1948 0.263 +0.0%
1949 0.259 -1.5%
1950 0.256 -1.2%
1951 0.256 +0.0%
1952 0.256 +0.0%
1953 0.247 -3.5%
1954 0.232 -6.1%
1955 0.232 +0.0%
1956 0.232 +0.0%
1957 0.248 +6.9%
1958 0.231 -6.9%
1959 0.231 +0.0%
1960 0.231 +0.0%
1961 0.205 -11.3%
1962 0.182 -11.2%
1963 0.163 -10.4%
1964 0.163 +0.0%
1965 0.156 -4.3%
1966 0.162 +3.8%
1967 0.162 +0.0%
1968 0.136 -16.0%
1969 0.137 +0.7%
1970 0.137 +0.0%
1971 0.137 +0.0%
1972 0.135 -1.5%
1973 0.124 -8.1%
1974 0.124 +0.0%
1975 0.123 -0.8%
1976 0.123 +0.0%
1977 0.123 +0.0%
1978 0.123 +0.0%
1979 0.102 -17.1%
1980 0.101 -1.0%
1981 0.101 +0.0%
1982 0.101 +0.0%
1983 0.101 +0.0%
1984 0.103 +2.0%
1985 0.106 +2.9%
1986 0.106 +0.0%
1987 0.106 +0.0%
1988 0.106 +0.0%
1989 0.102 -3.8%
1990 0.102 +0.0%
1991 0.102 +0.0%
1992 0.102 +0.0%
1993 0.102 +0.0%
1994 0.103 +1.0%
1995 0.103 +0.0%
1996 0.103 +0.0%
1997 0.102 -1.0%
1998 0.101 -1.0%
1999 0.101 +0.0%
2000 0.095 -5.9%
2001 0.098 +3.2%
2002 0.098 +0.0%
2003 0.098 +0.0%
2004 0.086 -12.2%
2005 0.075 -12.8%
2006 0.071 -5.3%
2007 0.071 +0.0%
2008 0.069 -2.8%
2009 0.062 -10.1%
2010 0.062 +0.0%
2011 0.064 +3.2%
2012 0.064 +0.0%
2013 0.059 -7.8%
2014 0.059 +0.0%
2015 0.06 +1.7%
2016 0.053 -11.7%
2017 0.053 +0.0%
2018 0.063 +18.9%
2019 0.064 +1.6%
2020 0.067 +4.7%
2021 0.068 +1.5%
2022 0.071 +4.4%
2023 0.06 -15.5%
2024 0.06 +0.0%
2025 0.058 -3.3%

Canada compared with similar countries

  • Canada's 0.058 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.131, 44% of the median. (55 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1840s 0.5441 0.509 0.564 9
1850s 0.5387 0.528 0.543 10
1860s 0.5318 0.523 0.544 10
1870s 0.5225 0.419 0.544 10
1880s 0.4203 0.418 0.425 10
1890s 0.4278 0.401 0.446 10
1900s 0.42 0.406 0.429 10
1910s 0.4085 0.373 0.437 10
1920s 0.3775 0.364 0.407 10
1930s 0.3334 0.328 0.351 10
1940s 0.252 0.241 0.263 10
1950s 0.2421 0.231 0.256 10
1960s 0.1697 0.136 0.231 10
1970s 0.1251 0.102 0.137 10
1980s 0.1033 0.101 0.106 10
1990s 0.1021 0.101 0.103 10
2000s 0.0823 0.062 0.098 10
2010s 0.0601 0.053 0.064 10
2020s 0.064 0.058 0.071 6

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 165 Portugal 0.06 compare
  2. 166 Belgium 0.059 compare
  3. 166 Switzerland 0.059 compare
  4. 168 Estonia 0.058 compare
  5. 170 Australia 0.056 compare
  6. 170 New Zealand 0.056 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is clientelism index in Canada?
Clientelism index in Canada was 0.058 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest clientelism index recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 0.564 in 1845.
What is the lowest clientelism index recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 0.053 in 2016.
How does Canada rank for clientelism index?
Canada ranks 168th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is clientelism index rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Canada data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Clientelism Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 185 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

Relationships involving this indicator

Comparisons with other indicators across countries. Each was re-measured with population and national income held constant, so a relationship that only reflected country size is not listed here.

All correlations →

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Clientelism Index in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/clientelism-index/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
Clientelism Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 24,366 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

Composite index measuring the extent to which politics hinge on clientelistic exchanges of targeted goods, jobs, or cash for electoral support; higher values denote more pervasive clientelism.