What is the highest legislative checks on government index recorded in United States?

The highest recorded value was 0.949 in 2013.

What is the lowest legislative checks on government index recorded in United States?

The lowest recorded value was 0.61 in 2025.

How does United States rank for legislative checks on government index?

United States ranks 87th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.

Is legislative checks on government index rising or falling in United States?

Over the last ten years it is down 35.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this United States data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Legislative Checks on Government Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Legislative Checks on Government Index in United States

Name: Legislative Checks on Government Index in United States
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

United States: Legislative Checks on Government Index was 0.61 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.61

Change on year

down 29.3%

World rank

87th

of 174 countries

All-time high

0.949

in 2013

All-time low

0.61

in 2025

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Legislative Checks on Government Index in United States, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for legislative checks on government index in United States is 0.61, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 237 years on record.

That represents a change of down 29.3% on the previous year and down 35.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, legislative checks on government index in United States peaked at 0.949 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.61, in 2025.

That places United States 87th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.642	0.642	0.642	1
1790s	0.642	0.642	0.642	10
1800s	0.642	0.642	0.642	10
1810s	0.642	0.642	0.642	10
1820s	0.6644	0.642	0.754	10
1830s	0.8128	0.754	0.838	10
1840s	0.838	0.838	0.838	10
1850s	0.838	0.838	0.838	10
1860s	0.838	0.838	0.838	10
1870s	0.838	0.838	0.838	10
1880s	0.838	0.838	0.838	10
1890s	0.838	0.838	0.838	10
1900s	0.838	0.838	0.838	10
1910s	0.8662	0.838	0.872	10
1920s	0.8765	0.872	0.886	10
1930s	0.8752	0.871	0.885	10
1940s	0.8787	0.874	0.901	10
1950s	0.8954	0.893	0.901	10
1960s	0.893	0.893	0.893	10
1970s	0.9274	0.897	0.945	10
1980s	0.9245	0.906	0.935	10
1990s	0.9325	0.93	0.935	10
2000s	0.9418	0.935	0.948	10
2010s	0.924	0.85	0.949	10
2020s	0.8648	0.61	0.948	6

Countries ranked near United States

84 Sierra Leone 0.622 compare
84 Slovakia 0.622 compare
88 Somalia 0.609 compare
89 Iraq 0.599 compare
89 Sri Lanka 0.599 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More reference data data for United States

Spring temperature anomalies 2.51 °C (2026)
Summer temperature anomalies 0.5014 °C (2026)
Temperature anomalies by month 0.0594 °C (2026)
Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
Autumn temperature anomalies 0.8696 °C (2025)
Winter temperature anomalies 0.9189 °C (2025)
Consumer price index 143.86 2010 = 100 (2024)
Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
Competitive elections 1 (2025)
Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is legislative checks on government index in United States?: Legislative checks on government index in United States was 0.61 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest legislative checks on government index recorded in United States?: The highest recorded value was 0.949 in 2013.
What is the lowest legislative checks on government index recorded in United States?: The lowest recorded value was 0.61 in 2025.
How does United States rank for legislative checks on government index?: United States ranks 87th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is legislative checks on government index rising or falling in United States?: Over the last ten years it is down 35.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Legislative Checks on Government Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Legislative Checks on Government Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 174 places, 23,601 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which the legislature, including opposition parties, questions executive officials and oversees and investigates the executive.