What is strong civil society index in China?

Strong civil society index in China was 0.026 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest strong civil society index recorded in China?

The highest recorded value was 0.561 in 1919.

What is the lowest strong civil society index recorded in China?

The lowest recorded value was 0.01 in 1970.

How does China rank for strong civil society index?

China ranks 173rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is strong civil society index rising or falling in China?

Over the last ten years it is down 77.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this China data come from?

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

Strong Civil Society Index in China

Name: Strong Civil Society Index in China
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

China: Strong Civil Society Index was 0.026 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.026

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

173rd

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.561

in 1919

All-time low

0.01

in 1970

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Strong Civil Society Index in China, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, strong civil society index in China stood at 0.026.

That represents a change of down 77.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, strong civil society index in China peaked at 0.561 in 1919 and was at its lowest, 0.01, in 1970.

That places China 173rd 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.

Strong Civil Society Index in China, year by year

Annual values for Strong Civil Society Index in China, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.52	—
1790	0.52	+0.0%
1791	0.52	+0.0%
1792	0.52	+0.0%
1793	0.52	+0.0%
1794	0.52	+0.0%
1795	0.52	+0.0%
1796	0.52	+0.0%
1797	0.52	+0.0%
1798	0.52	+0.0%
1799	0.52	+0.0%
1800	0.52	+0.0%
1801	0.52	+0.0%
1802	0.52	+0.0%
1803	0.52	+0.0%
1804	0.52	+0.0%
1805	0.52	+0.0%
1806	0.52	+0.0%
1807	0.52	+0.0%
1808	0.52	+0.0%
1809	0.52	+0.0%
1810	0.52	+0.0%
1811	0.52	+0.0%
1812	0.52	+0.0%
1813	0.52	+0.0%
1814	0.52	+0.0%
1815	0.52	+0.0%
1816	0.52	+0.0%
1817	0.52	+0.0%
1818	0.52	+0.0%
1819	0.52	+0.0%
1820	0.52	+0.0%
1821	0.52	+0.0%
1822	0.52	+0.0%
1823	0.52	+0.0%
1824	0.52	+0.0%
1825	0.52	+0.0%
1826	0.52	+0.0%
1827	0.52	+0.0%
1828	0.52	+0.0%
1829	0.52	+0.0%
1830	0.52	+0.0%
1831	0.52	+0.0%
1832	0.52	+0.0%
1833	0.52	+0.0%
1834	0.52	+0.0%
1835	0.52	+0.0%
1836	0.52	+0.0%
1837	0.52	+0.0%
1838	0.52	+0.0%
1839	0.52	+0.0%
1840	0.52	+0.0%
1841	0.52	+0.0%
1842	0.52	+0.0%
1843	0.52	+0.0%
1844	0.52	+0.0%
1845	0.52	+0.0%
1846	0.52	+0.0%
1847	0.52	+0.0%
1848	0.52	+0.0%
1849	0.52	+0.0%
1850	0.494	-5.0%
1851	0.35	-29.1%
1852	0.35	+0.0%
1853	0.35	+0.0%
1854	0.35	+0.0%
1855	0.35	+0.0%
1856	0.35	+0.0%
1857	0.35	+0.0%
1858	0.35	+0.0%
1859	0.35	+0.0%
1860	0.35	+0.0%
1861	0.35	+0.0%
1862	0.35	+0.0%
1863	0.373	+6.6%
1864	0.373	+0.0%
1865	0.527	+41.3%
1866	0.527	+0.0%
1867	0.527	+0.0%
1868	0.527	+0.0%
1869	0.527	+0.0%
1870	0.527	+0.0%
1871	0.527	+0.0%
1872	0.527	+0.0%
1873	0.527	+0.0%
1874	0.527	+0.0%
1875	0.527	+0.0%
1876	0.527	+0.0%
1877	0.527	+0.0%
1878	0.527	+0.0%
1879	0.527	+0.0%
1880	0.527	+0.0%
1881	0.527	+0.0%
1882	0.527	+0.0%
1883	0.527	+0.0%
1884	0.527	+0.0%
1885	0.527	+0.0%
1886	0.527	+0.0%
1887	0.527	+0.0%
1888	0.527	+0.0%
1889	0.527	+0.0%
1890	0.392	-25.6%
1891	0.392	+0.0%
1892	0.392	+0.0%
1893	0.392	+0.0%
1894	0.392	+0.0%
1895	0.392	+0.0%
1896	0.392	+0.0%
1897	0.392	+0.0%
1898	0.327	-16.6%
1899	0.327	+0.0%
1900	0.434	+32.7%
1901	0.434	+0.0%
1902	0.434	+0.0%
1903	0.434	+0.0%
1904	0.434	+0.0%
1905	0.434	+0.0%
1906	0.434	+0.0%
1907	0.434	+0.0%
1908	0.434	+0.0%
1909	0.434	+0.0%
1910	0.439	+1.2%
1911	0.43	-2.1%
1912	0.48	+11.6%
1913	0.555	+15.6%
1914	0.545	-1.8%
1915	0.545	+0.0%
1916	0.55	+0.9%
1917	0.55	+0.0%
1918	0.55	+0.0%
1919	0.561	+2.0%
1920	0.552	-1.6%
1921	0.552	+0.0%
1922	0.552	+0.0%
1923	0.552	+0.0%
1924	0.552	+0.0%
1925	0.552	+0.0%
1926	0.552	+0.0%
1927	0.552	+0.0%
1928	0.434	-21.4%
1929	0.434	+0.0%
1930	0.44	+1.4%
1931	0.44	+0.0%
1932	0.44	+0.0%
1933	0.44	+0.0%
1934	0.44	+0.0%
1935	0.44	+0.0%
1936	0.44	+0.0%
1937	0.44	+0.0%
1938	0.465	+5.7%
1939	0.459	-1.3%
1940	0.459	+0.0%
1941	0.459	+0.0%
1942	0.459	+0.0%
1943	0.459	+0.0%
1944	0.459	+0.0%
1945	0.459	+0.0%
1946	0.459	+0.0%
1947	0.459	+0.0%
1948	0.459	+0.0%
1949	0.169	-63.2%
1950	0.045	-73.4%
1951	0.042	-6.7%
1952	0.042	+0.0%
1953	0.042	+0.0%
1954	0.042	+0.0%
1955	0.042	+0.0%
1956	0.042	+0.0%
1957	0.011	-73.8%
1958	0.011	+0.0%
1959	0.011	+0.0%
1960	0.011	+0.0%
1961	0.011	+0.0%
1962	0.011	+0.0%
1963	0.011	+0.0%
1964	0.011	+0.0%
1965	0.011	+0.0%
1966	0.025	+127.3%
1967	0.04	+60.0%
1968	0.04	+0.0%
1969	0.022	-45.0%
1970	0.01	-54.5%
1971	0.01	+0.0%
1972	0.01	+0.0%
1973	0.021	+110.0%
1974	0.021	+0.0%
1975	0.021	+0.0%
1976	0.021	+0.0%
1977	0.011	-47.6%
1978	0.03	+172.7%
1979	0.098	+226.7%
1980	0.121	+23.5%
1981	0.121	+0.0%
1982	0.121	+0.0%
1983	0.121	+0.0%
1984	0.121	+0.0%
1985	0.121	+0.0%
1986	0.121	+0.0%
1987	0.155	+28.1%
1988	0.155	+0.0%
1989	0.165	+6.5%
1990	0.104	-37.0%
1991	0.11	+5.8%
1992	0.14	+27.3%
1993	0.14	+0.0%
1994	0.134	-4.3%
1995	0.142	+6.0%
1996	0.176	+23.9%
1997	0.176	+0.0%
1998	0.176	+0.0%
1999	0.176	+0.0%
2000	0.185	+5.1%
2001	0.185	+0.0%
2002	0.197	+6.5%
2003	0.222	+12.7%
2004	0.222	+0.0%
2005	0.214	-3.6%
2006	0.214	+0.0%
2007	0.214	+0.0%
2008	0.228	+6.5%
2009	0.228	+0.0%
2010	0.221	-3.1%
2011	0.221	+0.0%
2012	0.22	-0.5%
2013	0.157	-28.6%
2014	0.157	+0.0%
2015	0.117	-25.5%
2016	0.104	-11.1%
2017	0.106	+1.9%
2018	0.095	-10.4%
2019	0.077	-18.9%
2020	0.083	+7.8%
2021	0.087	+4.8%
2022	0.05	-42.5%
2023	0.03	-40.0%
2024	0.026	-13.3%
2025	0.026	+0.0%

China compared with similar countries

China's 0.026 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6945, 4% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
China's 0.026 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7245, 4% of the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.52	0.52	0.52	1
1790s	0.52	0.52	0.52	10
1800s	0.52	0.52	0.52	10
1810s	0.52	0.52	0.52	10
1820s	0.52	0.52	0.52	10
1830s	0.52	0.52	0.52	10
1840s	0.52	0.52	0.52	10
1850s	0.3644	0.35	0.494	10
1860s	0.4431	0.35	0.527	10
1870s	0.527	0.527	0.527	10
1880s	0.527	0.527	0.527	10
1890s	0.379	0.327	0.392	10
1900s	0.434	0.434	0.434	10
1910s	0.5205	0.43	0.561	10
1920s	0.5284	0.434	0.552	10
1930s	0.4444	0.44	0.465	10
1940s	0.43	0.169	0.459	10
1950s	0.033	0.011	0.045	10
1960s	0.0193	0.011	0.04	10
1970s	0.0253	0.01	0.098	10
1980s	0.1322	0.121	0.165	10
1990s	0.1474	0.104	0.176	10
2000s	0.2109	0.185	0.228	10
2010s	0.1475	0.077	0.221	10
2020s	0.0503	0.026	0.087	6

Countries ranked near China

171 Eritrea 0.032 compare
172 Afghanistan 0.03 compare
173 Azerbaijan 0.026 compare
175 North Korea 0.016 compare
176 Belarus 0.014 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for China

Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is strong civil society index in China?: Strong civil society index in China was 0.026 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest strong civil society index recorded in China?: The highest recorded value was 0.561 in 1919.
What is the lowest strong civil society index recorded in China?: The lowest recorded value was 0.01 in 1970.
How does China rank for strong civil society index?: China ranks 173rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is strong civil society index rising or falling in China?: Over the last ten years it is down 77.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Strong Civil Society Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Strong Civil Society Index in China. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/strong-civil-society-index/china/

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About this data

Indicator: Strong Civil Society Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,138 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Data by V-Dem. Expert estimates of the extent to which interest groups, labor unions, charities, and other civil society organizations are autonomous from the state and can freely pursue their goals. The index ranges from 0 to 1 (strongest).