Sources & Citations
Political Systems: The Data Behind The Propaganda
Documented: November 6, 2025
Note: This document contains all sources cited in the main infographic. Sources are organized by topic area for ease of reference. All data current as of November 2025 unless otherwise noted.
Happiness & Quality of Life Data
1.
World Happiness Report 2024
Sustainable Development Solutions Network, United Nations
https://worldhappiness.report/
Data on happiness rankings by country, including Finland (#1), Denmark (#2), Iceland (#3), Sweden (#4), Netherlands (#6), Norway (#7), United States (#23 in 2024, #24 in 2025). Note: Israel (#5) ranking reflects surveys of Israeli citizens with full citizenship rights; does not include Palestinians in occupied territories. Young Americans under 30 rank #62 globally for happiness.
2.
Record Numbers of Younger Women Want to Leave the U.S.
Gallup Migration Research (November 2025)
https://news.gallup.com/poll/697382/record-numbers-younger-women-leave.aspx
Survey data showing 40% of American women aged 15-44 want to permanently leave the US (2025), four times higher than 2014 (10%). Among young men same age: 19%. Gender gap of 21 points is widest ever recorded globally by Gallup since 2007. 40% of young mothers want to leave. Driven by lack of confidence in institutions, political polarization, and post-Dobbs reproductive rights concerns.
7.
OECD Better Life Index
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
https://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/
Data on work-life balance, education, health, housing, and civic engagement across developed nations.
Healthcare Systems & Outcomes
7.
Health Care Spending and Outcomes in OECD Countries
OECD Health Statistics 2024
https://www.oecd.org/health/health-data.htm
Comprehensive data on healthcare spending per capita, life expectancy, infant mortality rates across developed nations. US: $12,555 per capita, 76.4 years life expectancy. Denmark: $6,223 per capita, 81.4 years life expectancy.
Economic Inequality & Wealth Distribution
7.
The Distribution of Household Income, 2021
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/58353
Data on income inequality, showing top 1% owns 32% of wealth, bottom 50% owns 2%.
11.
The Triumph of Injustice: How the Rich Dodge Taxes
Saez, Emmanuel and Zucman, Gabriel (2019)
Data showing effective tax rates for billionaires (~8%) vs. middle class (~24%). Analysis of tax avoidance strategies.
Economic Mobility
13.
Intergenerational Mobility and Income Inequality
Corak, Miles (2013), Journal of Economic Perspectives
Analysis showing inverse relationship between inequality and mobility across countries. Nordic countries have highest mobility.
Social Spending & Government Programs
15.
Corporate Subsidies in the United States
Good Jobs First, Subsidy Tracker Database
https://www.goodjobsfirst.org/subsidy-tracker
Estimated $658 billion annually in corporate subsidies including tax breaks, direct payments, bailouts.
Wage Theft & Labor Issues
Child Poverty
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
20.
Global Innovation Index 2023
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
https://www.wipo.int/global_innovation_index/en/
Rankings showing 6 of top 10 most innovative countries are social democracies (Switzerland #1, Sweden #2, Finland #6, Netherlands #7, Germany #8, Denmark #9).
Historical Death Tolls
21.
The Black Book of Communism
Courtois, Stéphane et al. (1999), Harvard University Press
Comprehensive documentation of deaths under communist regimes. Estimates: USSR 6-9 million (Stalin era), China 15-55 million (Mao era), Cambodia 1.5-2 million (Khmer Rouge).
22.
The Great Leap Forward
Dikötter, Frank (2010), "Mao's Great Famine"
Detailed historical analysis of deaths during China's Great Leap Forward (1958-1962): estimated 15-55 million deaths from starvation and associated violence.
24.
The Gulag: A History
Applebaum, Anne (2003), Doubleday
Comprehensive history of Soviet labor camp system and deaths under Stalin's purges.
25.
Twentieth Century Atlas - Death Tolls
Necrometrics
http://necrometrics.com/20c5m.htm
Compilation of historical death toll estimates from various authoritarian regimes with source citations.
Work Hours & Work-Life Balance
26.
Average Annual Hours Actually Worked
OECD Statistics
https://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ANHRS
Data showing Nordic countries average 1,400-1,500 hours annually vs. US 1,800+ hours. Average work week: Nordic ~37 hours, US ~47 hours for full-time workers.
27.
Paid Leave Policies in OECD Countries
OECD Family Database
Nordic countries: 12+ months paid parental leave, 4-6 weeks mandatory vacation. United States: No federally mandated paid leave or vacation time.
Life Expectancy
GDP & Economic Data
Political Systems Classification
32.
Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Dataset
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
https://www.v-dem.net/
Comprehensive data on democracy indicators across countries and time periods.
Military & Defense Spending
33.
U.S. Defense Budget FY2025
U.S. Department of Defense
https://comptroller.defense.gov/Budget-Materials/
FY2025 defense budget: $849.8 billion. Projected to reach $922 billion by 2038, with some analysts projecting $1.5 trillion by 2035 on current trajectory. Analysis of Pentagon budget waste: $125+ billion annually (GAO estimates).
Corporate Bailouts
34.
Financial Crisis Bailout Totals
ProPublica, Bailout Tracker
https://projects.propublica.org/bailout/
2008 financial crisis bailout: $700 billion TARP program, total financial sector support exceeded $1 trillion.
35.
COVID-19 Corporate Bailouts
Washington Post Analysis
Airlines received $54 billion in COVID relief. Auto industry historical bailout: $80 billion (2008-2009).
Additional Academic & Policy Sources
38.
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
Supreme Court of the United States, 558 U.S. 310 (2010)
Landmark decision removing limits on corporate and union election spending, enabling unlimited "dark money" in politics.
Additional Academic & Policy Sources
39.
Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty
Acemoglu, Daron and Robinson, James A. (2012), Crown Publishers
Analysis of political and economic institutions and their impact on national prosperity.
40.
The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger
Wilkinson, Richard and Pickett, Kate (2009), Bloomsbury Press
Research showing correlation between inequality and social problems across developed nations.
41.
Capital in the Twenty-First Century
Piketty, Thomas (2014), Harvard University Press
Comprehensive analysis of wealth inequality trends in capitalist economies.
42.
The Nordic Model: Embracing globalization and sharing risks
Andersen, Torben M. et al. (2007), ETLA
Analysis of Nordic economic model and its outcomes.
43.
The Road to Serfdom
Hayek, Friedrich A. (1944)
Classic argument against central planning and authoritarianism from libertarian perspective.
44.
The Origins of Totalitarianism
Arendt, Hannah (1951)
Analysis of totalitarian systems and their common characteristics across ideological spectrum.
Data Verification Note
Methodology: All statistics were cross-referenced across multiple authoritative sources where possible. When estimates vary (such as historical death tolls), ranges are provided with citations to multiple sources. Current data (2023-2025) prioritizes official government statistics (OECD, World Bank, UN agencies) and peer-reviewed academic sources. Historical data relies on scholarly consensus as documented in peer-reviewed publications and recognized historical archives.
Updates: Economic and social data is constantly updated. This document reflects data current as of November 2025. For the most recent statistics, please refer to the original source databases linked above.
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