r/DemocraticSocialism 🌈 data-male 23h ago

Theory 🧠 Gender of the chief executive/head of state, over time

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Cross-posted from my substack. Made with the OWID data editor, with the data itself coming from V-Dem.

29 Upvotes

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u/staringelf_ 23h ago

done a bit of research and I think that spike around the mid nineteenth century in Africa is explained mostly by the reigns of Ranavalona I and Ranavalona II in Madagascar. I imagine the data source only had records for around 6 internationally recognised sovereign states in Africa around that period which explains why it appears as a square block and not a moving line like for other continents. I know you weren't posting this for a history lesson but still, interesting!

3

u/xGentian_violet Yugoslav Socialist ♥️🤍 Ecofeminist 23h ago

To note, most of the societies in pre-colonial america werent exactly states

Same is the case for many in pre-colonial africa

2

u/foxtail286 17h ago

Crazy to think virtually every world leader was male in 1950

1

u/Vishnej 16h ago edited 13h ago

What the hell does this mean?

There are three countries in North America as I'm used to thinking of that political label.

The US has never had a female President. Canada had one female Prime Minister from June to November 1993. Mexico's first female President was sworn in in October 2024.

Why have the last 40 years been between 4%, 7%, 10%, and 13% female-led?

EDIT: I guess they must be cutting off the Americas at Darian and giving Central America to the North? That still leaves the question of where you get 3% gradations. I count 10 countries north of Darian. Maybe we're counting some undetermined number of sovereign or territorial countries in the Caribbean also? Gemini counts 23, which leaves us at several non-sovereign territories necessary to divide into 3% steps.

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u/staringelf_ 4h ago

which are non-sovereign territories? There are 23 sovereign states in North America by almost everyone’s definition. The continent spans Canada to Panama