The least educated countries are overwhelmingly led by long-standing dictators. For 66
percent of the years in our sample, these countries are led by autocratic leaders who eventually last
for at least five years. For 50 percent of the years in our sample, these countries are led by
autocrats who eventually last for at least ten years. In contrast, only 6 percent of the time are the
least-educated countries led by democratic leaders with terms that end up being less than five years,
and only 13 percent of the time, these countries are run by democratically elected leaders that last
for more than five years. Among moderately well educated countries, the situation is more mixed.
About 43 percent of the time, these countries are governed by democratically elected leaders. For
32 percent of the time, they are governed by democratic leaders who last between 2 and 10 years in
office. In contrast, these countries are governed by dictators who last for more than 5 years for 44
percent of the time in the sample. Yet, the dictatorship that lasts for more than 10 years is still the
largest single grouping in the table (32 percent).