Finally, we establish the robustness and validity of our findings and highlight some of the
limitations of our study. While the indicators introduced in this paper enter a crowded field of
indicators on aspects of the rule of law, they have several features that set them apart. First, they
are comprehensive. While existing indices cover specific aspects of the rule of law, they do not
yield a full picture of rule of law compliance. Second, they rely entirely on new data. This
contrasts with other indices building on data from third party sources. Third, they combine expert
opinion with rigorous polling of the general public to ensure that the findings reflect the
conditions experienced by the population, including several marginalized sectors of society.
Fourth, they combine information on the experiences and perceptions of respondents – either
ordinary people or qualified expert respondents – about their dealings with the law. Finally, we
present findings in disaggregated form so as to provide information that is useful for both
government and civil society, enabling them to identify strong and weak areas in each country.
Arguably, efforts to strengthen the rule of law could be more successful if they focus on specific
difficulties experienced by countries rather than the overarching and abstract goal of advancing
the rule of law