Country of the year: The Economist picks

0:10Hello and welcome to The Intelligence from The Economist. I'm Rosie Bloor. And I'm Jason Palmer. Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

0:25Remember that moment during the pandemic when everyone seemed to be getting a pet? Well, many of those animals are now being abandoned. Our correspondent went on an unusual rescue mission, the pet railroad to a new life.

0:51First up, though.

1:00It sometimes feels like we've lived several lives in 2024. It was the year of elections. India has re-elected Narendra Modi as prime minister. To Senegal now, which has held snap elections after the president dissolved parliament hoping to sweep through ambitious reforms. Donald Trump has won the state of Wisconsin, which means he is the winner of this race and will return to the White House as this country is 47. Russia continued its attack on Ukraine. Civil war raged in Sudan. And Israel moved forward with its assault in Gaza. More than 40 ,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its war to destroy Hamas.

1:42It wasn't all politics and war. Artificial intelligence was at the forefront of advances in tech, and all eyes turned to Paris in July as the Olympic rings lit up the Eiffel Tower. Simone Biles has won her sixth Olympic gold medal by winning the women's all-around gymnastics finals. Oh, this equestrian. By the way, look at that horse. Oh, the course crip walking, you see that? On the set! We had a brat summer, and Taylor Swift mania swept several continents. Leave your arms alone, so why can't you stay? This year has reshaped the world we live in. Some changes for the worse, and some for the better.

2:22But as 2024 nears its close, it's time to recognize the positives with The Economist's annual Country of the Year Award. The criteria is the country that is most improved during the year. And by that, we mean a country where the governance, the performance of the economy, the ability of the country to deliver rising standards of living and happiness for its population, where that's changed the most in the past 12 months. Patrick Fowles is our foreign editor and overseer-in-chief of this award. In the past, we've had lots of different countries, Uzbekistan. Pakistan. We've had Ukraine when the war was going better and it seemed to have defied the odds against Russia.

3:04Last year, we had Greece, a country that over a decade ago, you would have said was on the brink of going from a developed country into something far less stable. And Greece somehow has pulled back from the brink and got relatively centrist economic and political policies in place that have allowed it to prosper again. Patrick, I was delving into the Economist archives, otherwise known as my inbox, to see the origins of the Country of the Year awards. And I found the email from 2013, which said, a nice suggestion, instead of the rather tired person of the year, which everyone does, we might do a Country of the Year.

3:42It would not be entirely serious. But it's become a pretty serious business, hasn't it? Yeah, and like a lot of things at The Economist, it's kind of an invented tradition that we've ended up following just because it's interesting and people internally love it. So an email goes around rather like the one you just described. And then a long chain cranks away over days and days where everyone expresses different views. So this year, we've had a few countries come up more often than not. One is Poland, where Donald Tusk's government has taken power and tried to unwind the creeping organization of Poland that had occurred under the previous government.

4:21So that was one contender. There were others, South Africa, its electoral system and democracy is still in good health because in the election there, the ANC lost its majority for the first time since the end of apartheid. And then a lot of people were pro-Bangladesh, where you saw this remarkable revolution halfway through this year. And until quite recently on this email chain, it was basically a showdown between Bangladesh and Poland. And then this even more extraordinary event happened in Syria with the Assad regime being toppled. And all that means that we're down to two, Syria or Bangladesh.

4:58So we thought we'd bring in two of our section editors to deck it out over which of these should win, Bangladesh or Syria. So first, let's have the advocate for Syria, a job title that Middle East editor Josie DeLapp never thought she'd have. Josie, hi. Hi, Rosie. And making the case for Bangladesh, we have Lena Shipper. Lena is now Africa editor, But when Bangladesh had its revolution earlier this year, Lena was South Asia bureau chief and you travelled there at the time, right? Hi, Rosie. Yeah, I did. So Lena, let's start with you. Why would you argue that Bangladesh should be the country of the year?

5:35Probably the way to start is the day I arrived in Dhaka in August, a few days after a student-led protest movement had toppled Sheikh Hasina, who had ruled Bangladesh for 20 of the previous 28 years. and had grown increasingly authoritarian over that time. And there was this student movement that started initially over something quite minor, quotas in government that people felt were unfair and privileged adherents of Sheikh Hasina's regime. But the way she responded to it was just extremely ill-judged retrospectively. She sent out the security forces into the street, police shot protesters, hundreds of people were killed.

6:14but that failed because the movement didn't stop people weren't cowed nobody was scared anymore and eventually thousands of people marched on her residence in Dhaka and she was forced to flee the country and it was just the most extraordinary contrast to the previous December when I'd last been there and people were depressed they were extremely fearful of saying anything no you'd sit in a coffee shop with somebody they'd be looking over their shoulder wondering who else was listening in. And then I got off the plane in August and there was this completely different atmosphere, sort of gleeful anarchy on the streets.

6:54You had students directing traffic. It was not totally clear who was in charge. It was a slight edge to the whole thing. But everyone you talked to was telling you whatever they wanted. They were like, we're free. We can say what we like now. We never thought this would happen. And it was just the most extraordinary thing. Lena, the moment of Revolution is often an incredibly exciting one. But what's happened in Bangladesh since then? Yeah, so shortly after, Mohammed Yunus, a Nobel Prize winning economist, was appointed as the interim head of the government. And he gathered a group of advisors around him who was supposed to help him to reform the country's institutions and kind of restore democracy in Bangladesh.

7:36And there were a lot of worries at the time that people would sort of step into that power vacuum that was produced by Chez Casina's departure. But that hasn't happened, at least not so far. The economy has been stabilised. There's been a return of public order. So that gleeful anarchy I was talking about in August disappeared. And there've been some concerns of retributive violence against adherents of Chez Casina's party or religious minorities. But by and large, it's been a very positive development. Okay, a strong case there, Lena. Josie, you thought Syria deserves the award. Give us that case.

8:13I did. I mean, as you can imagine, after all of the horrors of the last year, it has been in some ways easy to forget just how horrific the Assad regime was in Syria, this country that had been battled by almost 14 years of civil war, one that saw hundreds of thousands of people killed, that saw one of the worst sieges in Aleppo that modern warfare has seen, the use by Assad of chemical weapons against his own people.

8:47This was a truly brutal and horrendous regime that was supported by Russia, by Iran. And so if we are thinking about improvement in a country's state, then the extraordinarily swift overthrow of the Assad regime by Syrian rebels in recent weeks I think is unmatched by any other country in the world. But obviously it's very early days for Syria, isn't it Josie? Absolutely. And at the moment I think there is an extraordinary sense of euphoria, as you said, about Bangladesh after this revolution. But that is the immediate aftermath of this kind of revolution. It's very unclear exactly what happens next for several reasons.

9:31One is that this is a country that has been hollowed out. So the basis on which Syria's new rulers have to build their future is fairly shaky. But also, we don't know yet exactly what kind of future Syria they want to build. HTS, the main rebel group that led to the overthrow of the Assad regime used to be affiliated with al-Qaeda. These are fairly extreme Islamists. They have ruled Idlib, one of Syria's provinces, for some years. And in Idlib, there were protests against the group there, against its brutality, against prisons where thousands of critics were locked up, the use of torture. So this is not a group that we can be confident about in terms of how they might rule Syria.

10:22And what thoughts do you have on this, Patrick? Yeah, so Josie, a question for you is one of the things that made Syria distinctive is two bad actors from outside the country were pretty central in this appalling regime. So you had Iran and then Russia providing a very substantial amount of military support for the old regime. What's your read of the role of those two bad actors now? I think that's a really interesting question. On Russia, at the moment, it seems like the rebels are negotiating with the Russians about what their role in Syria might look like. And I think the new leaders of Syria are in a tricky position where they need as much support as they can get.

11:03So at the moment, I think they're not willing to simply kick Russia out. On Iran, it's really interesting because this comes at a point when Iran is looking particularly weak in the region after the destruction that Israel has wreaked on Hezbollah, the strikes on Iran by Israel. And so losing Syria as a strategic ally for Iran really leaves a lot of questions about what its regional position is going to look like. And Lena, one of the similarities in a way between Syria and Bangladesh, and they are quite different situations, but one of the similarities is the actual status constitutionally of the authority running the country is a bit hazy.

11:42So Bangladesh has what is in effect a kind of placeholder government. What's your sense of their plan? Are they going to hold elections or are they going to kick the can down the road and run as a sort of transitional authority for much longer than we might want or hope? Yeah, so that's a very good point because obviously Mohamed Yunus has not been elected in a democratic election. He very much has this function as a caretaker leader. The constitutional status of that role is not particularly clear, which means that there's been a lot of calls from other political forces in the country, particularly the BNP, the other biggest party after Sheikh Hasina to hold early elections to legitimize either Yunus himself or elect another party that could then form a government.

12:27There are people who don't think that's a very good idea because in Bangladesh, historically, you've had this cycle of retribution. What has happened is that the two political dynasties, which is Sheikh Hasina's party and the BNP, they've traded places essentially, and they've gone after each other whenever they've been in power. And people very much don't want to return to that cycle because that's what tends to make a democratically elected government in Bangladesh more authoritarian and repressive over time. So there's a lot of concern that two early elections might revive that cycle. But then again, if you wait too long, there's obviously a danger that Mohammed Yunus' authority is eroded.

13:05And particularly if people don't feel like there's enough improvement and progress as a result of his tenure, then he's quite likely to be undermined. Lena, you've made a very strong case for Bangladesh, but tell me why in the end it clinches it for you over Syria. As much as I've enjoyed the enthusiasm in Syria over the past couple of weeks ever since Assad was toppled and the sort of celebration and the hope that people have reacquired after all these years and decades of horrible oppression. It is not entirely clear to me what's going to follow. And as we've discussed, in Bangladesh, you have four months of evidence.

13:47And Josie, let me give you a chance to bash Bangladesh. I would never want to bash Bangladesh, which has clearly made sustained and admirable progress. But I would just point out that this is an award for the greatest improvement this year. Assad was one of the most repugnant dictators of modern times. And for Syria to have rid itself of him is an improvement that I don't think can be matched. Okay, so we've had a great discussion here, but the choice is ultimately the editorial group at The Economist. Patrick, tell us which is the country of the year. Drumroll, please. It's a very hard decision between these two, but in the end we've gone for Bangladesh.

14:33These are both countries that have had revolutions this year. Revolutions are partly about the regime that has been deposed, but also about what might replace it. In Syria, you've had, as Jay-Z's outlined, one of the worst dictatorships, but what might replace it can be pretty concerning too. and we just weren't confident enough that we knew what might happen. And as a result, we've gone for Bangladesh. I actually had a chance to deliver the news of our choice to the interim leader of Bangladesh, Mohamed Yunus. We're delighted if it is for changes that happen in Bangladesh, being recognized for that.

15:12That's wonderful news for us. We feel very proud that we really made a big change because of the student uprising that took place. And from then on, we are saying we are creating a new Bangladesh. to what you want to have as a society which has a freedom of expression, human rights. So that's the country that we want to create. And it's a country that young people love to create. Now, don't forget, it's a country that was on a very bad path with an increasing level of violence against the population. And also, as Leina's outlined, the interim government so far has done a pretty good job. It's stabilised the economy.

15:51It's got safety and public security back. And it has a plan of sorts for restoring Bangladesh on the path to democracy over the medium term. And in the end, we went for it. Thank you very much. Some reasons for optimism as we move into 2025. Thank you to you all very, very much. Thank you, Rosie. Thanks, Rosie. Thank you.

16:25Right, music up, please.

16:31Whoa, too much. Uh, something lighter. Nice. Uh, now a bit of sleigh bells. Sleigh bells. Okay, perfect. Make someone merry and bright this holiday season with a gift of The Economist. Subscriptions to our print and digital editions are now 30 % off. Just search for Economist Gift Subscription.

17:08Think about the most cramped, claustrophobic flight you've ever been on, and that gives a sense of where I was. Alexandra Sewage-Bass is The Economist's culture editor. I was on a small private aircraft with 101 cats and dogs that were all in crates. And I actually had to crawl to my seat over crates and then they were kind of jammed within inches of my legs because everyone needed to be fit on this flight. You could almost smell the stress and the fear of the animals who, of course, didn't know that they were going to a positive and happy destination.

18:02This was a rescue mission, and we were carrying 101 animals, 45 dogs and 56 cats, from the Central Valley in California to Washington State, where they would be placed with rescue organizations and shelters and could be adopted. They all belonged to somebody, but obviously they didn't want them. You know, if you look at some of the dogs on the transport today, there's a French bulldog, there's a pug. You know, we get all breeds. It's not just, you know, like big aggressive dogs or anything. Sharon Lohman, who runs an animal rescue organization called New Beginnings, was standing at the airstrip in California as the animals were getting loaded up.

18:46She was holding a small dog named Liberty in her arms, which was a Schnauzer mix. Yeah, you can see her shivering. Liberty looked nervous and slightly comforted by being held by Sharon. And she had been found a few weeks earlier. She'd been abandoned by her owner on a piece of cardboard and stayed there for weeks. When they stay right in the same area, you know they were abandoned. When they run through the area, it may be that they're lost and they're trying to go home. But when you see an animal that stays in the same spot day after day after day, it's been dumped because it's waiting for the owner to come back.

19:30That's where the owner left it and it's sitting there, you know, waiting. Recently, Sharon has seen a huge spike in the number of animals that are being abandoned. She says it's worse than any time in her career in the last 20 years. There aren't enough people who are willing to adopt these animals in the Central Valley. And so Sharon had made a few calls to shelters and organizations to see if she could get these animals flown elsewhere so that they could find homes in a different state. She didn't want to see them put to death, in other words, simply because no one in their area would adopt them.

20:12People think of the holidays as a warm, cuddly time. Some children are even given dogs and cats as presents. But the reality for most of the year is a lot darker for pets in America. An average of nearly a million cats and dogs were euthanized each year from 2016 to 2019. There are simply too many animals for the number of willing adopters.

20:40And then what do we have up front?

20:47Our first stop was Arlington, Washington, where 38 cats and kittens were unloaded on the airstrip. Volunteers form deep bonds of trust, and so there were hugs and greetings.

21:05Another takeoff, another landing, about an hour later. The animals had started to adjust to this new jet-setting life and were a bit quieter this time. Some slept, and Liberty curled up in her carrier. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, pet relocation caught on. A lot of shelters banded together to try and take dogs out of the shelter system in New Orleans to safety to make space for other dogs that were likely to be displaced during the hurricane. That gave people an idea. What if they started doing this more often and ferrying animals to safety? Relocation is now a regular part of the strategy of nonprofits and shelters for helping animals survive.

21:54Transports are hugely complex logistically. They're also expensive and some environmentalists might point out have high carbon footprints. But I asked some people whether they'd heard any complaints, and the response was, who can really object to flying puppies and dogs and cats to safety? The routes can differ, but in general, animals are going from the American South to the North. There are a few reasons for that. There are more animals in the South because the winters are milder. And so there are more breeding seasons. And so, of course, dogs and cats can survive outside, even during the cold.

22:38COVID shuttered shelters, and it meant that a lot of spay and neuter procedures that would have taken place didn't happen. As a result, there's a massive animal boom underway and a huge rise in populations of dogs and cats.

23:02As I spent a lot of time watching these rescue efforts and hearing about the extent of euthanization and abandonment, I was able to reflect a lot on human nature. And the Underground Pet Railroad and the state of shelter animals really offers two different views of humanity. One is the darker side of human nature, but then there's also this huge bright side of people who are spending their lives to try and save the lives of animals. I spoke with Angie Keeling-Garcia, who is one of the volunteer pilots for Rings of Rescue. We were handed a small, perfect little dog that had just been a purse accessory, and the lady said, when somebody turned this in, the lady said, I got new furniture and this one doesn't match.

23:55And the lady, you know, she says, but you know we're a kill shelter, right? And she's like, yeah, I know. And, you know, it's hard to grapple with that shallowness. How are we like that in society right now, today? How are we like that? People can be impulsive and faddish. Whole breeds come in and out of style. Take 101 Dalmatians, which spawned a whole boom in the number of dotted dogs that were bred and sold to people who wanted to replicate that puppy paradise of the film. Right now, shelters, even in the hot south of America, are crammed with Siberian huskies. Game of Thrones featured dire wolves, which are extinct.

24:43And so people, of course, couldn't get a dire wolf, so they went for the next best thing. Only to find that the breed requires a huge amount of care, exercise, and grooming.

24:57But shelter pets can also serve as a testament to human compassion and generosity. I visited Operation Kindness in Dallas, which was organizing for the transport of dogs by truck that day. and I walked through their veterinary facilities and saw some of the dogs that were just recovering from surgery. Everybody in here has been either spayed or neutered or this lovely lady in front of us had her eye enucleated this morning. What does that mean? We took an eye out. Why? It was non-functioning. It was causing a little bit of pain. So we do the painful procedure of taking it out, but in the long run, it'll help our feel better.

25:36And honestly, one-eyed dogs get adopted so much faster. Seriously? Why? It's just everybody thinks they're cute and everybody feels bad for them. So a one-eyed dog or a tripod, first thing's out the door. Everyone loves a story. Really? Absolutely. Wow. The vet assured me that they never injure a dog or take an eye out to try and see it get adopted faster. But the reality is that everyone loves a good story. Dogs and cats that are evacuated from hurricane zones, for example, are also adopted really quickly. It's going to take years to deal with the fallout from this recent population boom in dogs and cats.

26:14And it's leaving those who are part of the Underground Railroad for pets with a huge feeling of urgency. There's a slight feeling of accomplishment, but there's also a feeling of dread. Because I know we flew 75 ,000 pets, but we didn't fly another million pets that needed it. and that's like every time the door closes you get this sense of joy you go oh wow we did something really cool and then you think about the ones that didn't make the flight and then you're just back in the doldrums again and go well I gotta work harder the next time

27:06That's all for this episode of The Intelligence. The show's editors are Chris Impey and Jack Gill. Our deputy editor is John-Joe Devlin and our sound designer is Will Rowe. Our senior producers are Rory Galloway and Sarah Larniuk. Our senior creative producer is William Warren. Our producers are Maggie Kadifa and Benji Guy. And our assistant producer is Henrietta McFarlane with extra production help this week from Emily Elias and Kunal Patel. Tomorrow on The Weekend Intelligence we'll be revisiting some of our favourite episodes and finding out what happened next to the people in them We'll all see you back here for that