States in the South Caucasus are following a trend in the former Soviet Union, under which abundant energy wealth is helping to grease the wheels of a decline in democratic values, according to an annual report prepared by the democratization watchdog group Freedom House. The report, Nations in Transit 2008, establishes benchmarks for democratization progress, with ratings based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the lowest. As with the five states of Central Asia, Freedom House found that authoritarian practices are making headway in the Caucasus. Full Story