The RTLP equations come from the source material. Nested Causal Modelling identified the nine protections that most track with GDP gains, and this atlas operationalizes and extends that calculation across UN member states using the executable fields below.
Lever 1
Legal Protections
$2.78T annually
Present when ordinary law is applied consistently to state agents as well as everyone else. Absent when power can act without predictable legal constraint. Multiplies GDP by lowering the risk of arbitrary loss; people and businesses invest and trade more when they know the rules will be enforced fairly. Annual cost is low.
RTLP question
Does the entity have provisions explicitly protecting the right to life?
Executable crosswalk
V-Dem · v2cltrnslw
v2cltrnslw >= 2.0
Atlas field mapping: Transparent laws with predictable enforcement
Lever 2
Independent Judiciary
$2.83T annually
Present when there is a judiciary capable of upholding right-to-life laws even against the state. These protections represent opportunities for property rights and contracts to support reliable capital flows to productive uses. Annual cost is low relative to the scale unlocked.
RTLP question
Is there an independent judiciary capable of upholding right-to-life laws?
Executable crosswalk
V-Dem · v2juhcind, v2juncind
mean(v2juhcind, v2juncind) >= 2.0
Atlas field mapping: High-court and lower-court independence
Lever 3
Law Enforcement Accountability
$1.36T annually
Present when law enforcement agencies are accountable for unlawful killings and violence. These protections represent opportunities to support greater economic scale by reducing arbitrary risk that can deter investment, labor mobility, and everyday economic activity. Annual cost is primarily institutional oversight.
RTLP question
Are law-enforcement agencies accountable for unlawful killings?
Executable crosswalk
V-Dem · v2clkill
v2clkill >= 2.0
Atlas field mapping: Freedom from political killings
Lever 4
Protection Against Arbitrary Detention
$976.7B annually
Present when arbitrary detention is prohibited with real legal recourse. These protections represent opportunities for individuals and families to plan, work, and invest with greater security, supporting scale in the economy. Annual cost is low.
RTLP question
Is arbitrary detention prohibited with legal recourse?
Executable crosswalk
V-Dem · v2xcl_acjst
v2xcl_acjst >= 0.5
Atlas field mapping: Access to justice index
Lever 5
Freedom from Torture and Inhumane Treatment
$2.90T annually
Present when the state has effective measures to prevent torture. These protections represent opportunities to support human capital and cooperation. Annual cost is institutional and training: an investment toward realizing greater scale.
RTLP question
Are measures in place to prevent torture and inhumane treatment?
Executable crosswalk
V-Dem · v2cltort
v2cltort >= 2.0
Atlas field mapping: Freedom from torture
Lever 6
Civilian Protection in Conflict Zones
$1.36T annually
Present when mechanisms exist to protect civilians during conflict. These protections represent opportunities to preserve the productive capacity and future of entire regions. Annual cost is primarily military discipline and rules of engagement.
RTLP question
In conflict areas, are mechanisms protecting civilians?
Executable crosswalk
V-Dem · v2clkill
v2clkill >= 2.0
Atlas field mapping: Freedom from political killings
Lever 7
Access to Justice
$976.7B annually
Present when ordinary people can bring serious claims and have them heard fairly. These conditions represent opportunities for contracts and rights to function for a wider share of the population. Annual cost is court capacity and legal aid.
RTLP question
Can individuals obtain fair remedies for right-to-life violations?
Executable crosswalk
V-Dem · v2xcl_acjst
v2xcl_acjst >= 0.5
Atlas field mapping: Access to justice index
Lever 8
Freedom of Expression and Whistleblower Protections
$965.7B annually
Present when laws protect people who report corruption from retaliation. These conditions represent opportunities for information to flow more accurately and for public resources to be used more effectively. Annual cost is low: mainly passing and enforcing the law.
RTLP question
Are expression and whistleblower rights upheld?
Executable crosswalk
V-Dem · v2x_freexp
v2x_freexp >= 0.5
Atlas field mapping: Freedom of expression and alternative information index
Lever 9
Socioeconomic Conditions
$1.72T annually
Present when a society makes the deliberate choice to maintain a minimum floor against extreme deprivation. This reflects political will rather than just economic outcomes. When present, it increases the share of the population able to participate productively, expanding overall economic scale. Annual cost is a political decision about minimum security standards.
RTLP question
Are food and minimum material conditions adequate to sustain life?
Executable crosswalk
World Bank WDI · SN.ITK.DEFC.ZS, SI.POV.DDAY
undernourishment <= 5% AND poverty headcount <= 10%
Atlas field mapping: Prevalence of undernourishment and international-poverty headcount