Abstract
Ensuring state security is a priority for many countries amid growing geopolitical tensions worldwide. The aim of this study is to empirically determine the relationship between socio-ethical and political-value indicators and the level of state security. The study employs correlation, regression and cluster analysis to identify relationships among the selected indicators and classify countries into homogeneous clusters. The study sample comprised 61 countries and five indicators: the Security Threats Index, Corruption Perceptions Index, Civil Liberties Index, Political and Social Integration and interpersonal trust measured by the indicator “Most People Can Be Trusted.” The strongest statistically significant effect on the Security Threats Index was observed for the Corruption Perceptions Index, with a standardized coefficient of −0.511. The Civil Liberties Index (−0.2727) and Political and Social Integration (−0.1477) showed marginal statistical significance. Cluster analysis classified countries according to security threats and institutional development, highlighting differences in institutional quality. The results confirm the key role of socio-ethical and political-value factors in strengthening state security. Greater transparency, democratic governance and social cohesion strengthen national security and institutional resilience. These findings provide an empirical basis for improving public governance and security policy. Future research should examine factors influencing state security under conditions of armed conflict, regional instability, institutional transformation and hybrid threats.
Keywords: Civil Liberties Index, Corruption Perceptions Index, Political and Social Integration, Security Threats Index, Socio-ethical Aspects, State Security.