Political Theory

Re: What is the freest place?

Wilhelm Raschke — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:34:28 GMT

http://www.johnuseed.com/?p=55#more-55 has some info about a UN human development report from 1991 which put the US in 13th. A college student rescored us pre 9/11 and gave us 23/40 although I believe they are scoring it differently from the original report. Some else also on everything2.com concluded the US was much lower but didn't score his.

The original report scores the questions (link above) as follows:

“The subindices of the Humana index are arranged into five groups of rights or freedoms:

(1) six questions on rights, or "freedoms to";

(2) 12 on "freedoms from";

(3) ten on "freedoms for";

(4) seven on legal rights; and

(5) five on personal rights.

The performance of each country is on a scale from zero (no rights) to three (guaranteed rights). These score are then aggregated. The evaluation is that of the author, however.

Seven "freedoms from." relating to respect for the personal integrity of the individual, are weighted at three times those of the rest. Thus, the maximum possible score a country can receive is 162 (33x3 + 7x3x3). Each country’s score out of 162 is converted to a percentage, to give its final human right score.”

Re: What is the freest place?

Wilhelm Raschke — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:42:20 GMT

The Heritage foundation's Index is for Economic Freedom. Not total freedom. We need social freedom as well. By this index a country could score 100 but execute J-walkers.

The question then becomes: what kind of freedom are you looking for?

Re: What is the freest place?

Carboneum — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:33:29 GMT

Even there is Hong Kong on the 1st place there are many interventions of the state mainly in primary and secondary educations and medical care. There is no country we could mark as free in whole world. The word free itself is very questionable.

Re: What is the freest place?

Carboneum — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:25:06 GMT

Yeah I don't agree with 3rd place. Last years Ireland becomes more and more like other countries of EU. "Wonderfull economy is gone".

Re: What is the freest place?

thompsonisland — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 02:52:20 GMT

Is it possible to be stateless? What if you don't reside anywhere for 6 months, and work under the table?

Re: What is the freest place?

Asian Austrian — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 02:41:06 GMT

I'd say Switzerland.

Re: What is the freest place?

Retrolives — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:15:38 GMT

I can't believe that Ireland is number three. That's terrible news for my perception of the rest of the world!

Re: What is the freest place?

alansmithee — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:21:57 GMT

Are there any studies that anyone knows of that expand on this (being a measure of solely economic freedom)?

I'm just asking because i'm wondering, 'is this as good as is gets?' Considering theres a fascist dictatorship at number 5....If I were Warren Buffett instead of giving all my wealth to the Gates' philanthropy bussiness i'd buy an island, create another one of those city-states at the top of that ol' list...but actually make it free. One can dream.

Re: What is the freest place?

Rubén — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:53:50 GMT

That's the very one!

Re: What is the freest place?

hayekianxyz — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:25:39 GMT

Switzerland is relatively free, in a terms of the economy at least.

Re: What is the freest place?

Natalie — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:12:38 GMT

Hardly, with guns being outlawed and universal healthcare.

Re: What is the freest place?

Rubén — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:11:52 GMT

Would Australia qualify as free?

Re: What is the freest place?

Paul — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:34:26 GMT

Rubén:

United States No. 5 ???

I am trying to retrieve an outstanding Mises blog from last Thursday but I guess it has already been deleted, it stated with rather amusing language that the United States today no longer has laissez-faire, rather with all its government agencies (CIA, FBI, DEA, NASA, INS, IRS, FCC, etc.) it should be closer to a totalitarian state. (I am sure those of you who also read it will recognize the list above). I do not remember the author, but I clearly remember that was the message. I should have saved it. I hope it can be retrieved because I wish to read it again

Did you mean this one? AFAIK, articles never get deleted.

Re: What is the freest place?

MatthewWilliam — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:51:02 GMT

Rubén:

United States No. 5 ???

I am trying to retrieve an outstanding Mises blog from last Thursday but I guess it has already been deleted, it stated with rather amusing language that the United States today no longer has laissez-faire, rather with all its government agencies (CIA, FBI, DEA, NASA, INS, IRS, FCC, etc.) it should be closer to a totalitarian state. (I am sure those of you who also read it will recognize the list above). I do not remember the author, but I clearly remember that was the message. I should have saved it. I hope it can be retrieved because I wish to read it again

The list merely indicates that the USA is one of the least unfree countries on earth.

Re: What is the freest place?

Rubén — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:29:14 GMT

United States No. 5 ???

I am trying to retrieve an outstanding Mises blog from last Thursday but I guess it has already been deleted, it stated with rather amusing language that the United States today no longer has laissez-faire, rather with all its government agencies (CIA, FBI, DEA, NASA, INS, IRS, FCC, etc.) it should be closer to a totalitarian state. (I am sure those of you who also read it will recognize the list above). I do not remember the author, but I clearly remember that was the message. I should have saved it. I hope it can be retrieved because I wish to read it again