Human Freedom Index

[plommer]

The Human Freedom Index (HFI) is the most comprehensive freedom index so far created for a globally meaningful set of countries. The HFI covers 152 countries for 2012, the most recent year for which sufficient data is available. The index ranks countries beginning in 2008, the earliest year for which a robust enough index could be produced. This preliminary report will be updated (using data for 2013) and subsequently presented and updated on a yearly basis.

 

On a scale of 0 to 10, where 10 represents more freedom, the nonweighted average rating for 152 countries in 2012 was 6.96. The level of global freedom stayed about the same compared to 2008, but almost all countries experienced changes in their ratings, with about half of those increasing their ratings and half decreasing.

 

The top 10 jurisdictions in order were Hong Kong, Switzerland, Finland, Denmark, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. The United States is ranked in 20th place. Other countries rank as follows: Germany (12), Chile (18), Japan (28), France (33), Singapore (43), South Africa (70), India (75), Brazil (82), Russia (111), China (132), Nigeria (139), Saudi Arabia (141), Venezuela (144), Zimbabwe (149), and Iran (152).

 

Out of 17 regions, the highest levels of freedom are in Northern Europe, North America (Canada and the United States), and Western Europe. The lowest levels are in the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia. Women’s freedoms, as measured by five relevant indicators in the index, are most protected in Europe and North America and least protected in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa.

 

Countries in the top quartile of freedom enjoy a significantly higher per capita income ($30,006) than those in other quartiles; the per capita income in the least-free quartile is $2,615. The HFI finds a strong correlation between human freedom and democracy. Hong Kong is an outlier in this regard.

 

The findings in the HFI suggest that freedom plays an important role in human well-being, and they offer opportunities for further research into the complex ways in which freedom influences, and can be influenced by, political regimes, economic development, and the whole range of indicators of human well-being.

[Always Call Heads]

Obama took away our freedom.

[barman]

Ey ook er jawbs!!

[milwaukee mike]

freedom is an illusion in almost every country

 

have to get permission to get married, drive a car, leave the country, shit you have to get a permit just to put in a fucking water heater

 

in terms of gambling and moving money the usa should be way lower than 20th

[KingRevolver]

Obama took away our freedom.

Link please.

[plommer]

freedom is an illusion in almost every country

 

have to get permission to get married, drive a car, leave the country, shit you have to get a permit just to put in a fucking water heater

 

in terms of gambling and moving money the usa should be way lower than 20th

 

Unless you have lived in other countries or spent alot of time in them then you can't be certain that freedom is an illusion.

 

As a non-US person its interesting to see/hear the same old nonsense regurgitated in the US media about America enjoying freedoms that no other country can. I am fascinated by US news coverage, it's sooo different from Canadian news.

[milwaukee mike]

Unless you have lived in other countries or spent alot of time in them then you can't be certain that freedom is an illusion.

 

As a non-US person its interesting to see/hear the same old nonsense regurgitated in the US media about America enjoying freedoms that no other country can. I am fascinated by US news coverage, it's sooo different from Canadian news.

 

places like france, people can sell beer right under the Eiffel tower without a permit... but I saw people getting searched without a warrant by guys with rifles at a subway station

 

so there's different levels of lack of freedom everwhere there is a government, comes with the territory

 

name the country where you can just wander around screaming at the top of your lungs, or walk around with your dick hanging out.  so tell me which countries you have the freedom to be an animal, which we are

[plommer]

Mike I'm too lazy to get into a constructive argument right now (and my fukkin cats are sleeping on my keyboard) but I'm not talking about the freedom to be a savage within society.

[milwaukee mike]

Mike I'm too lazy to get into a constructive argument right now (and my fukkin cats are sleeping on my keyboard) but I'm not talking about the freedom to be a savage within society.

 

if you don't have the freedom to be a savage then you don't have freedom.

 

what are we discussing?  the freedom to go to the movies?  can hardly contain my excitement at all that freedom 

 

governments can't give freedom, all they can do is take it away... so the more government the less freedom

[Sol Aristatel]

name the country where you can just wander around screaming at the top of your lungs, or walk around with your dick hanging out.  so tell me which countries you have the freedom to be an animal, which we are

 

None.  And I thank the progression of civilization for that.