POLL: Freest country in the world

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This is a question that I've been thinking about for quite a while. What country is the freest? Some even name themselves not only to be the land of the free but also the brave, some are happy to say they are a free democracy, anyway, your opinions.

Studying law and comparing the right a citizen the constitution grants each citizen against his gvt here and elsewhere I vote for my country, I'm a constitution patriot

I'd be curious to know if anyone here chooses a country other than the one he's living in.

[ March 08, 2003, 19:27: Message edited by: Ragusa ]

Poll Information
This poll contains 1 question(s). 49 user(s) have voted.
You may not view the results of this poll without voting.

Poll Results: Freest country in the world (49 votes.)

Freest country in the world (Choose 1)
* Russia - 0% (0)
* China - 2% (1)
* UK - 2% (1)
* France - 0% (0)
* Germany - 2% (1)
* Netherlands - 12% (6)
* the scandinavian countries (any of them) - 24% (12)
* USA - 27% (13)
* Italy (allows muder in passion ) - 2% (1)
* Israel - 0% (0)
* Japan - 0% (0)
* Switzerland - 2% (1)
* Australia - 4% (2)
* Canada - 8% (4)
* Other - 14% (7)

 

What an excellent question! I do agree that people tend to think of their own countries as the most free, and I do think that Canada best meets my own standards for "Freedom", which is the main reason I live here, and not in any of the other 3 countries I am related to.

Using a more objective approach than personal ideology, I'd say that it's a four-way tie between Canada, Norway, Portugal and the United States. This is using a definition of "free" which combines civil and political rights. I don't know where the Netherlands fits in because the report I have seen only includes those members that are part of the UN Committee on Human Rights, and I don't think the Netherlands is a member. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't also tied for a top ranking but my knowledge of that nation is limited and I'm too cheap to fork out for the Freedom House index.

http://www.unwatch.org/wed/issue61.html

Canada is a very free country in lots of minor ways. I don't know anyone in Canada who worries that the government taps their phone or reads their email, whereas nearly all my friends back in France were paranoid about their "big brother" government. Also, I post on a lot of gardening boards, and it's amazing to me how much my friends in other countries are restricted to what they can grow in their gardens - particularly, I'd have to say, the Americans. Since cultivating opium poppies is one of my hobbies, I wouldn't last a minute there! Also, Canada doesn't have the death penalty. Given my personal convictions, I would find it hard to think of any country that executes its own citizens as free. On the other hand, there is a lot of censorship of violent materials in Canada. I don't like violence in my entertainment but I object to having it censored out. On the other hand again, Canada and France hardly ever censor anything on the grounds of sexual explicitness. Different cultural values. But I know France is nowhere near the top where "free" is concerned anyway.

 

Hooray...
My country is the freest... (Norway, that is)

Whohoo!!

Or so says Ragusas poll...

 

Belgium's not on the list...hmm..It's a very free country though.

Anyway. I'd choose Finland or so. No monarchy, seems free enough.

 

This does, of course, raise the question of what you define as a state.

There are some places that are little mini-states that aren't officially recognised as soveriegn entities - places that you therefore might think are irrelevant. However, about a year or two ago I remember reading an article about this guy who was dedicated to providing secure information storage for his clients... really secure. He bought an old metal platform of some sort (somethng to do with the navy, I think) of an old man and his wife who had originally bought it off the Government (I can't remember which one, though) and declared themselves King and Queen of whatever they called their new country. The article said that they were free to make their own laws, etc, although there had been issues in the past with governments regarding them as an independant nation.

So this information storage guy planned to destruct all the information on the fortress if anyone got onto it: he had the services of some quite heavy firepower, I think.

The point of all this is that there are weird little places (there's even a book about them, that's where entrepeneur-guy got his ideas from) with their odd little laws - so if you ever get the chance, snap one up!

 

Platypus, that nation is prob Zealand, based on a old oildrillplatform in the pacific

BTT
The question is:
Is having a huge amount of freedom in a nation good for your society??

 

Hey Uytuun, thanks for the vote of confidence!

Yep, my country is prett good place when it comes to freedom! It may not be as free as one might WANT it to be (as in, you can't smoke weed) but it has a good balance between freedom and restriction (you can prune opium poppies )

I can do just about whatever I want as long as it stays in the borders of what is usually regarded as common sense, and even then some. So yeah, it's pretty free around here.

Then again, I am feeling happy right now. Wait a few moments ad I might blast a different post.

(The freak)

 

Well yes I would say that the scandinavian countries are quite free being small and often neutral. But then again it's difficult to say which country is most free until you have lived in them all and have enough information about them. But yes I feel free enough here in Finland

 

I voted Switserland on the grounds of their very free political system with with public votes on almost all important questions. You might question the effectiveness but it sure is free imo.

 

Look!! That guy named himself after ME! how cute

 

In terms of opinion, I dare to say that the United States is (one of) the most free nations. How many politcal cartoons, drawn by Americans, have you seen against Bush? How many protests in America have there been against America? How much American music is there against the American government?

I realize that this may simply be because the United States is a bad nation, headed by a bad leader, but I don't think that other nations show so much self-opposition. But then again, that doesn't mean freedom; after all, plenty of stuff, such as various drugs, underage whatnot, and other things are illegal. On the other hand, how many times have you heard an American song about marijuana or prostitution?

 

This is not meant as a crackdown on the US but the things you mentioned as freedom of speech are allowed in all countries that are considered to be free. If you are not allowed to draw cartoons of your leaders the country is not free at all. It is a basic freedom.

 

I am not saying that other nations do not allow freedom of speech. But it seems that Americans seem to put it to a more agressive use against their own nation. Of course, this by no means means freedom, but I still believe that the U.S. is not a very oppressive nation.

 

I never said it were
And I dont know much about what happens over there but I do know that in all free countries people, writers and comedians tend to be very savage towards their leaders. It sure is something to be proud of and it signales freedom but I do not think it sets one free nation apart from other free nations as the lack of it would signal severe opression.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/03/05/offbeat.peace.arrest.reut/index.html

Civil rights are defence rights of a citizen against his country's government (primary effect).

Now there's an interesting question: Do they have effects between citzens as well (secondary effect)? As for freedom of discrimination it does have this effect, no civilian can deny you to enter a shop because your black anymore.
But can my freedom of speech and conscience be restricted by my neighbour instead, or the owner of the local shopping mall to stay with my example? I'm curious about the outcome of that case.

Even when a country's constitution is free, the society not necessarily has to be so. Just take PCness as an example: Freedom of speech grants you to say what you like - PCness doesn't. Just a thought.

 

I'd say if there's one country in the world where ANYTHING goes, it's the Netherlands. Is there one other country in the world where you can get into a heated discussion with a policeman, calling him an ******* in the process, and in the end he offers you his apologies ?

I don't think we have any rules for young people about at what age they're allowed to enter nightclubs. I believe in the US you have to be 21. What kind of stupid rule is that ? The best years of your life are gone already when you reach that age.

I have a friend who lives in Norway. You have to pay 35 Euro for a case of beer there. Everything seems to be super expensive in the Scandinavian countries. You guys may be free, but your governments sure make you pay for that freedom.

 

Right. Lots of things happen in the Netherlands. Abortion-ship roaming the seas under a Dutch flag. Drion's pill. Euthenasia for 12+ discussions. Coffee-shops are an obligation when your city has more then a certain amount of residents. Prostitutes? No problem. Songs about it? No problem either. Political morons accepted.
You get shot, though, for giving your opinion in public. Freedom? Nahh.
To my opinion there is no country with true freedom.

 

I say Bhutan, my Utopia.

 

Well, you gotta have some rules. Otherwise it would become anarchy. And i don't think anyone would want that.

 

Correct. If everybody could walk into your home freely, I wouldn't feel quite free myself.