Which country might be the most "free", by 2015; China or USA?

[Gort]

I voted Unsure.


I think that it depends on who is in office, what new laws/rules are made.... same for China.

[HillsideDigger]

Without some bizarre, unexpected event like big war or a catastrophic economic meltdown I think American freedom 5 years from now will still be pretty much like now hopefully with a decreasing debt load, more rational banking and a more sensible healthcare policy. That is assuming that Beck, Palin and company are not successful in their veiled goal of gutting the Constitution in favor of a theocracy (of their choosing).

There's no telling what will happen with China in another 5 years but I will bet the 99+% of the common China people will be no more free than now and will still exist merely to increase the wealth of the less than one percent there.

China's plenty free for that less than one percent. They can do anything they care to without the any regulation by such entities as OSHA, EPA and FDA.

[Denninmi]

99+% of the American people now exist simply to increase the wealth of the 1%. What's the difference?

I see, we still have vestiges of those pesky regulatory agencies that try to stop all out greed.

Well, those won't last long. Then, we will be China.

[uprooted_kentuckian]

Define freedom and then I'll vote.

Originally Posted by Denninmi

99+% of the American people now exist simply to increase the wealth of the 1%. What's the difference?

I see, we still have vestiges of those pesky regulatory agencies that try to stop all out greed.

Well, those won't last long. Then, we will be China.

i will agree markets need regulated in certain regards. So their isnt fraud, and monopolies. But our government only targets certain fraud, other fraud is enshrined into our systems, on both left and right.

Certain regs we have, only bolster the power payers, hindering in many small ways that add up any upstarts. which would be in higher numbers if this wasnt the case.

So ultimately whos fault is it 1 percent owns all the wealth? Its out fault. we have let our leaders left and right be bought off, and when the industry itself writes their own laws, even when it appears they are being regulated, often it is in such a way that ensures their market share to some degree. to long of a topic to get into all the details, but likely you at least know things im talking about.

also we COULD choose local, or produce our own of many things. as people always have until recently historically speaking. There would still be many wealthy people, but it wouldnt be the situation we have today. We are the ones who keep buying into more and more centralized forms of products. so much so that we dont even have the choose on many things now..... Sure those with the wealth pushed for these conditions, but we are the ones who bought it.....

[RozieDozie]

Yes, define "freedom" first, Gort.

[Longtail]

By any definition, the United States has been and will continue to be the most free nation. I find it laughable to make any comparison in that regard to China !!

[Denninmi]

Can I vote for "Just drop the all of the Nukes, and let the cockroaches evolve something better from the glowing embers."???

[HillsideDigger]

By 2015 many/most Americans will be less free to purchase great amounts of cheap fuel for long daily commutes.

By 2015 many/most Chinese will be even less free to breathe healthy air or drink clean water.

[fruits&nuts]

Originally Posted by Longtail

By any definition, the United States has been and will continue to be the most free nation. I find it laughable to make any comparison in that regard to China !!

The US has not been the most free nation in the world for quite some time, and it certainly isn't now.

Here are rakings from a study in 2006 where the US finished 8th and I'm guessing that was inflated based on past perceptions of the US as a free country. I doubt the US would be in the top 20 or 30 by now. If S510 passes we can say goodbye to the top 50.

1 Estonia 85.25 79.63 8 76.26 6
2 Ireland 83.34 82.25 3 67.81 16
3 Canada 82.34 79.38 9 68.06 15
4 Switzerland 82.33 79.88 7 67.16 18
5 Iceland 82.27 79.25 10 67.61 17
6 Bahamas 82.12 67.75 31 81.17 2
7 United Kingdom 81.96 81.25 5 65.10
8 United States 81.96 80.50 6 66.24 20
9 Cyprus 81.65 73.25 19 72.20 10
10 New Zealand 81.24 80.50 6 63.41 27
11 Luxembourg 80.09 81.50 4 61.63 36
12 Chile 79.97 76.00 16 64.98 23
13 Australia 79.46 78.50 12 60.47 43
14 Hong Kong 79.25 90.00 1 86.01 1
15 Finland 78.96 77.38 13 59.56 49
16 Lithuania 77.49 69.75 25 63.13 28
17 Austria 77.27 76.63 15 55.42 69
18 Uruguay 77.14 62.88 42 69.44 13
19 Netherlands 76.72 77.25 14 52.96 82
20 Latvia 76.55 66.13 33 63.77 26
21 Germany 76.52 75.50 17 54.43 73
22 Denmark 76.48 78.75 11 50.75 94
23 Czech Rep., The 76.34 70.25 23 58.86
24 Hungary 76.19 69.00 29 59.76 46
25 Taiwan 75.73 69.25 27 59.07 51
26 Costa Rica 75.60 65.88 34 61.69 34
27 Slovak Rep., The 75.55 66.13 33 60.60
28 Portugal 74.92 69.38 26 55.82 65
29 Belgium 74.61 73.13 20 51.08 93
30 Malta 74.54 69.00 29 58.24 55
31 Norway 74.04 70.38 22 51.78 89
32 Cape Verde 74.01 57.75* 53 57.93* 57
33 Sweden 73.55 74.50 18 46.32 114
34 Spain 73.29 69.38 26 51.26 90 6
35 Japan 73.18 70.25 23 57.53 59

http://www.stateofworldliberty.org/report/rankings.html