Recently, I came across an article from Visual Capitalist ranking the freest countries in the world based on data from Freedom House.

Like many Americans, I expected to see the United States at the very top of the list.

Instead, I was surprised to learn that the United States received a score of 81 out of 100.

That immediately sparked my curiosity.

How can the country often referred to as the "Land of the Free" score only 81 points on a freedom index?

As a veteran, the question struck a personal chord. Many Americans have served, sacrificed, and in some cases given their lives to defend the freedoms we enjoy today. Seeing the United States ranked below countries such as Finland, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden naturally made me want to understand the reasoning behind the score.

The first thing I discovered is that Freedom House is not measuring patriotism, military strength, economic power, or overall quality of life. Instead, it evaluates political rights and civil liberties using a framework of 25 indicators grouped into categories such as electoral process, political participation, functioning of government, freedom of expression, associational rights, rule of law, and personal autonomy.

According to Freedom House, the United States loses points in areas related to political representation, government accountability, campaign finance, political polarization, and concerns about equal access to political participation.

One term that repeatedly appeared during my research was "gerrymandering," the practice of drawing electoral district boundaries in a way that can favor one political party over another. Critics argue that this allows politicians to choose their voters rather than voters choosing their politicians.

Whether one agrees with that assessment or not, it highlights an important reality: freedom rankings are heavily influenced by how freedom is defined.

For example, many Americans place tremendous value on constitutional protections such as freedom of speech, due process rights, property rights, the right to self-defense, and the ability to protect one's family. Yet some of these freedoms receive different levels of emphasis in international rankings than they do in the minds of many Americans.

The more I researched, the more I realized that different organizations define freedom differently.

Some focus on political rights.

Others emphasize economic freedom.

Others focus on civil liberties, property rights, government transparency, or limits on state power.

This led me to a larger question:

Can freedom truly be measured with a single number?

Perhaps the most valuable lesson from this research is not whether America should score 81, 91, or 100.

The real lesson is understanding the criteria behind the score and asking whether those criteria reflect our own understanding of freedom.

America remains one of the freest nations in the world by many measures. The debate is not whether freedom exists here. The debate is how freedom should be defined, measured, and preserved for future generations.

Maybe the most important question isn't:

"Why isn't America a 100?"

Maybe it's:

"What does freedom mean to us, and how do we ensure that future generations experience even more of it than we do today?"

Question for the Community

If you were creating a Freedom Index from scratch, what five factors would you include and how would you weight them?

My first draft might look something like this:

  • Freedom of Speech and Expression: 25%
  • Due Process and Equal Protection Under the Law: 20%
  • Economic Opportunity and Property Rights: 20%
  • Self-Defense Rights and Protection of Family: 20%
  • Free and Fair Elections: 15%

My reasoning is simple.

Freedom of Speech and Expression (25%). The ability to speak freely, share ideas, challenge authority, practice one's beliefs, and engage in open debate forms the foundation of a free society. If citizens cannot openly express themselves without fear of punishment, many other freedoms become difficult to defend.

Due Process and Equal Protection Under the Law (20%). Freedom requires a legal system that applies laws fairly and consistently. Citizens should receive equal treatment regardless of wealth, status, race, religion, or political affiliation.

Economic Opportunity and Property Rights (20%). A free society should allow individuals to own property, start businesses, pursue careers, build wealth, and enjoy the rewards of their labor.

Self-Defense Rights and Protection of Family (20%). A fundamental aspect of freedom is the ability to protect oneself, one's loved ones, and one's home from unlawful harm. Many Americans view the right of self-defense as a core liberty that supports personal security and independence.

Free and Fair Elections (15%). Citizens must have confidence that they can participate in the political process, have their voices heard, and peacefully influence the direction of their government.

Others may prioritize privacy, government accountability, freedom from discrimination, education, healthcare access, environmental protections, or other measures.

There may not be a single correct answer.

But before we debate the rankings, perhaps we should first define the scorecard.

Freedom may be one of the most important ideas in human history, yet we rarely stop to ask what it actually means.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Sources

Originally published on LinkedIn. Comments and the conversation live there.