Towards a Worldwide Index of Human Freedom

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186 • Towards a Worldwide Index of Human Freedom issue might overlap with the issue of discrimination, if some discrimination is religious. Second is freedom from religion: Is there a state religion, and are people taxed to support a religion that may not be theirs? Crime There are two issues with respect to crime and freedom. First is the degree of victimization: What are crime rates? How likely is the average person to be a victim of crime? Second is the measures governments take to control crime, and the impact of these on individuals. What are the rights of the accused? What restrictions are there on the state in fighting crime? How powerful are the police and what restrictions are there on police power? For many people who may not have an interest in politics these freedoms (from crime and from police) are likely to be the most important. Because regulation of some aspects of behavior (drugs, pornography, gambling) are criminally enforced, some of these issues might fit here instead of in the personal freedom section. Discrimination Issues of discrimination are complex. We must first distinguish types of victims of discrimination: minorities, majorities, and women. We must then distinguish between private and government discrimination. Then there are various forms of discrimination. Is there employment discrimination? Educational discrimination? Political discrimination? Restrictions on consumption (e.g., “ride in the back of the bus” rules, or segregated public facilities, such as restaurants)? International trade To what extent are people allowed to purchase goods that are made in other countries? Are there tariffs or non-tariff trade barriers? Are there other restrictions on the international movement of people or goods? Is emigration allowed? We might also include rights of non-citizens in this category. Are non-citizens allowed civil rights? Allowed to work? Subject to random deportation? Summary Our evolutionary background has caused us to value freedom. However, this same background has meant that we have tendencies that also cause us to limit freedom. Individuals want to become dominant, and institutions of political freedom are necessary to prevent this from happening. Crime can limit our freedom, and efforts to control crime can also limit freedom, so a careful balance is necessary. Although it is not possible to test religious beliefs, many are convinced that they have seen the “truth,” and so may want to restrict the ability of others to worship as they may Fraser Institute ©2012 • www.fraserinstitute.org • www.freetheworld.com
References Evolution and Freedom • 187 desire. We may dislike members of other “tribes” and want to deny them freedom. Most human societies have limited the freedom of women, harming both the women themselves and also limiting the wealth of society. International trade can increase our freedom by providing cheaper and more varied goods for consumption, but our natural way of thinking does not understand these benefits. For these reasons, some in society try to limit freedom. Vigilance to prevent these limits is important. Moreover, understanding of these evolved interferences with freedom can help us decide what to measure in an effort to devise freedom indices. Arnhart, Larry, (1998). Darwinian Natural Right: The Biological Ethics of Human Nature. State University of New York Press. Betzig, Laura L. (1986). Despotism and Differential Reproduction: A Darwinian View of History. Aldine de Gruyter. Becker, Gary S. (1956/1971). The Economics of Discrimination, 2d ed. University of Chicago Press. Boehm, Christopher (1999). Hierarchy in the Forest: The Evolution of Egalitarian Behavior. Harvard University Press. Bowles, Samuel, and Herbert Gintis (2011). A Cooperative Species: Human Reciprocity and its Evolution. Princeton University Press. Boyer, Pascal (2001). Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought. Basic Books. Burkert, Walter (1996). Creation of the Sacred: Tracks of Biology in Early Religions. Harvard University Press. Daly, Martin, and Margo Wilson (1988). Homicide. Aldine de Gruyter. Edgerton, Robert B. (1992). Sick Societies: Challenging the Myth of Primitive Harmony. Free Press. Guthrie, Stewart (1993). Faces in the Clouds: A New Theory of Religion. Oxford University Press. Kelly, Robert L. (1995). The Foraging Spectrum: Diversity in Hunter-Gatherer Lifeways. Smithsonian Institution Press. Mealey, Linda (1995). The sociobiology of sociopathy: An integrated evolutionary model. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 18 (3): 523-599. Mialon, Hugo, and Paul H. Rubin (2008). The economics of the Bill of Rights. American Law and Economics Review, Spring, 10 (1): 1-60. Miron, J, and J. Zwiebel (1995). The economic case against drug prohibition. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 9 (4): 175-192. Reiss, Steven (2000). Who Am I? The 16 Basic Desires That Motivate Our Actions and Define Our Personalities. Tarcher/Putnam. www.freetheworld.com • www.fraserinstitute.org • Fraser Institute ©2012
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Towards a Worldwide Index of Human
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Contents About the co-publishers an
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Overview The quest People have been
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Overview • vii understand the dif
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References Overview • ix not incr
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Why Do We Measure Freedom? Detmar D
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Annual GDP per capita (US$) 20,000
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Human Freedom from Pericles to Meas
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An Index of Freedom in the World Ia
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An Index of Freedom in the World
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Table 2: Freedom Index and Sub-Inde
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North America Northern Europe Weste
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Democracy Index 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
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Sexual violence by UN Office on Dru
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Expression An Index of Freedom in t
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Relationships Freedom of assembly a
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Measuring Individual Freedom Action
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Measuring Individual Freedom • 11
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Table 1: Dimensions of freedom Free
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References Measuring Individual Fre
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The Evisceration of Liberty in Cana
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References The Evisceration of Libe
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Towards a Worldwide Index of Human Freedom

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