In recent years our freedoms have been severely affected by government enthusiasm to use COVID-19 as an excuse to further restrict society’s control. It is now that newly released assessments of the economic and personal health of freedom have made us sigh before even reading the dire summaries. So, the Cato Institute’s new edition has finally arrived. The 50 States of FreedomIt is both welcomed for its optimistic outlook on future pandemic-fueled restraints as well as the helpful guide it provides for those looking to move within the United States into areas where valuable freedoms are protected.
Let’s start with the obvious:[A]Although some rights have been significantly increased in certain areas of our lives, Americans are less free today than they were 20 years ago, according to authors Jason Sorens (PDF) and William Ruger (PDF).
These assessments include warnings and dispiriting caveats. The Economist‘s Democracy Index 2020The “democracy was not in good health for some years” and the “ability to govern effectively has been disputed.”[a]In 2020 across the globe, people experienced the greatest rollback of individual liberty ever attempted by governments during times of peace (and possibly even war)”, according to International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.[t]The world is getting more authoritarian, as dictatorships and non-democratic governments become more outspoken in their oppression. Many democratic governments are suffering from backsliding because they adopt their strategies of restricting speech and weakening rule of law. This situation is exacerbated by the Covid-19 restrictions that threaten to be a new normal. When reading these reports, it’s a good idea to sip a cool drink. Remember that these rankings can change at any time.
This is especially true for The 50 States of FreedomBecause it ranks the states according to a variety of categories that encompass both personal and financial freedom, The weights are then ranked based on personal preferences and priority.
“[O]Ruger, Sorens and others emphasize that ur freedom index should be understood as representing each state’s relative respect for liberty. It is measured in the value the average individual enjoys when they have the freedoms we measure. “However, each individual will value different policies differently, and for that reason, again, we encourage readers to apply their own weights and personalize the freedom index at http://www.freedominthe50states.org.”
Here’s an example of why it is important to keep your weight under control. This profile shows Arizona, which I live in. Grand Canyon State is ninth in overall rankings, based on averages across several categories. You should know that Arizona ranks ninth overall in terms of average across multiple categories. If you work in a controlled trade, it is important to know that Arizona ranks 17th because of “occupational licensure has increased substantially in recent years.” Arizona ranks 43rd in terms of the number of people incarcerated. This is not a haven for anyone who advocates criminal justice reform.
As the states with the highest freedoms, New Hampshire and Florida are the top three. California, Hawaii and New York are behind the pack at 49, 49 and 50, respectively. If that suggests a pattern to you governance-wise, Ruger and Sorens agree—at least, in matters of dollars and cents.
“[C]onservative states do better than left-liberal states on economic freedom, and rural/western/New England states do better than urban/southern/mid-Atlantic states on personal freedom,” the authors note. They add that they see a negative correlation between economic freedom and leftward leaning in the electorate.
The other side is “[p]”Artificial politics does not always correlate with freedom. States with greater marijuana freedom have less freedom to smoke,” these authors argue. It is not a single thing. This doesn’t appear to be in any way related with progressive or conservative states.
Because Republicans and Democrats both support certain freedoms, but are hostile to others, it is more difficult to have personal freedom than to be economically free. If you want gun rights If you are considering legalizing marijuana, it is better to look at region variance and state specificities rather than which party controls.
However, the overall report points out that “statistically significant findings suggest that freedom is somewhat affected by public opinion within a state when it moves left.”
What about the negative impact that 2 years of Pandemic Policy has had on liberty? Is it possible to expect this to disappear? It is hoped that much of the lost will be recovered.
Ruger and Sorens concluded that “the lockdowns were mostly temporary, and it seems unlikely states will return to these,” In conclusion, Ruger and Sorens conclude that despite initial reactions of some states to pandemics, American citizens can be credit with having responded to pandemics in a reasonable and respectful manner, particularly when they are compared to other international governments.
A number of legislatures have also hampered governors’ emergency powers, decreasing the chance for future unilateral directives. A legacy of loosening rules in the “areas of education, licensing for health care, and takeout and delivery of alcohol” has been left behind. This is expected to continue.
Americans seem to value freedom. People are choosing states with more freedom, regardless of whether they consider liberty a significant factor in their lives or not. Monitoring migration patterns shows a strong link between freedom’s starting point and net migration. It suggests people are migrating to states that offer more liberty.
It holds true in casual inspection. North American Moving Services data shows that Illinois ranks 37th in terms of the number of migrants from outbound states. The 50 States of FreedomNew York (#50), California (48) and New Jersey (47) were the highest ranked states. Maryland (#45) was at number 45. Idaho (#10) and Arizona (#9) are the biggest gainers. South Carolina (#28), Tennessee, (#4), North Carolina (16) is also a top 5. Of course, climate, cost, job openings, and other factors play a part. However, people seem to want freedom.
According to the authors, “Majority of Americans consider living in accordance with laws that they approve to be a part of their good life.” We should therefore expect to see more ideological “sorting.”
Jason Sorens describes what it means to be an author. He is the founder of Free State Project and lives with fellow immigrants in New Hampshire. This state ranks first in this report.