For me, it’s certainly not any of the managerial, bureaucratic western nations. I would be inclined to say Somaliland.
Not recognized by any other country, not choked out by the international banking cartels- just a couple million people quietly going about their business with no outside expectations. Yes there’s Sharia law, but people seem to be fine with it.
People have funny ideas about freedom. I was speaking with a man who had been to China. He was telling me about how he saw a guy with a kitchen chair under an overpass giving people haircuts and putting the cash in his pocket. In “the Land of the Free”, how many federal, state, and local laws would be be breaking?
Let us wonder how well Somalia is going to do with a pandemic. Everyone will be free to die without any of that managerial bureaucratic government response and medical intervention.
On the other hand, Somaliland’s use of Sharia law is entirely optional on the parts of its participants, and its rulings can’t be enforced, resulting in perhaps a 30% participation rate. Convetional courts as we more-or-less understand them handle 70% of the burden of justice.
I’d say Sealand is the freest “country”, since international recognition doesn’t appear to be a requirement. It’s a family that’s been living on an offshore drilling rig. They can do as they please. Granted, I expect the kids have to do as their parents say, but that’s just as free as any other country.
Using Somaliland is a bit of a straw man. Most people who argue for free governance (such as libertarians) are not arguing for anarchy - they still want a government to provide an environment of safety and law and order, but then more or leave people to their devices within that safe environment.
Dud the man tell you how much of the money the Chinese barber pocketed later went to bribes to the local police and protection to the local mob? Because I’d bet money of my own it was a lot.
No he didn’t. I don’t know if or how much he paid to the cops and protection rackets, but it was probably mild compared to what he would have had to pay in taxes, fees etc in America.
Be aware that ‘freedom’ will include, by definition, the freedom to commit crimes with relative ease. Simplistic definitions or measures will be ambiguous at best, and likely absurd.
The name ‘Thailand’ derives from an old word ไท (/tʰaj˧/) meaning ‘free.’ Thus ‘Thailand’ means ‘the land of the free.’
This may sound like useless pretension but I think most people who’ve spent much time in Thailand have heard natives say ‘This is Thailand; you can do whatever you want.’ (Sometimes they say ‘This is Thailand; if you have money you can do whatever you want.’)
I don’t have an adequate basis for comparison, but Thais are generally proud, with independent carefree behavior, and with a laissez-faire spirit. Laws are often ignored. Yes, there is corruption (especially of police) but it has little direct effect on most citizens.
ETA: Echoing Marcus Flavius, the kickbacks and bribes paid here are generally much less costly than the fees charged in more organized countries like the U.S.A.
When you eliminate things that every government imposes like taxation and business regulations, I think you will find the top candidates for the “most free” to be those counties that practice actual separation of church and state.
If freedom’s just “nothing left to lose” then many shitholes qualify. And maybe money can’t buy love (except on a short-term basis) but it can buy invulnerability from consequences. Take all the freedom your lawyers can grab.
The freest place on Earth? Probably the South Pole. Do whatever you want there. Take supplies. Too bad the Mojave phone booth is gone now - that was a pretty loose locale, too.
Perhaps that’s changed since the turn of the century, when my friend lived in China .
To get the required permits, you had to pay off everybody, all the way up. The payola was a major restriction on the creation of new business.
I was thinking that PNG was generally pretty free of government involvement. Of course, there is corresponding freedom of your neighbors and family to kill you and get away with it, so it all balances out.
I spent a week in Somaliland three years ago-- Hargeisa and Berbera. I visited in the private homes of poor people who had almost no belongings. They were happy and contented. The city is orderly and vibrant and safe. Important goods are available at reasonable cost. Wifi and electricity are more reliable than Ethiopia.
Sharia law is not a problem, Muslims practice their faith according to their own conscience, and hospitality and tolerance for non-Muslims is a high priority. I always felt a welcome guest (as I do in all Muslim countries), displays of friendship seemed genuine.