Cato Podcast The Global Freedom Slump
Dec 16, 2025
Join Matt Mitchell, a Senior Fellow at the Fraser Institute, as he explores alarming global trends in freedom measurement. Nine in ten people are experiencing declines in personal, economic, and civil liberties, with populism and pandemic measures causing chaos. Discover how well-being is linked to freedom, and why documenting these changes matters. The U.S. drop to 15th in the Human Freedom Index sparks discussion about market impacts on personal liberties. They also examine the ripple effects of restrictions and the crucial role of economic freedoms in promoting better societies.
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Free Speech Deficit Deepens
- Freedom of expression has seen the largest long-term decline and worsened during the pandemic.
- The 'free speech deficit' accelerated and remains a major concern for global freedom.
Ideas Drive Institutional Outcomes
- Ideas and ideology matter: a rise in populism has weakened liberalism and slowed competition-driven gains.
- Such ideological cycles can reverse, offering hope that liberal ideas may recover over time.
Who Ranks Where
- Top freest countries include Denmark, New Zealand, and Ireland; bottom include Syria, Iran, and Yemen.
- The United States ranks 15th while China is 149th and Russia 152nd.