Sunday, April 30, 2006

Grading Freedom: Review of Freedom House Index

Today, one of key agendas in US foreign policy is promotion of democracy and freedom. For this purpose, it is necessary to evaluate political processes and civil rights. I decided to write on this issue when I saw a blog debate between Mauo and Mike Ross.

Both are my blog friends. Mauo is a Japanese and believes in JFK liberal policy. On the other hand, Mike has unique backgrounds. He is an American brought up in Kobe, Japan. Though he is a diehard American conservative, he acquired Japanese citizenship a few years ago.

Mauo pointed out that Norimitsu Onishi, Chief of Tokyo Bureau of the New York Times, said that Japan’s politics had been under one-party rule, and its democracy was less developed than those in South Korea and Taiwan, in his article "Why Japan Seems Content to Be Run by One Party" last September. Mike refuted him, saying that the Japanese authority does not interfere civil liberty at all.

Having joined their discussion, I felt it necessary to refer to some objective data to evaluate freedom and democracy around the world. Therefore, I visited the website of Freedom House.

Freedom House is an influential advocacy group, founded by Eleanor Roosevelt to prevail freedom under American leadership. During the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, Freedom House played a core role to organize students’ movement against the regime. The board of trustee is composed of business and labor leaders, former senior government officials, scholars, writers, and journalists. Human rights agendas set by Freedom House are vital in American foreign policy to advance democracy throughout the world. Therefore, it is worth to see how they evaluate freedom in every country.

Freedom House grades the state in 7 levels, from 1 to 7. The smaller the number is, the better in this grading system. The result is shown in the Table of Independent Countries 2005. The best grade is 1-1: 1 in both Political Rights and Civil Liberties. As expected, the following Western democracies mark this grade.

United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Netherlands, Belgium, etc

It is quite interesting that many countries in New Europe mark 1-1 as well. They are new democracies, and I wonder whether former communist nations have transformed into free societies so rapidly. In any case, I show you 1-1 countries in New Europe below.

Poland, Estonia, Czech, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary

Is Japan really a free country? According to the table, Japan marks 1 in Political Rights, and 2 in Civil Liberties. This is not worse than South Korea, 1-2, and Taiwan, 2-1. Things are not so bad as Onishi says. However, I feel they are graded too highly, because their democracy is less developed than that in the West. A leading Japanologist Karel van Wolfren mentions unaccountable system in Japanese societies in his well-known books like “The Enigma of Japanese Power” and “Keeping the People Ignorant.” From this viewpoint, Freedom House over-evaluates Japan. South Korea needs to be graded much lower, because their police is authoritarian, and anti-American or anti-Jaanese emotionalism dominate its politics.

How does Freedom House evaluate freedom around the world? Their methodology is shown below.

Freedom House does not maintain a culture-bound view of freedom. The methodology of the survey established basic standards that are derived in large measure from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These standards apply to all countries and territories, irrespective of geographical location, ethnic or religious composition, or level of economic development.

It is noticeable that some developing countries mark 1-1. Certainly, their grading is fair, and not Western or Anglo Saxon centered. Developing countries mark 1-1 are the following.

Barbados, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Dominican Commonwealth, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Malta, Mauritius, Nauru, Tuvalu, Uruguay

Finally, let me see the grade of countries of critical focus: Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, China, and India. Despite US-lead intervention, both Iraq and Afghanistan are far from free at this stage. As expected, Iran, North Korea, and China mark poor grades. Though the Bush administration sees India a trustworthy democracy to make the controversial nuclear deal, Freedom House grades this country merely 2-3 level: not bad but dangerous to trust too much.

Freedom House Index may not be perfect, but it is apparent that there are no cultural biases in their grading system. More importantly, their evaluation has significant effects on US policymaking. Whether Republican or Democrat administration, promotion of democracy to defeat terrorists and rogue states will be a key agenda of American diplomacy. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to pay attention to this NGO.

15 comments:

Rosemary Welch said...

Excellent post! I don't trust India as much as President Bush does. Maybe he is not aware of the constant attacks on Christians in their presense. I understand why they would consider Afghanistan not free yet, because they are still at war!

Iraq, though? Well, maybe that is because it took so long to put a government together. It only took us 13 years! lol.

How are you, Shah? I pray you are well. Have a very good day.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm so japan got a 1-2? I wonder how this was measured.

Take germany for example (my home): Most people I know here are democrats, voting every 4 years the least lousy party just to be upset about the choice a few weeks after the election. Most would also do well in a non-democratic system that finally adresses the society´s problems. They stick to the current order because it is the current order and try to make the best out of it.

Thats not what I would consider a die-hard democracy.

Rosemary Welch said...

Dear Zyme,
You made a very good point! What you need to do is educate the people so that they realize they can take the politics into their own hands.

Is something wrong socially? Fix it privately, and stop waiting for the government to fix it. Everytime they try, doesn't it only get worse? lol.

Maybe you should run for office? You could still maintain your own site. Life is good. :)

Anonymous said...

Well life is good for me, no doubt about that.

But I actually think its ok the way it is. Could be better, but its ok.
Most men and women only worry about themselves and their families, about their own fate. They dont think a lot about politics. And its not their fault, its their right to behave this way. Maybe this typically german. But every four years they are supposed to decide the future of a country? A political future they dont really care about or cannot agree upon? That can only go wrong, so its best to keep them out of the process. This is where political elites come in handy.

There are indeed some things that are wrong socially. But how could I change the unemployment? I m studying law at university, and afterwards I will become part of a sector that has no use for unskilled people. Its the government that needs to do something, like force them to do community labor (early approaches are taken, they are forced to work during the asparagus harvesting for example). This needs to be enhanced so that they have enough motivation to look for work themselves.

Σ. Alexander said...

Rosemary,

Have a good day? Thank you. In fact, it is a vacation season from late April to early May in Japan. People call it the Golden Week. I'm tired.

As to India, current Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a cool headed economist educated at Oxford. However, when a Hindu nationalist takes power, things turn worse. Global citizens must never forget that Nazi came out of the Weimar democracy.

Σ. Alexander said...

Zyme,

To see how Freedom House evaluate liberty, you can click "methodology" on the website.

Japan's party politics is changing under the Koizumi administration. It seems to be evolving toward policy debate oriented, rather than fractional conflicts dominated. It remains to be seen whether this evolution succeeds or not.

Finally, real democracy can be achieved through self-conscious and rational people. This is how civil revolutions happened. It is true that an individual citizen cannot change anything. However, unless people are always alert on politics, the authority will corrupt. Elections do not guarantee freedom and democracy.

Anonymous said...

Well I consider democracy as the ideal government when a society is in an economical spring time. No other kind of government distributes new wealth more justly than democracy does.

But here in germany no new wealth is to be distributed. Tough decisions have to be made, a new direction needs to be taken and the people must finally move together into future rather than splitting up on issues all the time.

Thats where democracy fails to achieve anything but creating populistic politicians. We finally need a political elite again which doesnt ask the people but tells them where, when and how much. Otherwise we wont get out of this financial mess any more.

Anonymous said...

early steps are finally taken on this issue. We have a grand coalition on our federal level out of the two biggest parties, which together represent about 70 % of every general elections. If they decided to govern the country forever they could just do that, since no other parties could threaten them. Hopefully they will do exactly that, because:

In Bavaria, we are governed by the same party for over 50 years now. At no point of those decades, the governing party changed. And surprise surprise - bavaria has the most solid economy and the most modern education system of all german countries!

A government sitting in charge rock solid can do mistakes. But at least it moves into one direction rather than changing it completely after every general elections.

Regards

LA Sunset said...

Interesting post, Shah. I could not help but notice that Venezuela scored a 3-4. But since the time period of this measurement, events in that country have taken a turn downward. I would be interested to see how they would rate in a measurment, today.

Chavez has an affinity for socialism, Castro style. Castro has Cuba stuck in the 7-7, range. Which begs the question, how long before Venezuela hits the bottom of this tank and takes a place right next to Brother Fidel's failed experiment.

Rosemary Welch said...

I'm sorry, Zyme, but did you say, 'distributes wealth'? That is straight out of Karl Marx, my friend! Aghast!

The last time your friend was hungry, did you send him to the government or feed him? I know it sounds small, but it is logical.

It is not just a German thing. All of us are overwhelmed by the enormity of such changes. That is why we fool ourselves into believing we cannot do anything to change things.

I do not accept this! Just like in Darfur, Sudan, I did not give up. Just like I am sure you fed your friend. :)

(If you would have sent him to the government, he'd still be waiting! lol) See, we look at the whole picture and get overwhelmed. We have to start looking at what is right in front of us. What can I do to help make my little corner of the world a brighter place not just for me, but for everyone? Or just one person?

Have you heard of Martin Luther King Jr.? How? He was not a politician. He was a Pastor. How do you know his name? Could it be because he believed so much in what he believed that he would not be swayed by the difficultness of it?

He started with his knees on the ground in prayer. Then he started a Church. When that was burned down, he made another. He was a courageous, yet sinful, man who changed the entire world because he believed we should all be equal. We should love one another. And yes, we are all sinners! (I believe that, too.)

One person, one message, one world changed. You may not change the world, but I do not believe that one person cannot move mountains. I've seen it happen too many times to deny it! :)

God bless you.

Rosemary Welch said...

Dear Shah,
It is after the beginning of May, so I take it you are back at school. I hope you are well rested and plenty interested. lol.

As far as where the PM of India went to school...President Assad (? Syria) went to college in America! Lot of good that did. We have mostly communist teachers. I hate communism. It is evil.

Why am I talking about that? Hmm...did you ever lose your train of thought while writing? lol.

And yes, have a nice day! :)

Anonymous said...

Ah I see you have such a strong faith out of your religion.
Well here in Europe, those times are pretty much over, but interesting that religion can do some good, too :)
(I ve only heard of a martin luther king in my english lessons when I attended to high school years ago)
And there never came a friend to me telling me he is hungry since noone is hungry in europe ;)

Distribution of wealth was perhaps the wrong expression. But here in germany we believe in the need of an equal society with a very broad middle class. Dictatorships tend to reserve newly gained wealth for their ruling families, but a democracy lets every one take part in it. Thats it, simply being able to take part in an economical spring time.

Regards

Σ. Alexander said...

LA,

To understand what happens in Venezuela, it is necessary to see widespread rise of nationalist emotion throughout Latin America. In Bolivia, a populist takes power now.

Autocrats often make use of popular sentiments to legitimize their rule.

Σ. Alexander said...

Zyme,

The story in Germany is quite interesting. One party rule in Bavaria is has been successful? I thought it happens only in Japan.

However, there are many negative points in Japan's one party rule, such as the iron triangle, fraction politics, and so on. Things will change under Koizumi-Ozawa rivalry? It remains to be seen.

Talking of democracy and populism, see "Free but Undemocratic Russia" on this blog at

http://newglobal-america.blogspot.com/2006/01/free-but-undemocratic-russia-policy.html .

The original essay is linked to this post.

Σ. Alexander said...

Rosemary,

Of course, I am not so naive to trust the leader simply because educated at some top school in the West. I just wanted to say things might turn bad when a Hindu nationalist takes power.

More than a decade ago, Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore used his marvelous brain to legitimize whipping criminals. He boasted that he got two firsts and two distinctions at Cambridge, which Harold Macmillan couldn't.

OK, Mr. Lee. But Macmillan did not use his brain as you did. And Mr. Lee, it is a pity that you were forced to step down miserably, because you misused your intelligence.

This is a message to an authoritarian leader.