When was the first edition of Freedom in the World released?
Raymond Gastil released the first edition of Freedom in the World in 1973. This annual survey measured political rights and civil liberties across every nation on Earth.
Questions about Freedom in the World
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What score range indicates a country is Free according to Freedom House?
Scores between 1.0 and 2.5 place countries in the Free group within the Freedom House system. A score of one indicated the most free status while a score of seven represented the least free conditions.
How many requirements must a state satisfy to earn the electoral democracy label from Freedom House?
A state must satisfy four strict requirements to earn the electoral democracy label from Freedom House. Countries scoring seven out of twelve points in Electoral Progress qualify under this definition.
Who published a study questioning the neutrality of Freedom House ratings in November 1986?
Kenneth A. Bollen published a study in November 1986 questioning the neutrality of Freedom House ratings. He found that Marxist-Leninist countries received a bias of negative 0.38 standard deviations.
Why did Diego Giannone conclude methodological changes since 1990 prevent an unbroken time series?
Diego Giannone reviewed methodological changes since 1990 in a February 2010 publication and concluded shifting criteria prevent the creation of an unbroken politically neutral time series. These updates appear incrementally rather than retroactively revising past years' data.