United States ranked 21st worldwide in personal freedom

We're not number one. In fact, when it comes to personal freedom, we're not even close — so says a new international ranking from the Legatum Institute in London. No less than 20 other nations ranked ahead of America in regards to personal freedom, which is calculated based on protections of civil rights and civil liberties. This ranking has dropped significantly in recent years; the U.S. was in ninth place just four years ago.

The Legatum Institute also calculated an overall prosperity index, which factors in the personal freedom rating along with other social and economic measures. The United States' overall prosperity ranking is 10th worldwide, bolstered by the one measure by which we are number one: health.

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