Exactly what nations encompass the "Free World?"

[Cheezy the Wiz]

When you speak of the Free World, who do you include in those nations? I think the basics are obvious: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, The United States, Canada...but exactly how far does the "Free World" extend? Vote for all the nations in the poll that you include in the Free World, and when you post, state those nations, and what your definiton of the Free World is.

EDIT: If a mod could fix an embarassing grammatical error that would be great. The poll title should say "are" not "is." I guess that English degree is really working out for me...

 

[Godwynn]

When I think of the Free World it is NATO + Japan, Australia, and New Zealand

 

[The Yankee]

You forgot Poland!

Seems to me that it would include virtually all Westernized (to various extents, plus Japan, South Korea, et al.) democratic countries, but that may be excluding large portions of the world.

 

[Mirc]

The poll isn't here yet, but I'd go for:

- USA
- EU (and countries in the Commonwealth)
- East-Asian developed countries (Japan, South Korea)
- Some other parts of the world, their degree of freedom varying depending on the current ruler.

 

[The Yankee]

And to be ultra-technical, I'll include Switzerland as well, even though they're not NATO or EU.

 

[frob2900]

Why not Sweden or the Netherlands?

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

You forgot Poland!

No I didn't.

Seems to me that it would include virtually all Westernized (to various extents, plus Japan, South Korea, et al.) democratic countries, but that may be excluding large portions of the world.

Okay, so what does Westernized encompass then?

 

[Mirc]

I think you should have just included the EU as a whole. I don't think that the Czech Republic is any more "freer" or "less free" than Hungary or any other such country from the EU...

 

[Mirc]

Why not Sweden or the Netherlands?

So you find Slovakia, Poland and Romania outside the "free world"?

 

[frob2900]

So you find Slovakia, Poland and Romania outside the "free world"?

Argh, why did you vote for all the options I did? Now I have no retort!

 

[The Yankee]

No I didn't.

Stealing my thunder like that...stealing Bush's best line in seven years like that....why I oughta....

Okay, so what does Westernized encompass then?

NATO (and for now I'll throw Turkey in there, it's improved since decades past), plus Switzerland, plus any other EU country I forgot (can't say about Cyprus, so take that how you will). I think most of the former Yugoslav states have moved in there (couldn't say about Serbia or Bosnia).

Perhaps a bunch of the Caribbean countries also fit in there (again, since I don't study them, I couldn't pick and choose each and every one).

Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel are in. You could also likely make a case for Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and maybe a few other South American countries as well as South Africa.

The "Free World" is extensive, but some are questionably in the club (some I've listed, others I haven't). I know I've yet to list some huge countries (India, Mexico, Philippines, etc.), and some smaller but important ones (Singapore, Malaysia, etc.), though the application of Free World standards may not extend to the countries as a whole or in the case of the Philippines, I simply don't know enough about the situation to say. lI'll bet if you asked 30 people, you'll get 47 different answers.

But I might as well quit while I'm semi-ahead. I'm sure I've angered plenty of posters already!

 

[Cuivienen]

So you find Slovakia, Poland and Romania outside the "free world"?

Until their economies improve, yes. It shouldn't take more than another five years for Slovakia to make the list, maybe 10 for Poland. Romania might take as long as twenty years.

 

[Bill3000]

Okay, so what does Westernized encompass then?

Generally speaking, a country is westernized when it has a liberal democratic government and a free market economy.

 

[Mirc]

Until their economies improve, yes. It shouldn't take more than another five years for Slovakia to make the list, maybe 10 for Poland. Romania might take as long as twenty years.

What does the economy have to do with anything??? The structure of the economy and the market is almost identical, the only difference is how rich they are compared to the rest of Europe.

 

[Mise]

What does the economy have to do with anything??? The structure of the economy and the market is almost identical, the only difference is how rich they are compared to the rest of Europe.

Absolutely....

I voted for all of those apart from Iraq, but I was using a liberal definition of "Free". Any country where there are free and fair elections is, to me, the Free World. EDIT: Probably shouldn't have voted Cuba, or even Pakistan, but I got a bit carried away.... EDIT2: I really didn't give it much though. Probably should have. But anyway my definition works for me, don't care about the poll anymore

 

[The Yankee]

or even Pakistan

Let's declare stated allies members of the Free World too! Seems to work in every speech about defending freedom with our allies.

 

[Fifty]

every nation except the United Corporate Sates of Media-Indoctrinaria (aka the USA)

 

[onejayhawk]

The expression has been out of date since the break up of the Soviet Union.

J

 

[The Yankee]

The expression has been out of date since the break up of the Soviet Union.

J

We have to revive it if we're going to nostalgically refight the whole thing (see the several threads on Russian activities)!

Reds Under the Beds!

 

[luiz]

I agree with onejay, it is a dated expression.