Personal and political freedom is expanding around the globe. Freedom House, a U.S.-based nongovernmental organization that tracks these developments, reports that more people enjoy civil liberties than ever before. As is to be expected, the gains are uneven. Sadly, some of the worst abuses of freedom are found in Asia, and there is little indication that repressive governments are prepared to loosen their grip.
The Freedom House survey identified 89 countries -- representing nearly 3 billion people or almost half the world's population -- as free. They enjoy open political competition, respect for civil liberties, significant independence in civic life, and an independent media. Another 58 countries, home to 1.2 billion people, are "partly free," meaning political rights and civil liberties are limited, a single party dominates politics, and (perhaps as a result) corruption is commonplace, the rule of law is weak, and ethnic and religious strife exists.
Forty-five countries are not free, their 2.3 billion inhabitants systematically denied basic civil liberties and political rights.