Americans, Especially Women, Feel Less Free. They're Not Wrong.

People around the world are, by and large, satisfied with the freedom they enjoy in their everyday lives. The exceptions to this trend are Americans—women, in particular. This could be the set-up for commentary from Euro-pundits and U.N. officials about American political dysfunction or the evils of our culture except for an important complication: By the reckoning of several independent organizations, the world is getting less free, and folks here at home are closer to the truth than are our overseas cousins.

Americans Are Outliers in Feeling Dissatisfied With Their Freedom

"For the third year in a row, Americans are less satisfied with their personal freedom than the rest of the world, including their peers in other wealthy, market-based economies," Gallup's Benedict Vigers and Julie Ray reported of survey data on May 14. "While Americans have been less satisfied in recent years, satisfaction with personal freedom has remained higher and steady worldwide. A median of 81% across 142 countries and territories expressed satisfaction with their freedom in 2024."