Comparative survey of freedom, 1972-1976

The data in this study result from five annual surveys which assessed the degree of freedom in 218 nations and dependencies from 1972-1976. The study was carried out under the auspices of Freedom House, New York City. The variables include assessments of the political and civil rights of the general population, an overall freedom rating for the country, and the direction in which this rating appears to be moving. Surveys after 1972 have added variables which indicate whether a change in the evaluation since the previous survey is due to internal events in the country or to new information about existing conditions. Before 1973, only the presence or absence of change is noted, thereafter, an increase in coding categories enables the direction of the change to be recorded. The 1976 data include four additional variables applicable to 142 cases, and provide information about the system of government and the economy of most of the nations studied.