The Liberty Audit: A 24-Point Checklist for the Modern Citizen

 

The Liberty Audit: A 24-Point Checklist for the Modern Citizen

Part I: The Power of Choice (Money & Markets)

1. Can I purchase what I need without requiring a personal "favor" from an official?

2. Is my income based on the value I provide, rather than who I know?

3. Does the "rich" class consist of innovators rather than just political cronies?

4. Can a person without connections still build wealth through hard work?

5. Is the currency I earn stable and independent of arbitrary political whims?

6. Does my company reward performance over loyalty to a specific "leader"?

Part II: The Incentives of Power (Problem-Solving)

7. Does the person fixing the problem profit more from the solution than the crisis?

8. Are there "perpetual problems" that seem to keep certain departments funded?

9. When a "solution" fails, is the person responsible held accountable?

10. Is the organization transparent about where the "maintenance" budget goes?

Part III: The Rule of Law (Boundaries & Liberty)

11. Are the rules written down and applied equally to everyone, including the CEO?

12. Do I know exactly what is forbidden, or is "wrong" decided on a whim?

13. Is the law/handbook used to protect my rights or just to restrict my actions?

14. Can I say "No" to a person as long as I am following the written rules?

15. Is "merit" the only standard, or are there hidden "social credit" scores?

Part IV: The Freedom of Exit (Migration & Mobility)

16. Am I allowed to leave this job or country without facing severe punishment?

17. Is talent currently flowing into this organization or fleeing from it?

18. Are the "walls" designed to keep competitors out, or to keep members in?

19. Does my environment encourage "voting with your feet" if values don't align?

Part V: The Trap of Security (Liberty vs. Safety)

20. Am I trading my privacy or decision-making power for a "guarantee" of safety?

21. If the "provider" fails, do I have a backup plan or am I totally dependent?

22. Is the "safety" offered to me a way to make me more compliant?

Part VI: The Utopian Warning (Good Intentions)

23. Is a "perfect" system being forced upon me at the expense of my current rights?

24. Are "good intentions" being used to justify the centralization of total power?