| Abstract | The purpose of this study is to evaluate the 50 American states on an index of "freedom" to determine whether specific cultural elements present in certain states help foster an atmosphere of both individual and economic liberty. The hypothesis of this paper is that states with a rural population, and/or a generally homogenous population, will rank higher in "freedom" by enacting public policies that maximize human liberty and protect individual rights in the classical liberal understanding. Assisting this study is the 2013 state ranking index (Ruger and Sorens 2013). The research design combines both a quantitative analysis of specific empirical data with a qualitative examination of specific political and cultural phenomenon within particular states and/or regions. When controlling for the effects of political party control, it was found that the only cultural effects that shaped state policy in a more freedom oriented direction was lower population density. The major controlling factor in economic and overall freedom was political control. With strong Republican control correlating with higher levels of freedom. This was not the case with personal freedom, however, with population density and weekly church attendance being the controlling factors. |
