Dotty Young reports for Human Events one instance in which America should not seek to be exceptional.

An annual study conducted by an international group of non-partisan think-tanks found, shockingly, that the United States, once rated as the third most economically free nation in the world, is now little more free than the United Kingdom and other big-government European nations.

Each year, the Economic Freedom of the World Annual Report is released by the Canadian free-market think-tank Fraser Institute, the Cato Institute, and the international Economic Freedom Network.

Compiling objective data from over 150 countries, the annual survey attempts to quantify the degree of personal economic freedom in five primary categories: “size of government,” “legal system and security of property rights,” “sound money,” “freedom to trade internationally,” and “regulation.” …

… Overall, economic freedom has increased across the world, increasing from 2000’s average rating of 5.78 to the current global average of 6.84. However, as the world becomes more free, the United States is on an opposite trend. In 1990 the US ranked at 8.43 overall, peaked in 2000 at 8.6, but had fallen to 7.81 by 2012.

While all five areas showed some decline, the worst was in Area 2, “Legal System and Security of Property Rights.” In 2000, the US was ranked at 9.23, the ninth highest in the world. However, by 2012, the country’s rating had tumbled to 6.99 out of 10 possible points, or thirty-sixth overall.

To contrast, Saudi Arabia’s defense of citizens’ property rights received a 7.3 rating. In this area, Oman received a 7.6 score, and the United Arab Emirates a score of 7.7.

Anyone who appreciates the importance of economic freedom should be concerned about the United States bucking this international trend.