free world
Realm without limits
The free world refers to nations with democratic governments and civil liberties, as opposed to authoritarian or communist states.
The phrase gained currency during the Cold War, when it designated Western democracies aligned against the Soviet bloc: leader of the free world.
The term carries ideological weight and is sometimes used ironically to highlight gaps between democratic ideals and actual practice.
Cold War's political divide
- Western BlocAnti-Soviet alliance nations
- NATOWestern defense organization
- containmentPreventing hostile expansion
- Truman DoctrinePolicy opposing communist expansion
Marshall Plan · Berlin Airlift · Soviet Union · communism · proxy wars · nuclear arms race · Cuban Missile Crisis · détente
Formal choosing of officials
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- parliamentNational legislative assembly
- votingFormally registering a choice
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
republic · legislature · pluralism · representative government · civil society · rule of law · separation of powers · political parties
Inalienable personal freedoms
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- independenceFreedom from external control
individual rights · emancipation · liberation · Bill of Rights · dissent · asylum · refuge
Western defense organization
- coalitionTemporary alliance for action
- partnershipShared business arrangement
- collective securityShared defense pact system
- mutual defenseReciprocal military obligation
transatlantic · treaty · diplomatic ties · solidarity · cooperation · multilateralism · security pact · allied powers
Individually owned business operation
- competitionStruggle for supremacy
- entrepreneurshipCreating and managing ventures
- investmentDeploying capital for returns
- consumerismPreoccupation with acquiring goods
privatization · property rights · deregulation · open markets · globalization · commerce · prosperity · innovation
Iron Curtain
Cold War's political divide
- Western BlocAnti-Soviet alliance nations
- NATOWestern defense organization
- containmentPreventing hostile expansion
Truman Doctrine · Marshall Plan · Berlin Airlift · Soviet Union · communism · proxy wars · nuclear arms race · Cuban Missile Crisis · détente · space race
elections
Formal choosing of officials
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- parliamentNational legislative assembly
- votingFormally registering a choice
suffrage · republic · legislature · pluralism · representative government · civil society · rule of law · separation of powers · political parties · checks and balances
human rights
Inalienable personal freedoms
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
independence · individual rights · emancipation · liberation · Bill of Rights · dissent · asylum · refuge
NATO
Western defense organization
- coalitionTemporary alliance for action
- partnershipShared business arrangement
- collective securityShared defense pact system
mutual defense · transatlantic · treaty · diplomatic ties · solidarity · cooperation · multilateralism · security pact · allied powers · united front
private enterprise
Individually owned business operation
- competitionStruggle for supremacy
- entrepreneurshipCreating and managing ventures
- investmentDeploying capital for returns
consumerism · privatization · property rights · deregulation · open markets · globalization · commerce · prosperity · innovation · multinational corporations
free worldcommunist bloc
Soviet-aligned states collectively
authoritarian regimes · dictatorships · police states · tyranny · oppressive regimes
free worldprison
Confinement for offenders
incarceration · captivity · confinement · behind bars · locked up
free, world, freely, freedom, freer, freest, unfree, freebie, freeing