• The USA closes – only 2/100ths of a point behind Russia.
• Americans have the same online freedom as Putin’s subjects.*

Our friends at Cryptohippie, an online privacy protection service, have just released the 2010 edition of their excellent Electronic Police State Report. Following is their summary of the report, which you can download free along with the data used.

When we produced our first Electronic Police State report, the top ten nations were of two types:

1.      Those that had the will to spy on every citizen, but lacked the ability.

2.      Those who had the ability, but were restrained in will.

This is changing: The able have become willing and their traditional restraints have failed.

The United States, with the UK and France close behind, have now caught up with Russia and are gaining on China, North Korea and Belarus.

The key developments driving this are the following:

• The USA has negated their Constitution’s fourth amendment in the name of protection and in the name of “wars” against terror, drugs and cyber attacks.
• The UK is aggressively building the world of /1984 /in the name of stopping “anti-social” activities. Their populace seems unable or unwilling to restrain the government.
• France and the EU have given themselves over to central bureaucratic control.

METHODOLOGY

We moved to a more elaborate ranking system this year. The categories remained the same, but we have now weighted each one according to its importance. (The weighting factors are shown in parenthesis for each category itemized below.) Within each category we used a comparative method of assigning value.

We have not taken into account how many people, or what percentage of people, are affected by each characteristic. So, even though very few people in North Korea have Internet access, those who do are subjected
to very serious surveillance. The low number of users has no effect on the national ranking.

In addition, it is significant to note that we are /not/ measuring government censorship of Internet traffic or police abuses, as legitimate as these issues may be. Nor are we including government corruption.

Note also that none of our categories apply to evidence-gathering by traditional, honest police work. (Searches only with warrants issued by an independent judge, after sufficient examination of evidence.)

THIS YEAR’S RESULTS

We ranked 51 major states.

Here are the 51 states and their rankings, with last year’s ranking shown in parenthesis.

1. North Korea (2)

2. China (1)

3. Belarus (3)

4. Russia (4)

5. United States of America (6)

6. United Kingdom (5)

7. France (9)

8.  Israel  (8)

9.  Singapore (7)

10.  Germany (10)

11.  Ireland (12)

12.  Malaysia (11)

13.  Netherlands (14)

14.  Italy  (24)

15.  South Korea (15)

16.  Australia (18)

17.  Belgium (17)

18.  Spain (43)

19.  Austria  (21)

20.  Ukraine (16)

21.  Greece (28)

22.  Switzerland (30)

23.  Japan (19)

24.  Norway (22)

25.  Canada (29)

26.  India (23)

27.  New Zealand (20)

28.  Portugal (44)

29.  Denmark (26)

30.  Hungary (27)

31.  Poland (32)

32.  Sweden (34)

33.  Bulgaria (49)

34.  Taiwan  (25)

35.  Czech Republic (40)

36.  Cyprus (37)

37.  Finland (33)

38.  Lithuania (36)

39.  Estonia (39)

40.  Luxembourg (45)

41.  Slovenia (31)

42.  Malta  (38)

43.  Iceland  (41)

44.  Latvia (35)

45.  South Africa (42)

46.  Argentina (46)

47.  Mexico (51)

48.  Thailand  (48)

49.  Romania (47)

50.  Brazil  (50)

51.  Philippines (52)

We will issue our next report toward the end of Q1, 2011. We welcome input and assistance from reliable sources.

We may be reached at: info@cryptohippie.com

Full PDF Version of this report

Report Data

Supplement: The Taking Of The Internet

Related link: Totally Secure Laptops

Peter Macfarlane reporting from West Cork, Ireland:

I’m writing this update for Q Wealth’s Offshore Banking and Asset Protection blog from my hotel room overlooking beautiful Bantry Bay in West Cork, Ireland. After waking to beautiful blue skies and morning sun shining into my room, I was served a hearty Irish breakfast with a large pot of delicious coffee. That will keep me going until tonight I think, when we are holding a welcome dinner for the delegates coming here to the ‘Meet the Men’ event, which will start tomorrow.

Time now to answer some client e-mails, a conference call on a secure communications line with a Swiss banker about a client who is buying some gold bullion over there, and then a walk along the beach to work off some of those carbohydrates from breakfast before Richard comes over!

I must say that travel is one of the pleasures of working in the offshore industry, and particularly in my work where I am in regular contact with clients, offshore banks, lawyers, asset protection specialists and the like. Frequent business travellers know that travel is not always as glamorous as it might appear, but I do feel I am privileged that my work takes me to so many interesting places.

For some reason I often end up in tropical places which I generally love, sleeping in top class hotels near the beach! But nothing could have been more beautiful than the cool mist over Bantry Bay this morning. It was a great way to wake up relaxed and refreshed after my long journey yesterday, and I was immediately reminded of Richard Cawte’s expression “your ships come in over a calm sea.” In other words, a calm and relaxed state of mind is probably the most important thing when it comes to creating wealth offshore (or anywhere for that matter)

But although I still enjoy travel and waking up somewhere new, there is one thing more important: and that is the people I meet. I’m looking forward to tonight, meeting the line-up of delegates I’ll be spending the next few days with. We always have such a wide variety of interesting people, with many differing interests but a common theme: the desire to achieve freedom, wealth and privacy in a decidely unfree world.

Quite frequently, clients tell me they don’t want to come to these events for fear there will be government agents present. To that, I answer that we would sniff them out immediately. Yes, of course if you go to offshore banking events with hundreds of mainly US-based delegates present, the IRS will be taking an interest. They can and do buy seats and there is no way to avoid that.

Our Q Wealth Events are different, however, because we have much smaller groups – usually about a dozen people. Of course we respect privacy, but we like to get people to open up and talk. And somehow I have a very good sense of whether people are telling the truth or not. Tax collectors generally believe they are doing something good as that is the way they have been indoctrinated. They have been taught that the fruits of the labour of wealthy and productive people should be redistributed to the poor – or used to fight wars to help the elites.

Most people are attending our offshore wealth events not really because of tax issues, but for more ideological reasons than that. We have people from all over the world (New Zealand being the furthest away this time I think) who are getting together because they hate to see what is going on in the world, with our financial and privacy rights being eroded. People are genuinely sad to see the US dollar collapsing due to the US government’s policies, for example. I am too.

But the ones who come to our events are in the minority who are not going to stand by, watch the TV drivel and see things collapsing around them. They are the brave people who are actually doing something about it for themselves, as individuals and for their loved ones.

Although we call this event ‘Meet the Men’ I really prefer the description ‘Meeting of Minds.’ Many people are genuinely scared to go offshore, after all the hype and negative publicity. They realise it is not only their legal right, but only common sense and duty to their families to diversify risk internationally in turbulent times. But still, there is often that little voice at the back of their heads telling them to be careful. And quite right too.

So attending offshore events like this is a relatively harmless way of dipping your toes in the water slowly. Talk face-to-face with people who have been there and done it. Make lasting friendships with like-minded individuals from around the world. And over several days, even if you don’t take in all the information, you will learn so much and get a much better impression of the way things work offshore. (I’m comparing for example to personal meetings where I meet clients in a hotel somewhere for a couple of hours)

Once the events are over, we always allow time for personal consultations so you can put together your own plan. There is, however, no obligation… and of course it will be up to you and you only to follow through with your plan.

That’s why I think Q Wealth Events are such an important part of our services to members. If you are considering going offshore, attend one of our events as part of your decision making and due diligence process. You are too late now for this one, but we will shortly be announcing dates for the next events, early next year. Please make sure you are on our free Q Bytes mailing list if you would like to be kept informed. No obligation at any time of course.

We’ve talked plenty about how governments use fear to control the masses. Peter Macfarlane, joint editor of The Q Wealth Report and offshore banking and asset protection consultant, talks here about the latest example – the wave of fear sweeping the world – the Swine Flu Pandemic.

I could hardly believe the news about swine flu ‘pandemic’ today. But then again, I shouldn’t be surprised, should I? The last few entries here at the Q Wealth blog focused on how governments, politicians and major corporations (like drug companies, ahem) seek to control the masses using fear. We have talked about the fear of Islamic terrorism in the UK, and of right wing terrorists having tea parties in the USA. Here, with the fear of a swine flu pandemic, we have another prime example of this ‘fear factor’ being used to control the masses.

What surprised me the most was a White House spokesperson on TV announcing that a State of Emergency had been declared in the USA. 11 cases of the supposedly deadly Swine Flu from Mexico had been identified in the USA. Then, came a little tidbit of information that was almost lost in the news hype. Of those 11 cases, only one needed hospital treatment… and that one person had made a full recovery. Really? Ten people home with flu is a national emergency?

Since I watched that TV interview the number of cases in the USA has risen to twenty, reports Reuters.

Mexico did not raise its death count over the weekend, but there were worries that fatalities could surface elsewhere.

“I do fear that we will have deaths,” the CDC’s Dr. Anne Schuchat said. She told reporters officials were preparing for the illness’ possible spread beyond the 20 cases confirmed in the United States.

Let’s examine that. Since the epidemic as announced in Mexico, the death count has not risen. Indeed, in another Reuters article that is entitled World Flu Epidemic Fear Rises, it is reported that actually most of the people affected in Mexico have been given a ‘clean bill of health.’ Why that good news should give rise to fear, I don’t know.

20 people are ill in the USA. Yet government officials are raising the fear factor by talking of deaths.

The factas as I see it: Apparently, there is some quite nasty flu going around. It doesn’t respond to treatment, but then again neither do most flus. There is, in fact, no cure for flu and never has been. Just like centuries ago, if you have flu you have to sweat it out, and let your immune system do the work. Some people have weak immune systems, and they can die from flu. It is not out of the ordinary. Fortunately, there are a lot of easy steps we can take to boost our own immune systems… like eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and reducing stress. We can also take steps to avoid contagious diseases like flu, and the advice being put out by the powers that be is fine in this regard. These are all things we know anyway, but it doesn’t hurt repeating them.

In fact, somebody actually took the time to research it better than I did. According to an article at Rotting Nation entitled Swine Flu Fearmongering Center for Disease Control figures show 36,000 people die every year from regular flu in the United States alone. Maybe 81 in Mexico is really not such a high number? And there is even a video going around on Youtube of TV commercials warning of a Swine flu epidemic from 1976.

The point of this article, however, is not the flu. It is the fear factor. The fear factor that governments are using to control the masses.

The Mexican health services have, according to reports, been aware of this strain of flu for several weeks, and have been criticized for taking action too late. Actually, their action was precipitated by the USA. In other words, the Mexican government appear to have been forced into action by the United States government. The measures being imposed in Mexico now are draconian, to say the least. Unfortunately, the Mexican government tend to do pretty much what the USA tells them to do.

I should stress that we at Q Wealth are not conspiracy theorists. For the record I don’t think this is all a test run from some one world government, or that swine flu was deliberately created in a lab, or even that the fear is being deliberately propogated by the drug companies that manufacture flu vaccines.  But pf course the mainstream media is trying to increase ratings by using fear. And politicians are trying to benefit from this wave of publicity.

The fear factor is very effective at getting people to do things. Maybe one could, at a push, justify the use of fear to persuade people to do things that are in their best interests. You would have to take the view that people are too stupid to look after themselves, and that they need the government to protect them. That is not a view we subscribe to – quite the opposite in fact. We and our individual, freedom-loving readers believe that the best person to protect you is yourself.

Flu vaccines are highly controversial. I take vaccines for most things, but not to flu. After one year when we vaccinated our two kids against influenza and they had flu most of the winter, we stopped giving our kids flu vaccines even though the government tells us it would be good for us. Anecdotal evidence from other friends around the world, including friends who are medical professionals, seems to suggest the same. Flu vaccines don’t work. This of course is a personal decision with no scientific basis – but we must all exercise the rights to take decisions for our families.

The sad thing about the use of the fear factor is it is so destructive in other areas. In this case, how much heartache and stress is it causing? Even a circular I received about this flu from the US embassy a couple of days ago urged me, amongst other things, to ‘manage my stress’ as a means of boosting the immune system and warding off the flu. So how much stress are they causing by panicking the whole world?

I don’t claim to completely understand the world we live in. I know there are lots of factors at play, things going on behind the scenes in the corridors of power that we don’t know about. I don’t know why they are doing this to us. But there is no question that the government is out to control us. While we are all distracted by the flu pandemic, who knows what unpopular measures our ‘leaders’ will be hard at work on? Well there’s one I can tell you about right away – a new UK bill to boost government surveillance.

The only thing to do is to soldier on, and live the Sovereign Individual lifestyle we talk about so much. Health is the most important part of Wealth. (Our definition of Wealth, including how it includes health, can be found here). Only you can protect your health. Only you can protect your wealth and your monetary assets. Only by being aware of means of mass control, will you have the ability to keep your freedom, your liberty, and your wealth.

Fortunately, Q Wealth Report is here to help you achieve freedom, wealth and privacy. If you haven’t yet read our free five part course “Secrets of the Super Rich” I urge you to do so today. It’s free of charge and delivered by e-mail. This course will open your eyes to new ways you can achieve personal and financial freedom, and avoid mass control by governments. It will start you on a road of discovery that will leave you in full control of your life so you do not have to live in fear or under stress. Sign up for it today!

by Peter Macfarlane, non-resident banking and asset protection expert and joint editor of The Q Wealth Report

“We’re disillusioned.” “Fed up with the way things are.” “Obama stands for oppression.”

Those are just a few of the many comments people send me every single day. People are out there desperately searching for the kind of material we publish about Freedom, Wealth and Privacy. Ever since we started offering our free five part Secrets of the Super Rich course by e-mail, we have also sent out an additional e-mail soliciting feedback from readers. Plus, as most readers of this blog will know, I encourage all paid subscribers to approach our office for free informal advice, consultations and referrals.

Please be assured that, although at times another member of staff will reply, I personally read each and every one of these comments. And any consultations about offshore banking, investing, asset protection and so on are channeled to me (other topics are handled by other members of the Q Wealth Experts panel)

We’ve been getting a lot of new subscribers recently. So you can imagine my workload. I’m sorry if you have contacted me and there has been a delay replying. But I love this work and I think it’s the only way to keep my finger on the pulse. If I were a politician I would call it “listening to the grass roots.”

And what a strong signal is coming from those grass roots these days! People want out. They want out of the USA, the UK, Australia, Canada and many other places. But what they are opting out of is not so much the countries, but the system. And I use the singular intentionally even though I’m referring to many countries. The system has become totally oppressive. Fortunately, Q Wealth is dedicated to empowering individuals to regain control of their lives and escape the ratrace that is the first or developed world today.

‘They’ used 9-11 to take away our civil rights. Now ‘they’ have used the financial crisis to take away a lot of our financial rights and our very own money! Who do you think is paying for the huge bailouts going on now? You, of course, dear reader. You are taking on debt in the name of future generations. Your kids growing up in this system will either be burdened with debt for several generations, or the system will have to go bankrupt. I predict the latter.

Fortunately, the secret is out. You can opt out of the system. More and more people are voting with their feet, taking their pounds and dollars offshore where it can still buy something of value. They are still a tiny minority, but a very fast growing minority.

Some of us are more natural gamblers than others. Some are happy moving offshore on a shoestring budget, confident in their abilities to make money and create long term wealth… from a new offshore, tax-free base somewhere in paradise.

Although we’re originally from the UK, you won’t have missed the fact that we are pretty keen on Latin America these days. Your money goes further and the quality of life is better. Above all, there is less stress… and you can make money on the internet by managing your capital, or through active e-commerce businesses, or even manage onshore real estate portfolios from offshore with a big tax advantage over your competitors.

Others will move offshore for purely ideological reasons. It’s about getting the government out of our hair. Escaping the culture of fear. Even many people who are in the system are disillusioned. I liked the recent comments of Dame Stella Rimmington, former head of the British Secret Service MI5 (the real life version of ‘M’ portrayed by Judi Dench in the Bond movies) who said of the terrorism threat: “It would be better that the government recognised that there are risks, rather than frightening people in order to be able to pass laws which restrict civil liberties, precisely one of the objects of terrorism.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. I opted out of this rotten system a long time ago and you would never get me back. Offshore is more a state of mind than a place. A physical move, maybe a second passport, brings the most benefits. But you can start moving offshore, start creating that safety net or back-up plan, without leaving home – especially if your profession or business is portable. Now is the time. Don’t delay any longer, otherwise you will lose some of the advantage.  The word is out!

If you are looking for practical advice on Freedom, Wealth and Privacy, you have come to the right place. Here at The Q Wealth Report we don’t believe in scaring people. Like Dame Stella, we believe that we should all be prudent and recognize there are risks – and a lot of those risks have to do with the financial and political system that we cannot control. But rather than sitting crying to ourselves, or trying to swim against the current, let’s do something about it. That’s why you are here. Join us on the journey by subscribing to The Q Wealth Report today!