Fish don’t know they are swimming in water. Similarly, many Kiwis don’t know they are living in freedom. They’re usually just preoccupied with whether they are swimming on the left or the right of the fish tank.

I’m reporting from the Atlas Network Liberty Forum in New York where I’ve spent four days with free enterprise think tankers from all around the globe.

New Zealand gets high praise from those in the know. The others typically ask about our economic and civil liberties. The Economic Freedom of the World report puts New Zealand behind only Hong Kong and Singapore on economic freedoms; Legatum’s 2014 ranking puts New Zealand in top place on civil liberties. Kiwis should be continuing to ask questions about whether we are too spied-upon, but mostly, we are free.

It is only when you jump outside of our goldfish bowl when you see how free we are.

A highlight of the conference has been the “Think Tank Shark Tank”, a Dragon’s Den style competition for think tankers who pitch their ideas to potential donors. Baladevan Rangaraju from the India Institute won for his idea for a phone app - I-torrney. Indian police are notorious for their abuses of power; I-torrney is a pocket lawyer that gives people quick information on their legal rights. If they are illegally charged, with the push of a button they will be able to report it to Rangaraju’s group, who will make it publicly known, ultimately pressuring police to change.

This example of social entrepreneurship brings three things to mind.

First, technology is putting power, quite literally, into people’s hands. And, it is the forces of competition in a free market that are making smart phones accessible to the many, not just the few. 

Second, Atlas Network donors have just given Rangaraju $25,000 (USD) to develop and promote his app. One of the positive side effects of the wealthy getting wealthier, not often acknowledged, is the growth of philanthropy for social entrepreneurship: a lot of wealthy individuals care deeply about making the world a better place. 

Third, stories of police abusing their power in India, and many other stories of people around the world still fighting for their basic freedoms, shows just how lucky New Zealanders are.

Of course, New Zealand has work to do. The Initiative is researching how children can access a good education regardless of their background, how young people can get a foot in the door to owning their own home, and how to ensure our fiscal policies are sustainable for future generations. 

But most of all, our job is to ensure that New Zealanders never fall into complacency about the freedoms that we have.