New Zealand is far from socialist. It is fully capitalist and has been for... forever I think. I don't know where people get these ideas from.

New Zealand has no hate speech laws. Again, where did you get that?

You mention some real problems in New Zealand. I don't disagree. There is no libertarian mecca, every place has problems.

But the vax lockdown mandate thing is over now, and there was a *huge* public backlash that is still making tons of noise about it so that it never happens again. And Jacinda was so hounded about it she quit. She just quit. People hated her and so she stepped down.  Now we have a right-wing government.

But I contend that the USA has FAR more problems than New Zealand, or maybe you haven't noticed how all the institutions work for the deep state now instead of for the people.

Since you are "genuinely curious": https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/freest-countries