Saturday 7 January 2006

Are you free?

I know that other bloggers have cast doubt on the methodology used in the Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom. Fair enough, but I can't help noting that eight of the top twelve "economically free" countries are members of the Anglosphere:

Hong Kong 1 [1.28]
Singapore 2 [1.56]
Ireland 3 [1.58]
Luxembourg 4 [1.60]
United Kingdom 5 [1.74]
Iceland 5 [1.74]
Estonia 7 [1.75]
Denmark 8 [1.78]
United States 9 [1.84]
Australia 9 [1.84]
New Zealand 9 [1.84]
Canada 12 [1.85]
Can there really be any doubt that economic freedom and the resulting material prosperity are best served by having a tradition of limited government, objective laws, recognition of property rights and a system of sound money? Unfortunately, most members of the political class in the Anglosphere don't uphold the values that need to be defended.

1 comment:

David Farrer said...

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Title: 5fec0c3d7669a319b632
Excerpt: 5fec0c3d7669a319b632e898b8da726f5fec0c3d7669
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24 February 2007, 20:18:11 GMT – Like – Reply

Young Fogey
Hong Kong is only free if you don't annoy Beijing too much.

In Singapore criticising the government can lose you your job/result in serious damage to your business. Hardly free, either.
18 January 2006, 13:33:40 GMT – Like – Reply

Neil Craig
& 3 of the others of are from the Vikingosphere. Luxembourg is fairly obviously a ststistical anomaly.

Stuart would doubtless also have pointed out that 8 of them are countries of 5 million or less.
11 January 2006, 14:14:15 GMT