Since 1996, a network of public policy institutes, the Economic Freedom Network, has produced the Economic Freedom of the World index. It measures the degree to which people in a nation are free to pursue their own economic objectives without government taxes and regulations, as well as the extent to which government protects property rights and provides a sound monetary environment.
The O’Neil Center's Robert Lawson is co-author of the Economic Freedom report, with James Gwartney of Florida State University and Joshua Hall of Beloit College.
Over the years, this study has consistently found that the nations that score higher on the index tend to be richer and grow faster, and their citizens face less poverty, live longer, get more educated, and so on. On virtually every measure of the good life, more economic freedom yields better results. Other research finds economic freedom corresponds with less warfare, greater human rights, more gender equity, less unemployment, improved democracy, more trust and less corruption. The results of our study and others are simply overwhelming. Economic freedom works.
To download the report for free, please visit www.freetheworld.com.
Here are some videos about the Economic Freedom of the World index courtesty of the Mercatus Center and the Charles G. Koch Foundation:
Comparing Economic Power (featuring Robert Lawson):
Robert Lawson discusses Economic Freedom and Income Inequality:
Robert Lawson discusses Economic Freedom of the World:
U.S. Economic Freedom Over Time:
Economic Freedom and Quality of Life Video: