The Freest Country?

[Duncan Frissell]

On Sat, 26 Apr 2003, Kevin S. Van Horn wrote:

> Do you have some hard data to back up this assertion, or are you just
> repeating the brainwashing we Americans are fed from at least
> kindergarten forward?  I don't know of any serious study of economic
> freedom that puts the U.S. in the number one spot. Every rating I've
> seen for the past ten years has put the U.S. at number four or worse.

Econ Freedom of the World 2002

http://www.freetheworld.com/2002/1EFW02ch1.pdf

US 3rd after HK & Singapore.

Index of Econ Freedom 2003

http://cf.heritage.org/index/indexoffreedom.cfm

US tied for 6th after HK, Sing, Lux, NZ, Ireland.

HK & Sing have obvious general liberty probs. involving being an SR in a
commie dictatorship in the case of HK and Confucian fascism (Disneyland
with the Death Penalty) in the case of Sing.

Lux. has address registration with the cops or the local government (I
think).  I don't know enough to compare overall liberty in NZ & Ire. but
with Ire. in the EU now it's possible that we're #1.  Shows a low
standard for liberty in the world.

DCF