Economic Freedom

The Human Freedom Index 2018

— Dec 10, 2018

The Human Freedom Index, 2018 finds that New Zealand is the freest country in the world, followed by Switzerland and Hong Kong. Canada ranks 5th globally, and the United States ranks 17th in this year’s report. The index ranks 162 countries and jurisdictions based on 79 indicators of personal, civil and economic freedoms and is a joint project with the Cato Institute in the U.S. and Germany’s Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.

Economic Freedom of the Arab World: 2018 Annual Report

— Nov 29, 2018

The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are again this year tied as the most economically-free nations in the Arab world, according to the Economic Freedom of the Arab World: 2018 Annual Report, co-published by the Fraser Institute, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty and the International Research Foundation. This report compares and ranks 22 Arab nations in five areas of economic freedom: size of government, including expenditures, taxes and enterprises; commercial and economic law and security of property rights; access to sound money; freedom to trade internationally; and regulation of credit, labour and business.

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Economic Freedom of North America 2018

— Oct 30, 2018

Economic Freedom of North America 2018 finds that Florida has overtaken New Hampshire as the most economically free state in the U.S., having scored 7.87 out of 10 in this year’s report, which measures government spending, taxation and labour market restrictions. Rounding out the top five freest states are Texas (3rd), Tennessee (4th) and South Dakota (5th). For the fourth year in a row, New York was ranked least free (50th), followed by Kentucky (49th), West Virginia (48th), California (47th) and Alaska (46th).

Economic Freedom of the World: 2018 Annual Report

— Sep 25, 2018

Economic Freedom of the World: 2018 Annual Report is the world’s premier measurement of economic freedom, ranking countries based on five areas: size of government, legal structure and security of property rights, access to sound money, freedom to trade internationally, and regulation of credit, labour and business. This year’s report compares 162 countries and territories. In this year’s ranking, which is based on 2016 data, Hong Kong is again number one, and Canada (tied for 10th with Australia) trails the United States, which ranks 6th.

Impact of Economic Freedom And Women’s Well-Being

— Mar 8, 2018

Women and Progress: Impact of Economic Freedom and Women’s Well-Being finds that higher levels of economic freedom dramatically improve health, education and financial well-being for women around the world. The study stems from the Fraser Institute’s annual Economic Freedom of the World report, and in 2017, for the first time, the EFW ranking is adjusted for gender equality. Countries where women are less economically free than men receive lower scores.

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The Human Freedom Index 2017

— Jan 25, 2018

The Human Freedom Index, 2017 finds Canada is no longer one of the 10 freest countries in the world, having dropped from fourth to 11th, while the United States climbed up seven spots to 17th. The index ranks 159 countries and jurisdictions based on 79 indicators of personal, civil and economic freedoms and is a joint project with the Cato Institute in the U.S. and Germany’s Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.

Economic Freedom of North America 2017

— Dec 14, 2017

Economic Freedom of North America 2017 finds that New Hampshire—the Live Free or Die state—has the highest level of economic freedom among all U.S. states for the third year in a row, scoring 8.3 out of 10 in this year’s report, which measures government spending, taxation and labour market restrictions. Florida, Texas, South Dakota and Tennessee round out the top five freest states. For the third year in a row New York was the least-free state in the country at 50th, and California ranked 49th.