04/01/2006 1:56:13 pm
Economic Freedom Increasing Globally. Today, the 2006 edition of the Index of Economic Freedom (Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal) was released. The countries are measured against a list of 50 variables in 10 categories. There is a strong correlation between a high score in the index - or a big improvement of the position - and economic growth.

Last year was very good for economic freedom in the world. Of the 157 countries analysed in the index, economic freedom increased in 99. Europe and North America are on a steady course in the direction of more freedom, but the perhaps most positive piece of news is that no region has seen a stronger development of economic freedom than Sub-Saharan Africa.

In the EU, a whole 18 countries of the 25 members increased their economic freedom in the last year. My own country, Sweden, went in the other direction and decreased the economic freedom. When most other countries improve, we get the poorest score in six years time.