05/09/2007 1:50:15 pm
Economic Freedom of the World. Yesterday afternoon, the Fraser Institute presented their 2007 global index of economic freedom. Read it here. It is an assessment of the degree of economic freedom in 141 countries; i e the degree of state interventions versus the possibilities for voluntary economic exchange.

There are several correlations between the degree of economic freedom in a country and national prosperity. In economically free countries, growth is higher, incomes are higher - also among the poorest, political rights are stronger and the environment is better, compared to the less economically free countries.

Sweden is number 22 globally, a high position - up from number 40 in 1980. Of the 27 EU countries, however, 14 score higher than Sweden. There is room for improvement, in terms of lower taxes and de-regulations in the labour market, for example. In a comment today (in Swedish) I propose that the Swedish government should have the aim of getting Sweden to top-ten. Read it here.