Ranking Economic Freedom with The Heritage Foundation's James Roberts

[Raztamoket]

Mauritius FTW!!

[sunnyboyX89]

Argentina one of the fasted growing economies in the world is classified as repressed on this list.

Sweden and Denmark, most taxed countries in the world are more free than Indonesia, Bangladesh, Russia, China or South Korea according to this ranking.

Ireland, the most bankrupt nation in the world is more economic free than the US in this ranking.

Cuba on rank 177 is wealthier than Haiti on rank 142.

If you take this list from the imperial HF seriously, i can't take you.

[1corpoaratekochwhore]

Why doesn't the Heritage Found. do a yearly ranking of crony-capitalism/ corporate welfare in different nations? I'm sure are ranking on that has skyrocketed.

That has contributed way more to the destruction of America than these garbage right wing economic talking points that they are using.

[TigerbythetailFilms]

@1corpoaratekochwhore a free market is free of cronyism too. So yeah, they factor in interventionism, corruption and favoritism as anti-free market factors.

[1corpoaratekochwhore]

@TigerbythetailFilms

These organizations would be more credible if they focused crony capitalism soley. There are billions of unfair subsidies that go to the oil and defense industry (they wasted billions in the Iraq war alone). And the big banks got 0% interest loans from their buddies in the Fed Res while the mainstream media would love for Americans to think that it was paid back and everything is fine. All the GOP does is complain about what poor people are receiving.

[TigerbythetailFilms]

@1corpoaratekochwhore more credible to whom? you? Ok, here's an idea: make your own list based on whatever metrics you like, since you don't seem to think these people are professional enough.

[1corpoaratekochwhore]

@TigerbythetailFilms

You dont get my point. If you are going to highlight govt spending that goes to the poor, why not highlight govt spending that goes to the wealthy and politically connected people. I never said they werent professional, dont put words in my mouth, however I do think they are disingenuous.

[TigerbythetailFilms]

@1corpoaratekochwhore "I never said they werent professional, dont put words in my mouth, however I do think they are disingenuous." - isn't it unprofessional to be disingenuous? As a person living in Singapore, the top-ranked country in the ranking, I can personally attest to the amazing economic freedom we have here. This is, of course, anecdotal. But 17% of the people here are millionaires, there is no homelessness, the borders are open and there's only about a 2-3% unemployment rate.

[1corpoaratekochwhore]

@TigerbythetailFilms

Those words are mutually exclusive. And what point are you trying to make by bringing up Singapore's economic conditions. I hope you are not comparing it to the US, that would be very foolish.

[TigerbythetailFilms]

@1corpoaratekochwhore well no, part of professionalism is being upfront and open. You don't actually have any particular evidence of them being disingenuous, you just don't like their results. Of course Singapore's economic conditions are related, their top marginal tax rate on corporations and individuals is 20%. Their government spending is far less a percentage of GDP. How is the comparison in economic policies "foolish"? You don't even say why, it's a bare assertion fallacy. Learn economics.

[1corpoaratekochwhore]

@TigerbythetailFilms Why don't you read my words instead of being so arrogant. I never questioned the study in my post. I questioned why these right wing economic organizations never shine a spotlight on crony capitalism. Maybe you don't know what that means. Also instead of nitpicking my words why don't you learn American economic policy.There are endless news articles about fortune 500 companies paying very little or no taxes at times. Also nice way to change the subject.

[engineer84]

Hi there, Sweden are not socialist anymore... We have liberalconservative = Moderaterna. They are stering the ship now :)

And they are doing a great Work.

Go Ron Paul 2012

//Tobias Sweden

[sunnyboyX89]

@engineer84

If Sweden the highest taxed country in the world is not socialist, so then which country is socialist??? It would be interesting to see your 'economic freedom' ranking.

[sunnyboyX89]

One of the fasted growing economies in the world, Argentina is on rank 158, very oppressed. Haha, you stupid capitalist fucks, assholes. Cuba is on rank 177, Haiti on rank 142, Cuba is much wealthier than Haiti. China is on rank 138. Really??? This is just a list of wealthy countries at the top and poor at the bottom, they want to claim that wealthy countries are automatically more free based upon indicators like things that describing being wealthy itself, like corruption and security. LIARS!!

[sunnyboyX89]

lol the "Economic Freedom Index" is the biggest crap ever. That's just a list of wealthy countries at the top and poor on the bottom, whatever the real economic freedom is, whatever that means. In this list Denmark and Sweden are more economically free than Indonesia, Cambodia or Russia. Who really believes that is mentally ill. Sweden and Denmark have one of the highest taxes in the world. They have eco-taxes. Has Indonesia eco-taxes. Stupid capitalist fucking liars!!!

[tulpengekte]

@sunnyboyX89 Have you ever thought that this is because economic freedom leads to wealth?!

[hayden50]

@sunnyboyX89 you make some excellent points dude..the index is pretty bias towards countries with radical wealth redistribution.

[LordAkaneon]

The time is now for a balanced budget. It's easier than you think. End Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Increase Net Interest. Invest in education and technology.

[bvrcrap56]

PISSING AWAY money on the BANKS!, fuck the people who need it. thanks dickless obama and the hoods in congress.

[cooperbry]

It's a mistake to decouple freedom from "economic freedom". They are the same thing.

[bestofantiwarradio]

@cooperbry

exactly! plus property rights, but that could be called economic freedom as well.

[stap0510]

Why have some people always such a hard time to apply correct spelling?

Ironing?

Jeezz...

[hannas1234]

Oh, the ironing!: socialist european counties learning from south american countries how/why privatization is better than public 'services'.

[wpaxton]

@hannas1234 Ironing?

[realhxq]

@wpaxton irony ?

[realhxq]

@hannas1234 irony ?

[GregoryTheGr8ster]

Is Zimbabwe still the world's most rapidly shrinking economy? What an accomplishment that is!

[wpaxton]

Mauritius is Africa now? It's way out in the middle of the ocean.

[WestSkier11]

New Zealand has been doing great since the 1990s.

[Loathomar]

@WestSkier11 Really, New Zealand has been growing about 10% faster then the US for the last 20 years, but with a population that is generally as well educated as the US, there GDP per capita is still only 62% of the US. So, it really is not that impressive that they have only gained 10%, if they are doing really well, they should have a GDP per capita ~ = to the US, cause it is a lot easier in the Globalized world to catch up then it is to grow with the highest levels of income.

[ShatterNWO]

The statement that economic freedom in the U.S. peaked 8 years ago, gives me reason to think that this study excluded the pre Woodrow Wilson America, when we didn't even have a federal income tax.

[EliteKiller07]

@ShatterNWO

They only started doing this study every year SINCE 1995. So, economic freedom in the US peaked 8 years ago SINCE they started doing the study in 1995.

[vonGleichenT]

great resource for anyone who is interested in economics.

[assfaceg]

Economic Freedom peaked about seven or eight years ago in the U.S"

oh right, what did all that economic "freedom" get us?? oh yeah I almost forgot, massive economic collapse, high unemployment,

that sounds great

[bluefootedpig]

@assfaceg You are right, what happened as I am sure you know, is that in the aftermath of the collapse, many liberals were able to leverage this and point saying "see, free markets fail!" when it was discovered that the problem was government forcing banks to buy these bad loans.

[TigerbythetailFilms]

@assfaceg you do know it's relative freedom, right? For instance, it's not economic freedom when our monetary system is socialized like it is now. And if you want the most economic collapse and high unemployment, perhaps you should rewind to the collapse of the USSR. Maybe go to Cuba? DPRK? The Congo? They're all doing quite well without economic freedom, all we got was this lousy YouTube.

[whoo689]

But these assholes in Heritage only think about BIG BUSINESS and the rich's "freedom." They don't care about that of the average joe. The vast majority of the crap they use to "measure" econ. freedom is shit you and I don't really have a lot of control over- just the rich and business owners. So it's GREAT if you own a business, esp. a large one, but if you're a regular guy, esp. a poor one, it doesn't really matter if your nation is 5th or 10th.

[onethirstydog]

@whoo689 it does if you want to start your own business. that way you won't have to be poor.

[4thstuning]

@whoo689 To quote yourself from another video "It just AMAZES me how easily people are led to believe that controlling others is a "good idea" or desirable." Consider the possibility that personal and economic liberty are one and the same. The freedom to conduct transactions w/o the blessings of the state is called liberty. The Heritage index simply measures the barriers to free commerce. Read some economics.

[bluefootedpig]

@whoo689 Lets not forget that a "job" is a recent invention. It came about in the early 1900's. Before then, everyone was a small business owner. Any sort of job was an apprenticeship in order to gain the skills to own your own business. McDonalds was not meant to raise a family of 4.

[whoo689]

And doesn't KEYNESIAN theory (whether or not it works is another debate) say that gov't spending would INCREASE demand, among other things, which in theory would lead to MORE economic freedom? How these right-wing dipshits came to to the conclusion that more gov't spending "reduces" economic freedom is beyond me. What about, say, a public option that would've allowed folks to work and accept the job they want and still get low-cost insurance? That INCREASE those folks' economic freedom!

[4thstuning]

@whoo689 1. Govt spending takes money from buyers and investors, thus hampering both, Typically govt spending is politically based, favoring special interests over the common good. And as Hayek so ably demonstrated, no one has the wisdom to allocate capital like the free market. 2. Why not have a completely free medical market to really increase competition and reduce costs? Currently the medical-industrial complex is a govt created cartel - all cartels increase costs.

[Loathomar]

@whoo689 KEYNESIAN theory state that gov't spending would INCREASE demand, but that money must be paid back. The point of Keynesian theory was not to have big government debt all the time, but to increase government spending on a down turn in the economy to act as a counter weight to the economies natural ups and downs. But when the government spends too much all the time, then spend more during a down turn, it cause fear which counter act some of the positive effects of gov't spending.

[ShatterNWO]

@Loathomar Those natural down turns in the economy aren't really natural, they are a result of gov't controlled fiat currency and interest rates.

[bluefootedpig]

@whoo689 Keynesian theory states that if you tax the people just right (hence progressive tax system) then they will remain working and are less likely to strike. The cornerstone of Keynesian is that if everyone owned a house, car and tv, no one would work anymore because all your needs would be met.

The problem is that keynesian relies on debt, and debt causes recessions, so the way to "fix" this is to inflate the currency by having the government print and spend it.

[whoo689]

I mean, it's CERTAINLY never been proven that if, say, gov't got involved in more road construction that all of these trucking companies would somehow be UNABLE to further their businesses. More gov't spending automatically "reduces" economic freedom? What a JOKE

This index is more of an ideologue's wet dream than anything EMPIRICALLY PROVEN.

[4thstuning]

@whoo689 Empirical proof in economics is suspect since controlled experiments are impossible. However looking at the long terms results of political systems with more or less govt intervention, it become evident that freedom provides the most wealth. For example America and Europe have huge govt intervention and they're on the verge of collapse from their unprecedented debt.

[whoo689]

The Index of "Economic Freedom" is a large misnomer. It's little more than a guide to, "Which nations allow corporations to get away with the most shit?" Very LITTLE of so-called economic freedom has to do with what the AVERAGE JOE gets, like financial freedom and the ability to collectively bargain for better wages. What about an index of WORKER freedom?

LOL! They put "gov't spending" on that list, as if crowd-out has actually been proven? It's a MYTH! Very few studies confirm it.

[MrAlpruitt]

@whoo689 So your saying Danmark is 8th in the world for "letting corporations get away with the most shit"?

Whoo689, ever Karl Marx knew a lot more about economics then you seem to. ^^

[maximunoutlaw32]

wow, I'm seeing allot of hate for the Heritage Foundation in the comments.

[Loathomar]

What does Economic Freedom cause? Does economic freedom = economic growth? If so, China must be very high as there growth rate is over 8%, but China's ranked 138 out of 179, so it is not growth. How about GDP per capita? Luxembourg is top in GDP per capita but 13th in the Index of Economic Freedom and Hong Kong is 1st in the index but 26th in the GDP per capita, so it is not that.

[Loathomar]

So, how about how countries deal it economic problems, Gremany has be a rock that has saved the EU, 27th and Ireland is one of the man problems for the EU, it's ranked 9th. Happiness? Right.. basically no real relationship odd then look at developed vs undeveloped nations. So, what is the point of this index if it can not be contented to any real data or trends. Basically, this is a chart of nations that the Foundation like, not that it result in better or worse economics. Kinda pointless.

[HyperMediaNews]

I guess Megaupload sort of represents the fact that walmart has taken over our society; I wonder if Youtube will be up next year?

[Shonenut213]

Liberals are always saying the US should be more like Canada. I think this is one case where we should be like Canada.

[LordAkaneon]

@Shonenut213 The problem is that the average person makes an incorrect comparison to Canada based on their personal perception and not based upon logical reality (i.e. Canada as a successful socialist regime - the fantasy - vs. Canada as the modern mixed capitalist economy where government is extensively regulated - the reality).

[sunnyboyX89]

@Shonenut213

According to this list we also should be like Ireland, which is bankrupt and like Singapore which is a nanny state. This ranking is crap, heritage foundation propaganda.

[GunsOfThePhoenix]

@Shonenut213 The problem is the line between views has been skewed. Canada is very socially liberal but, extremely economically conservative. Both can work hand in hand if its done correctly.

[Shonenut213]

Fuck the Haritage Foundation. They are nothing more than a bunch of war mongering, freedom hating, neocon chicken hawks!

[bweazel]

Seven or eight years ago economic freedom peeked? Ummm ya, I guess if you were in the in-crowd. Economic freedom went away before WWII and it hasn't been back since. This guy is a fucking moron.

[orbenn]

@bweazel The first edition of their index was 1995 so maybe he means it's the highest peak since 1995?

[bweazel]

@orbenn Hopefully. Because he sounds like an idiot. Baby Boomers lived it up on easy money, and now we're paying it back. What a sham. They lived a lie, and now we get to live our reality, plus theirs that they should have lived in the first place. Only a baby boomer could have called anything during the past twenty years economic freedom. What a load of crap. Economic freedom is being able to sit for a CPA test without paying a 1000.00 fee. Did they have to do that? Nope. Do we? Everywhere.

[TigerbythetailFilms]

@bweazel "Hopefully. Because he sounds like an idiot." He makes it quite clear that he's referring to the history of the survey, which is only back to 1995.

[ch1kusoo]

this is a good Index unlike the so called "Happiness" surveys.

the so called "Happiness" surveys should be called "Happiness-in-being-a-freeload­er" surveys.

[Loathomar]

@ch1kusoo With the exception of a few very oil rich nations, the relationship between Happiness in inequality is low, but that does not mean people are "freeloaders". The top 5 happiest nations are Scandinavia countries, which are not know for there "freeloading" population. Though that are known for there high per capita GDP, but then Turkmenistan, Mexico, Panama, Brazil and Costa Rica all make it into the top 20 and none are in the top 50 GDP/cap.

[Loathomar]

When you think of "freeload­er countries" what do you think? France? Ranked 44th in happiness. And the other way you can look at this idea of "Happiness-in-being-a-freeload­­er" surveys, is find statics on people you would call freedomers and compare there happiness to those who work hard. There is likely no working group that is less happy then the unemployed, and most of the happiest jobs of those that take a lot of work. There is no faster way to kill happiness then to increase unemployment.

[MrAlpruitt]

@Loathomar If you look at how they measure "happiness", it's basically which countries have the most PC laws for minorities, and which countries conform most to a "social democracy". Just saying.

[hannas1234]

@ch1kusoo You've got it all wrong, man. They're called 'occupiers' now.

[ledawg1138]

@ch1kusoo I may have to steal this comment.

[sunnyboyX89]

@ch1kusoo

This index is pure propaganda full of lies. They just ranked wealthy countries at the top and poor at the bottom based on their corruption rate and security. They did not account the level of taxes, regulations or any other aspect of capitalism. How Denmark and Switzerland are more capitalist than Bangladesh, Indonesia or China. Who believes that?? Do you believe that?? Really??? Are you sure???

[oJKBo]

Anyone else notice all the welfare states above us?

[MilkDrinkerIntl]

This guy is so damn stupid! He doesn't know shit about Eastern Europe!