Economic Freedom Matters!

Anthony B. Kim / April 20, 2010

Richard Florida, who is the author of “The Rise of Creative Class,” posed the following vital questions in his recent article “Free, Tolerant, and Happy” in The Atlantic:

To what extent is economic freedom associated with tolerance and happiness? Are freer nations also more tolerant? Are their residents happier than those of other nations? To what extent is economic freedom also associated with other factors like affluence and material well?being, the level of human capital, and the transition to postindustrial economic structures? And what is the relationship between freedom and economic inequality?”

In answering these questions, Mr. Florida deftly employed the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom, a data-driven analytical tool for a wide range of audiences including policy makers and investors. (more…)