For over a decade, The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation have tracked the march of economic freedom around the world with the influential Index of Economic Freedom. Read More.
In 2010, for the first time ever, the United States has fallen from the ranks of the economically “free” as measured by the Index of Economic Freedom, published annually by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal, falling below the cutoff that earns countries the right to call themselves “free.” Read More.
If you were to rank the countries of the world in terms of economic freedom, where would the United States fall? First, or at least in the top three? The top five, surely. Because there is, in fact, a resource that ranks every country by this measure… Read more
Global economic freedom has declined over the past year as the tension between government control and the free market has heightened around the world. But why does economic freedom matter, and how does this decrease in economic freedom mean for America and the world? … Read more
In this week's Heritage in Focus podcast, Dr. Kim Holmes discusses the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom, which he co-authored. David Weinberger hosts. To get regular updates on Heritage in Focus podcasts, visit our RSS feed or subscribe on iTunes. To listen to more Heritage Foundation… Read more
Ed Feulner discusses the Index of Economic Freedom on CNBC Asia. … Read more
Abstract: South Africa is one of the world’s largest exporters of precious metals used in a multitude of industrial and commercial applications. Continued access to this vast mineral wealth is vital for the economic security of the West.… Read more
Produced by the Center for Data Analysis - Delivered March 14, 2011 Abstract: Increasingly, policymakers are focused on entrepreneurial innovation as a key to unlocking… Read more
Abstract: Countries that receive U.S. foreign aid routinely oppose U.S. diplomatic initiatives and vote against the U.S. in the United Nations. While linking humanitarian and security aid to support of U.S. policy priorities would undermine the purposes and effect of that aid, the effectiveness… Read more
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, more formally known as U.S.-Sub-Saharan African Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, commemorates its 10-year milestone in Zambia on June 9–10. The forum is at its critical juncture as Africa’s place in the world has been rapidly changing. Despite some setbacks caused by… Read more
Eric Cantor mentions Heritage's Index of Economic Freedom while discussing America's decline in freedom. … Read more
Suppose a quiz show host were to ask: “What country enjoys the most economic freedom?” Most Americans probably wouldn’t even hesitate before answering, “The United States.” They’d be wrong. In fact, according to the 2011 “Index of Economic Freedom,” the U.S. isn’t even in the top… Read more
Argentina’s ranking in The Wall Street Journal/Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom—now 135th out of the 179 countries ranked in the Index—has declined steadily in the seven years since President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and… Read more
Abstract: In ongoing campaigns against the expansion of the palm oil industry in developing countries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and environmental groups claim that palm oil production destroys tropical rainforests and threatens wildlife. In truth, a major motivation for… Read more
Abstract: Backroom deals between members of the governing class and their hand-picked cronies influence the legislative, executive, and regulatory actions of governments around the world. Examples of this ancient form of corruption abound. Government intrusions into the private… Read more
Unprecedented Decline for United States U.S. Drops from "Free" to "Mostly Free": For the first time in the history of the Index for Economic Freedom, the… Read more
Abstract: The current U.N. development system promises too much and demands too little of its member governments. Its autocracy, secrecy, bureaucracy, and self-aggrandizement reflect the worst of its members. The U.N. Millennium Development Goals are noble aspirations, but they will not be achieved because… Read more
Abstract: Multilateralism is not an end in itself. It is one of many foreign policy tools, admittedly a very important one, in the diplomatic kit. For the United States, multilateralism faces its greatest challenge at the United Nations, where the all-too-frequent clash of worldviews… Read more
There is one very useful thing about economic issues: Progress on them is measurable. Any presidential visit to Indonesia is certain to contain a list of “deliverables.” In the case of President Obama’s upcoming trip and the “Comprehensive Partnership” with Indonesia that he will launch, most of… Read more
Abstract: The Heritage Foundation began ranking trade freedom around the world in 1995. The newest rankings (to appear in the 2011 Index of Economic Freedom) show global trade freedom as high as it has ever been. That is encouraging: Countries with higher levels of… Read more
This week, world leaders are reviewing the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at a summit in New York. They should have the courage to admit to each other and to their constituents that although some progress has been made toward achieving the MDGs in the past decade, there is… Read more
Inspired by the 2010 Index of Economic Freedom “Mostly Free” — Not Good Enough! In 2010, for the first time ever, the United States has fallen from the ranks of the economically “free” as… Read more
Be sure to listen to our Heritage Libertad Radio Show. Click here to listen in Spanish. Click here to listen in...… Read more
If the 2012 edition of Heritage’s Index of Economic Freedom has bad news for the United States, the news for Europe is...… Read more
Heritage and the Wall Street Journal released the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom on Thursday, ranking 179 countries on...… Read more
Yesterday, Heritage’s 2012 Index of Economic Freedom was released, and Africa features prominently. With an average...… Read more
So you think you're free? Thanks to big government spending and exploding debt, the United States -- and indeed the...… Read more
In this week's Heritage in Focus, Heritage's Kim Holmes, co-author of the annual Index of Economic Freedom, discusses...… Read more
Real life can never give social scientists the kind of laboratory-quality tests that natural scientists can create, but...… Read more
Four of the world’s five most charitable nations also rank among the ten most economically free, a comparison of a pair...… Read more
President Obama recently lectured Americans on economics during a campaign stop in Osawatomie, Kansas. The New York...… Read more
The Legatum Institute has just released its 2011 Prosperity Index. The index has a number of strengths, topped by the...… Read more
President
Vice President, Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, and Director, The Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies
Senior Policy Analyst, Economic Freedom
Director, Center for International Trade and Economics and the Mark A. Kolokotrones Fellow in Economic Freedom
Research Fellow For Economic Freedom and Growth