Index of Economic Freedom

The Index of Economic Freedom is an annual report published by The Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation.

The index measures how well countries score on a list of 50 independent variables divided into 10 broad factors of economic freedom. The higher the score on a factor, the greater the level of government interference in the economy and the less economic freedom a country enjoys. These 50 variables are grouped into the following categories:

  • Trade policy
  • Fiscal burden of government
  • Government intervention in the economy
  • Monetary policy
  • Capital flows and foreign investment
  • Banking and finance
  • Wages and prices
  • Property rights
  • Regulation
  • Black market

See also: 2003 Index of Economic Freedom

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