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The Benefits of Economic Freedom: A Survey

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Author Info
Berggren, Niclas (The Ratio Institute)

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Abstract

A new empirical field of research in economics shows that policies characterized by economic freedom produce economic growth. “Economic freedom” means such things as a small government, protection of private property, a well-functioning legal system, free competition and few regulations. The field also shows that under certain conditions, economic freedom improves income equality.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by The Ratio Institute in its series Ratio Working Papers with number 4.

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Length: 30 pages
Date of creation: 09 Apr 2003
Date of revision:
Publication status: Published in The Independent Review, 2003, pages 193-211.
Handle: RePEc:hhs:ratioi:0004

Contact details of provider:
Postal: The Ratio Institute, P.O. Box 5095, SE-102 42 Stockholm, Sweden
Phone: 08-587 054 00
Fax: 08-587 054 05
Email:
Web page: http://www.ratio.se/
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For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Niclas Berggren).

Related research
Keywords: Economic freedom; Economic growth; Equality; Freedom index;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
F43 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Economic Growth of Open Economies
O10 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
O40 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
P00 - Economic Systems - - General - - - General

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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    Other versions:
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Voigt, Stefan, 2004. "Islam and the Institutions of a Free Society: Many Problems, Little Hope," Ratio Working Papers 43, The Ratio Institute, revised 20 Dec 2004. [Downloadable!]
  2. Hans Pitlik, 2007. "A race to liberalization? Diffusion of economic policy reform among OECD-economies," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 159-178, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Pessoa, Argentino, 2008. "Natural resources and institutions: the “natural resources curse” revisited," MPRA Paper 8640, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  4. Geoffrey Brennan & Hartmut Kliemt, 2008. "Regulation and revenue," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 249-260, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Peter Gordon & Lanlan Wang, 2004. "Does Economic Performance Correlate with Big Government?," Econ Journal Watch, Atlas Economic Research Foundation, vol. 1(2), pages 192-221, August. [Downloadable!]
  6. Mwangi S. Kimenyi, 2005. "Economic Rights, Human Development Effort and Institutions," Working papers 2005-40, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  7. Bjornskov, Christian & Fischer, Justina AV & Dreher, Axel, 2008. "Formal Institutions and Subjective Well-Being: Revisiting the Cross-Country Evidence," MPRA Paper 17159, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Jul 2009. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Christian Bjørnskov & Nicolai Foss, 2008. "Economic freedom and entrepreneurial activity: Some cross-country evidence," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 134(3), pages 307-328, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  9. Pelikan, Pavel, 2006. "Markets vs. Government when Rationality Is Unequally Bounded: Some Consequences of Cognitive Inequalities for Theory and Policy," Ratio Working Papers 85, The Ratio Institute, revised 03 Sep 2006. [Downloadable!]
  10. Nathan Ashby & Russell Sobel, 2008. "Income inequality and economic freedom in the U.S. states," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 134(3), pages 329-346, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  11. Berggren, Niclas & Jordahl, Henrik, 2003. "Does free trade really reduce growth? Further testing using the economic freedom index," Ratio Working Papers 25, The Ratio Institute. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  12. Heckelman, Jac & Knack, Stephen, 2005. "Foreign aid and market-liberalizing reform," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3557, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  13. Vatcharin Sirimaneetham, 2006. "What drives liberal policies in developing countries?," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 06/587, Department of Economics, University of Bristol, UK. [Downloadable!]
  14. Kristina Nyström, 2008. "The institutions of economic freedom and entrepreneurship: evidence from panel data," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 136(3), pages 269-282, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  15. Berggren, Niclas & Bergh, Andreas & Bjørnskov, Christian, 2009. "The growth effects of institutional instability," Working Papers 2009:8, Lund University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  16. Zane Spindler & Xavier Vanssay & Vincent Hildebrand, 2008. "Using Economic Freedom Indexes as Policy Indicators: An Intercontinental Example," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 8(3), pages 195-214, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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This page was last updated on 2009-11-18.

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