Those countries are shown as solid dots in Figure 1. For that reason, I will use only the subsample of 107 countries for which there are no missing data. In my analysis, I will frequently want to dig below the group scores to the individual indicators. Group scores for those countries are estimated based on the remaining indicators within each group for which data are available. The Cato Human Freedom Index covers 162 countries in all, but many countries lack data for one or more of the 76 individual indicators in the data set. Readers who are willing to take my conclusions at face value without examining the statistical details of how I reach them can skip the analysis section and go directly to the conclusions. In a concluding section, I make several suggestions for strengthening the economic freedom portion of the index. The analysis section that follows explores what goes on behind the scenes to produce the striking relationship between economic and personal freedom. Sweden has the highest personal freedom score, while Hong Kong has the highest economic freedom score. Statistically, differences in economic freedom account for just over half of the variance in personal freedom. The points in the diagram cluster around a positively sloping trendline, showing that countries with freer economies, by and large, tend also to enjoy greater personal freedom. The remaining seven groups cover personal freedom, including rule of law safety and security freedom of movement religion association, assembly, and civil society expression and information and identity and relationships.įigure 4 in the freedom report is a scatter plot that shows a strong correlation between economic and personal freedom. Five of the groups cover economic freedom: Size of government legal system and property rights (LSPR) sound money freedom of trade and regulation. The Human Freedom Index comprises 76 individual indicators, divided into 12 groups. This commentary takes the data for a test drive by exploring a key finding of the Cato-Fraser report: that economic freedom and personal freedom go hand in hand.Įconomic and personal freedom: A first look The freedom indexes and the data behind them are a treasure trove for data junkies like me. The index is a massive effort that combines an Economic Freedom Index developed by the Fraser Institute with a separate index of personal freedom compiled by Cato.
December saw the release of the 2020 edition of the Human Freedom Index, published jointly by the Cato Institute and the Fraser Institute.
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