Economic Freedom of the World: 2016 Annual Report

The key ingredients of economic freedom are personal choice, voluntary exchange, freedom to compete, and protection of persons and property. This index provides a comprehensive and objective measure of economic freedom. Chapter 1: Economic Freedom of the World in 2014 by James Gwartney, Robert Lawson and Joshua Hall The authors of the report provide an overview and discuss why economic freedom is important. Chapter 2: Country Data Tables Chapter 3: Gender Disparity in Legal Rights and Its Effect on Economic Freedom by Rosemarie Fike The author considers several methods to adjust the EFW index to account for possible gender differences in economic freedom. Chapter 4: The Critical Role of Economic Freedom in Venezuela's Predicament by Hugo J. Faria and Hugo M. Montesinos-Yufa The authors examine the loss of economic freedom in Venezuela that caused the country to fall to last place in the index of economic and has led to an economic catastrophe. Chapter 5: Economic Freedom and Growth in Ireland, 1980 to 2014 by Robbie Butler and John Considine The authors explain the strong growth of economic freedom in Ireland and the wave of prosperity it released. Chapter 6: Economic Freedom in the United States, 1980 to the Present by Dean Stansel and Meg Tuszynski The authors explore the downward trend of economic freedom in the United States and its negative economic consequences.