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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