10 years after handover, Hong Kong still #1 in economic freedom
Nat. Geo. The Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal have released their annual Index of Economic Freedom for 2007. The Index compares countries across a number of economic variables, including business freedom (how easy it is to start a business), trade freedom, freedom from government intervention, and freedom from corruption. China, wisely, has maintained its hands-off economic ...
Nat. Geo.
The Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal have released their annual Index of Economic Freedom for 2007. The Index compares countries across a number of economic variables, including business freedom (how easy it is to start a business), trade freedom, freedom from government intervention, and freedom from corruption. China, wisely, has maintained its hands-off economic policy since the 1997 handover—Hong Kong again tops the list as the most economically “free” country*, followed by Singapore and Australia. The United States is fourth. Some other interesting (and possibly questionable) findings:
- Indonesia, China, Nigeria and Nepal are all significantly freer of government intervention than Australia or the United States
- El Salvador rates higher than Norway in terms of overall economic freedom
- Malta protects property rights better than Belgium or Japan
- It is easier to start a business in Lithuania than Spain
- Iceland is the least corrupt country, sitting ahead of New Zealand
* For the sake of the index, Heritage and the WSJ considered Hong Kong and Taiwan countries.
More from Foreign Policy

America Is a Heartbeat Away From a War It Could Lose
Global war is neither a theoretical contingency nor the fever dream of hawks and militarists.

The West’s Incoherent Critique of Israel’s Gaza Strategy
The reality of fighting Hamas in Gaza makes this war terrible one way or another.

Biden Owns the Israel-Palestine Conflict Now
In tying Washington to Israel’s war in Gaza, the U.S. president now shares responsibility for the broader conflict’s fate.

Taiwan’s Room to Maneuver Shrinks as Biden and Xi Meet
As the latest crisis in the straits wraps up, Taipei is on the back foot.