Hoven’s Index for January 24, 2010

Economic freedom is the fundamental right of every human to control his or her own labor and property. In an economically free society, individuals are free to work, produce, consume, and invest in any way they please, with that freedom both protected by the state and unconstrained by the state. In economically free societies, governments allow labor, capital and goods to move freely, and refrain from coercion or constraint of liberty beyond the extent necessary to protect and maintain liberty itself.

The Freedom score for the US in the last five years:

2006:  81.2

2007:  81.2

2008:  81.0

2009:  80.7

2010:  78.0

The Freedom score for Canada in the last five years:

2006:  77.4

2007:  78.0

2008:  80.2

2009:  80.5

2010:  80.4