1. Read directions carefully.
2. Go to the 2009 Index of Economic Freedom link
3. Read what the Economic Freedom Index is. Write a brief summary in your own words (1-2 paragraphs).
4. Make sure you understand how to read the index and how the ranking works.
5. Click on RANKING. How many countries are ranked?
6. Look at the “Freedom %” column.
7. Who is ranked first (most free)? What is their overall score?
8. Who is ranked last (least free)? What is their overall score?
9. Find Iraq- why do you suppose Iraq has no ranking/data?
10. Click on Iraq. Read and summarize (2 paragraphs) the first paragraph about Iraq.
11. Do people in Iran, Cuba and North Korea have very good Property Rights? (YOU HAVE OT CLICK THE NAME TO GET MORE INFO) Why do you think property rights are important? How do these countries rank?
12. Which has more Government Intervention, Hong Kong or United States? Is China’s Government Intervention higher than both are?
13. What is the Fiscal Burden score (taxes paid) in Canada? Compare this to the U.S.
14. Name two countries with better (more free) trade policies than the United States.
15. What rank is Russia?
16. What rank is France?
17. What rank is Mexico?
18. What are the two highest scores (worst areas of the economy) for Mexico?
19. Compare Wage/Prices (Government control over wages and prices) for United States and Mexico.
20. List four countries (that you have heard of) from the list that enjoys economic freedoms similar to those of the United States according to the ranking.
21. Why do you think, as an American, and as a Government/Economics student, it is important to have a general idea about the economic freedoms of other countries? (1-2 paragraphs)