The world's most Libertarian countries

[Ibanez]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... tries.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is an interesting read.

[BDKJMU]

Article left off guns. Major oversight. Or maybe not, as it was a Brit paper and they would have scored at/near the bottom...

[Ibanez]

Article left off guns. Major oversight. Or maybe not, as it was a Brit paper and they would have scored at/near the bottom...

Jesus Christ dude...


"You know what would make this dinner better kids? If you're idiot mother had served croissants instead of biscuits."

[ASUMountaineer]

Article left off guns. Major oversight. Or maybe not, as it was a Brit paper and they would have scored at/near the bottom...

Jesus Christ dude...


"You know what would make this dinner better kids? If you're idiot mother had served croissants instead of biscuits."

Clearly a commie.

[CID1990]

I have a buddy who also is in the foreign service and he is also conservative/libertarian (we're like hen's teeth at DoS). Anyway, sometimes we talk about how the little personal freedoms can be found in the most authoritarian countries. For example, in Vietnam, if you want to drive around with an open beer without you seatbelt on, nobody is going to mess with you about it. Generally speaking, people and the government largely leave you alone in your personal life. This isn't to say that Vietnam isn't hard on its citizens in some pretty egregious ways, but in my every day life I felt more free to behave and live the way I wanted than I do when I am home. I still tell my wife I would like to retire to Dalat, Vietnam and she thinks I'm joking but I'm not.

[Skjellyfetti]

in my every day life I felt more free to behave and live the way I wanted than I do when I am home.

You're a relatively wealthy western diplomat.

Are you treated at all typically to Phuk Dat Bich out in the paddy fields?

[kalm]

Would like to see more about economic libertarianism.

[Grizalltheway]

Would like to see more about economic libertarianism.

Somalia's absence is rather puzzling.

[Ivytalk]

Where is Estonia? Among the lowest taxes and regulatory burdens in the Western world.

[kalm]

Where is Estonia? Among the lowest taxes and regulatory burdens in the Western world.

Sounds promising IT:

Economy[edit]

Main article: Economy of Estonia


Estonia is part of the Schengen Area, the EU single market and Eurozone (dark blue).
As a member of the European Union, Estonia is considered a high-income economy by the World Bank. The country is ranked 16th in the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom, with the freest economy in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.[129] Because of its rapid growth, Estonia has often been described as a Baltic Tiger. Beginning 1 January 2011, Estonia adopted the euro and became the 17th eurozone member state.[130]
According to Eurostat, Estonia had the lowest ratio of government debt to GDP among EU countries at 6.7% at the end of 2010.[131] The world media has lately started to describe Estonia as a Nordic country, emphasizing the economic, political and cultural differences between Estonia and its less successful Baltic neighbours.[132]
A balanced budget, almost non-existent public debt, flat-rate income tax, free trade regime, competitive commercial banking sector, innovative e-Services and even mobile-based services are all hallmarks of Estonia's market economy.
Estonia produces about 75% of its consumed electricity.[133] In 2011 about 85% of it was generated with locally mined oil shale.[134] Alternative energy sources such as wood, peat, and biomass make up approximately 9% of primary energy production. Renewable wind energy was about 6% of total consumption in 2009.[135] Estonia imports petroleum products from western Europe and Russia. Oil shale energy, telecommunications, textiles, chemical products, banking, services, food and fishing, timber, shipbuilding, electronics, and transportation are key sectors of the economy.[136] The ice-free port of Muuga, near Tallinn, is a modern facility featuring good transshipment capability, a high-capacity grain elevator, chill/frozen storage, and new oil tanker off-loading capabilities.[citation needed] The railroad serves as a conduit between the West, Russia, and other points to the East.[citation needed]


Business quarter in Tartu
Estonia today is mainly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden and Germany, its three largest trade partners.[citation needed] The government recently increased its spending on innovation by a considerable amount.[citation needed] The prime minister of Estonian Reform Party has aimed to raise Estonian GDP per capita to one of the EU's highest by 2022.
Because of the global economic recession that began in 2007, the GDP of Estonia decreased by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter of 2008, over 3% in the 3rd quarter of 2008, and over 9% in the 4th quarter of 2008. The Estonian government made a supplementary negative budget, which was passed by Riigikogu. The revenue of the budget was decreased for 2008 by EEK 6.1 billion and the expenditure by EEK 3.2 billion.[137] In 2010, the economic situation stabilized and started a growth based on strong exports. In the fourth quarter of 2010, Estonian industrial output increased by 23% compared to the year before.[138]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia#Politics" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If I was a conk asshole, I'd pooh pooh it's success based on small population and GDP numbers like I get when I mention Icelandic economics. But I'm not a conk asshole, so I'll gladly admit their system shows some promise. I want libertarianism to work.

[Ivytalk]

Where is Estonia? Among the lowest taxes and regulatory burdens in the Western world.

Sounds promising IT:

Economy[edit]

Main article: Economy of Estonia

Estonia is part of the Schengen Area, the EU single market and Eurozone (dark blue).
As a member of the European Union, Estonia is considered a high-income economy by the World
Bank. The country is ranked 16th in the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom, with the freest economy in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.[129] Because of its rapid growth, Estonia has often been described as a Baltic Tiger. Beginning 1 January 2011, Estonia adopted the euro and became the 17th eurozone member state.[130]
According to Eurostat, Estonia had the lowest ratio of government debt to GDP among EU countries at 6.7% at the end of 2010.[131] The world media has lately started to describe Estonia as a Nordic country, emphasizing the economic, political and cultural differences between Estonia and its less successful Baltic neighbours.[132]
A balanced budget, almost non-existent public debt, flat-rate income tax, free trade regime,
competitive commercial banking sector, innovative e-Services and even mobile-based services are all hallmarks of Estonia's market economy.
Estonia produces about 75% of its consumed electricity.[133] In 2011 about 85% of it was generated with locally mined oil shale.[134] Alternative energy sources such as wood, peat, and biomass make up approximately 9% of primary energy production. Renewable wind energy was about 6% of total consumption in 2009.[135] Estonia imports petroleum products from western Europe and Russia. Oil shale energy, telecommunications, textiles, chemical products, banking, services, food and fishing, timber, shipbuilding, electronics, and transportation are key sectors of the economy.[136] The ice-
free port of Muuga, near Tallinn, is a modern facility featuring good transshipment capability, a high-capacity grain elevator, chill/frozen storage, and new oil tanker off-loading capabilities.[citation needed] The railroad serves as a conduit between the West, Russia, and other points to the East.[citation needed]


Business quarter in Tartu
Estonia today is mainly influenced by developments in Finland, Sweden and Germany, its three
largest trade partners.[citation needed] The government recently increased its spending on innovation by a considerable amount.[citation needed] The prime minister of Estonian Reform Party has aimed to raise Estonian GDP per capita to one of the EU's highest by 2022.
Because of the global economic recession that began in 2007, the GDP of Estonia decreased by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter of 2008, over 3% in the 3rd quarter of 2008, and over 9% in the 4th quarter of 2008. The Estonian government made a supplementary negative budget, which was passed by Riigikogu. The revenue of the budget was decreased for 2008 by EEK 6.1 billion and the expenditure by EEK 3.2 billion.[137] In 2010, the economic situation stabilized and started a growth based on strong exports. In the fourth quarter of 2010, Estonian industrial output increased by 23% compared to the year before.[138]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia#Politics" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If I was a conk asshole, I'd pooh pooh it's success based on small population and GDP numbers like I get when I mention Icelandic economics. But I'm not a conk asshole, so I'll gladly admit their system shows some promise. I want libertarianism to work.

My wife and I visited Tallinn, Estonia, on a cruise. Beautiful place! And the tour guide touted all the Baltic Tiger stuff, including the fact that Skype's inventors came from there.

[CID1990]

in my every day life I felt more free to behave and live the way I wanted than I do when I am home.

You're a relatively wealthy western diplomat.

Are you treated at all typically to Phuk Dat Bich out in the paddy fields?

Has nothing to do with it, kid.

Relatively wealthy diplomats are followed and watched constantly in hopes that we will do something embarrassing for the next time we call them on human rights. In many respects we were under the microscope much more than the Vietnamese woman with the racist (and meaningless) name you gave her.

[Grizalltheway]

You're a relatively wealthy western diplomat.

Are you treated at all typically to Phuk Dat Bich out in the paddy fields?

Has nothing to do with it, kid.

Relatively wealthy diplomats are followed and watched constantly in hopes that we will do something embarrassing for the next time we call them on human rights. In many respects we were under the microscope much more than the Vietnamese woman with the racist (and meaningless) name you gave her.

Holy hypocrisy, batman!

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=36194&hilit=pilots#p787910" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CID1990]

Has nothing to do with it, kid.

Relatively wealthy diplomats are followed and watched constantly in hopes that we will do something embarrassing for the next time we call them on human rights. In many respects we were under the microscope much more than the Vietnamese woman with the racist (and meaningless) name you gave her.

Holy hypocrisy, batman!

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=36194&hilit=pilots#p787910" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Taking pleasure in seeing media types get duped and calling out a liberal board troll for bad ethnic taste is hypocrisy?

I think you pulled a hamstring with that stretch, sport.

[Skjellyfetti]

Didn't realize CID was so politically correct. I'm sorry if I offended your delicate sensibilities in any way and please except my most sincere apologies.

[CID1990]

Didn't realize CID was so politically correct. I'm sorry if I offended your delicate sensibilities in any way and please except my most sincere apologies.

No problem, Fag McFudgepacker.

[JohnStOnge]

For example, in Vietnam, if you want to drive around with an open beer without you seatbelt on, nobody is going to mess with you about it.

You know, I think that might be related to the fact that totalitarian governments understand that if you're just looking at it in cold, quantitative terms you're likely to come out ahead as a society if a randomly selected individual is eliminated.

Take the US, for instance. I have been frustrated for years by the idea that we should protect people from themselves because if a person hurts themselves then the society has to pay for it. Well, first of all, there's no big cosmic law saying that the society has to pay for it. But beyond that, I think that if were to randomly select an individual from the United States population and eliminate them the odds are overwhelming that you would reduce net cost to society.

The reason is that the overwhelming majority of the people take more out of the system than they put into it. It's as simple as that.

[JohnStOnge]

Otherwise: What the article appears to ignore is that economic liberty is an awfully big part of liberty. So is freedom of expression. Obviously, on balance, North Korea is one of the LEAST Libertarian countries on the planet.

Not that I don't think drugs and prostitution should be legalized throughout the United States. I do. But you kind of have to look at the entire picture.

[CID1990]

Otherwise: What the article appears to ignore is that economic liberty is an awfully big part of liberty. So is freedom of expression. Obviously, on balance, North Korea is one of the LEAST Libertarian countries on the planet.

Not that I don't think drugs and prostitution should be legalized throughout the United States. I do. But you kind of have to look at the entire picture.

I'd agree that the metric of the article is somewhat ridiculous. North Korea is libertarian because pot isn't illegal there. That's like saying Catholics are actually Muslims because Catholics also kneel to pray.

[JohnStOnge]

Kind of makes you think of Brave New World.. Very dominant and controlling government but drug use was encouraged and facilitated to keep the population "happy."