Academic

JOEL KOTKIN: Prosperity Index Shows That Democracy Still Works Best. With the Cold War well behi?

By Glenn Reynolds

JOEL KOTKIN: Prosperity Index Shows That Democracy Still Works Best.

With the Cold War well behind us, the real choice between systems lies in a growing variation in the form of capitalisms. Choices now range from the Chinese Leninist model ? essential centrally planned exploitation of the greed gene ? to various kleptocracies, divergent Anglo-American systems and varied forms of European capitalism.

None of these systems are likely to excite the most rabid Hayekian, especially now that the once free market haven Hong Kong is being integrated into the Chinese command and control system. But still, according a new study by my colleagues at the Legatum Institute, when it comes to delivering the best economic environment for people and families various forms of liberal capitalism still perform best.

The Legatum Prosperity Index found that all the more prosperous places ? not only by income, but by quality of life, environment, education and health care ? almost exclusively are democratic states. ?Prosperity,? the report concludes, ?is found in entrepreneurial democracies that have strong social fabrics.?

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Full post as published by Instapundit.com on October 30, 2010 (boomark / email).