Commentary October 30, 2014 | APPEARED IN THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW Human Freedom: From Pericles to Measurement EST. READ TIME 1 MIN. By: Fred McMahon and Alan Dowd Link Copied! Share this: Facebook Twitter / X Linkedin Without an objective measure of freedom, it is impossible to determine whether an action leads to increases or decreases in freedom, whether it lends stability to freedom or causes instability, or whether freedom leads to superior outcomes. Unfortunately, efforts to measure freedom have been imperfect, blurring various definitions of freedom, confusing “other good things” with freedom, using subjective rather than objective measures, and either failing to account for economic freedom or focusing exclusively on it. The Human Freedom Index (HFI) project aims to remedy this problem by providing a durable, comprehensive, and objective measure of freedom. This essay provides a literature review and details the philosophical underpinnings of the HFI. It is reprinted with permission from the Summer 2014 issue (Volume 19, Number 1) of The Independent Review, by Fred McMahon with Alan Dowd. © Copyright 2014, The Independent Institute.Read the Full Essay. Share this: Facebook Twitter / X Linkedin Fred McMahon Resident Fellow, Dr. Michael A. Walker Chair in Economic Freedom Fred McMahon is a Fraser Institute Resident Fellow and holder of the Dr. Michael A. Walker Chair in Economic Freedom. He has an M.A. in Economics from McGill University. Mr. McMahon manages the Economic Freedom of the World Project and coordinates the Economic Freedom Network, an international alliance of over 100 think tank partners in about 100 nations and territories. His research focuses on global issues such as development, trade, governance and economic structure. Mr. McMahon is the author of numerous research articles and several books including, Looking the Gift Horse in the Mouth: The Impact of Federal Transfers on Atlantic Canada, which won the Sir Antony Fisher International Memorial Award for advancing public policy debate, Road to Growth: How Lagging Economies Become Prosperous, and Retreat from Growth: Atlantic Canada and the Negative Sum Economy.He has written for numerous publications including the European Journal of Political Economy, the SAIS Journal (School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University), the Wall Street Journal, Policy Options, National Post, Time (Canada), Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, and most other major Canadian newspapers. Research articles he has recently authored or co-authored include: Economic Freedom of North America, Quebec Prosperity: Taking the Next Step, The Unseen Wall: The Fraser Institute's Annual Trade Survey, and Economic Freedom of the Arab World. … Read more Read Less… Alan Dowd Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute Alan W. Dowd is a Senior Fellow of the Fraser Institute, Senior Editor of Fraser Insight and Managing Director of the Institute's EFNA Network. In addition, Dowd conducts research into defence and security issues. He co-authored the Fraser Institute report Cybersecurity Challenges for Canada and the United States; has contributed to the Institute’s Economic Freedom of North America Annual Report (EFNA); helped launch the Institute’s EFNA Network in 2014; and continues to manage and coordinate the EFNA Network, which today enfolds more than 60 member-organizations in 47 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. An award-winning writer, Dowd is a frequent contributor to American Legion Magazine, Military Officer, The American, Landing Zone, and American Outlook. In addition, his writing has appeared in Fraser Forum, Claremont Review of Books, Policy Review, Parameters, Journal of Diplomacy & International Relations, Diplomat & International Canada, World Politics Review, World & I, National Post, Baltimore Sun, Washington Times, Washington Examiner, Sacramento Bee, Indianapolis Star, Detroit News, Vancouver Sun, Wall Street Journal Europe, Jerusalem Post, Financial Times Deutschland, and the online editions of the American Interest, National Review, and Weekly Standard. Dowd has served as an adjunct professor at Butler University and Anderson University; was a founding member of the Sagamore Institute leadership team, where he continues to hold a senior fellow post; and was director of Hudson Institute’s corporate headquarters. He earned a B.A. with departmental high honors from Butler University and an M.A. from Indiana University. … Read more Read Less… STAY UP TO DATE Join our mailing list so you never miss a thing! Email address More on this topic Liberté économique Related Articles U.S. election should focus or what works and what doesn’t work By: Matthew D. Mitchell Economic freedom fell for three straight years By: Matthew D. Mitchell Nighttime light intensity exposes failure of autocratic regimes By: Vincent Geloso Bad government policy made Venezuela’s downfall inevitable By: Matthew D. Mitchell STAY UP TO DATE Join our mailing list so you never miss a thing! Full Name Email address Postal Code Phone Number
Fred McMahon Resident Fellow, Dr. Michael A. Walker Chair in Economic Freedom Fred McMahon is a Fraser Institute Resident Fellow and holder of the Dr. Michael A. Walker Chair in Economic Freedom. He has an M.A. in Economics from McGill University. Mr. McMahon manages the Economic Freedom of the World Project and coordinates the Economic Freedom Network, an international alliance of over 100 think tank partners in about 100 nations and territories. His research focuses on global issues such as development, trade, governance and economic structure. Mr. McMahon is the author of numerous research articles and several books including, Looking the Gift Horse in the Mouth: The Impact of Federal Transfers on Atlantic Canada, which won the Sir Antony Fisher International Memorial Award for advancing public policy debate, Road to Growth: How Lagging Economies Become Prosperous, and Retreat from Growth: Atlantic Canada and the Negative Sum Economy.He has written for numerous publications including the European Journal of Political Economy, the SAIS Journal (School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University), the Wall Street Journal, Policy Options, National Post, Time (Canada), Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, and most other major Canadian newspapers. Research articles he has recently authored or co-authored include: Economic Freedom of North America, Quebec Prosperity: Taking the Next Step, The Unseen Wall: The Fraser Institute's Annual Trade Survey, and Economic Freedom of the Arab World. … Read more Read Less…
Alan Dowd Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute Alan W. Dowd is a Senior Fellow of the Fraser Institute, Senior Editor of Fraser Insight and Managing Director of the Institute's EFNA Network. In addition, Dowd conducts research into defence and security issues. He co-authored the Fraser Institute report Cybersecurity Challenges for Canada and the United States; has contributed to the Institute’s Economic Freedom of North America Annual Report (EFNA); helped launch the Institute’s EFNA Network in 2014; and continues to manage and coordinate the EFNA Network, which today enfolds more than 60 member-organizations in 47 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. An award-winning writer, Dowd is a frequent contributor to American Legion Magazine, Military Officer, The American, Landing Zone, and American Outlook. In addition, his writing has appeared in Fraser Forum, Claremont Review of Books, Policy Review, Parameters, Journal of Diplomacy & International Relations, Diplomat & International Canada, World Politics Review, World & I, National Post, Baltimore Sun, Washington Times, Washington Examiner, Sacramento Bee, Indianapolis Star, Detroit News, Vancouver Sun, Wall Street Journal Europe, Jerusalem Post, Financial Times Deutschland, and the online editions of the American Interest, National Review, and Weekly Standard. Dowd has served as an adjunct professor at Butler University and Anderson University; was a founding member of the Sagamore Institute leadership team, where he continues to hold a senior fellow post; and was director of Hudson Institute’s corporate headquarters. He earned a B.A. with departmental high honors from Butler University and an M.A. from Indiana University. … Read more Read Less…
Commentary
Human Freedom: From Pericles to Measurement
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Without an objective measure of freedom, it is impossible to determine whether an action leads to increases or decreases in freedom, whether it lends stability to freedom or causes instability, or whether freedom leads to superior outcomes. Unfortunately, efforts to measure freedom have been imperfect, blurring various definitions of freedom, confusing “other good things” with freedom, using subjective rather than objective measures, and either failing to account for economic freedom or focusing exclusively on it. The Human Freedom Index (HFI) project aims to remedy this problem by providing a durable, comprehensive, and objective measure of freedom. This essay provides a literature review and details the philosophical underpinnings of the HFI. It is reprinted with permission from the Summer 2014 issue (Volume 19, Number 1) of The Independent Review, by Fred McMahon with Alan Dowd. © Copyright 2014, The Independent Institute.
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Fred McMahon
Resident Fellow, Dr. Michael A. Walker Chair in Economic Freedom
Alan Dowd
Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
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