New Hampshire Has the Most Freedom, New York the Least in New State Rankings
By Michael Barone, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
A pair of academics, Jason Sorens at the University of Buffalo and William Ruger of Texas State University, have ranked the states according to degree of freedom—economic freedom, personal freedom and so forth. They look at fiscal policy, regulatory policy and paternalism in a libertarian index. New Hampshire ranks number 1, New York ranks number 50: no great surprises there. Here's their full report (64 page pdf).
One thing that interested me is that there is little correlation between degrees of economic and personal freedom—with the notable exception of New York, which ranks number 50 on economic freedom and number 48 on personal freedom. South Dakota, New Hampshire, Colorado and North Dakota rank tops in economic freedom, far ahead of any other state. But they're only middling on personal freedom (with New Hampshire the highest of the four). Alaska ranks way out in front on personal freedom; Maine in second place is far ahead of any other state. But Alaska ranks 47 in economic freedom and Maine 49. Perhaps readers can come up with an explanation for why this is so.
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Tags: New Hampshire | New York | rankings
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Maine
High taxes will always put a state at economic disadvantage. Maine will never reach potential until it gives up(if ever) nanny state thinking. It is called the Michigan Model. And the formerly economic powerhouse Michigan, is a basket case.
Maine's freedom rankings
About Maine, and it may apply to Alaska as well: Since its origin as a colony of Massachusetts (statehood did not come to Maine until 1820) through the days of the lumber barons to today's summer people, Maine's economy has been dominated by outsiders. Traditionally, Mainers have made a living as independent contractors subject to the whims of a a market dominated by outsiders. Fishermen answered to markets in Boston and now answer to federal bureaucrats and scientists' estimates of the fish population; lobstering, which is regulated by the lobster fishers themselves, is a highly successful exception. To this day, lumbering is done by independent contractors working in forests owned by large corporations and selling trees to mills owned by other large coporations. Vast tracts of land owned by corporations have not passed into public ownership because, traditionally, the corporations have allowed Mainers to hunt, fish, erect 'camps', and ride snowmobiles across their lands. In coastal towns, people make a living as independent contractor caretakers of "cottages" owned by summer people, plowing snow in winter, cutting grass in summer, and making minor repairs all year. Others own small businesses that cater to tourists. Economic regulation may be intended to apply to large businesses not usually owned by Mainers. Being on your own in an unforgiving environment may give one a taste for personal freedom while desiring government regulation of the economy in an effort to level the playing field.
Alaska and Maine
Both are involved in the fishing industry which is highly regulated
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