Toward Freedom In The Arab World
In a new Acton Commentary, Anthony Bradley examines a new report from the Fraser Institute that measures economic freedom in Arab countries, an important indicator for cultures that are in many places still struggling to lift their people out of poverty. In discussing the report, Bradley says, “As history demonstrates, individuals or families having freedom to determine their own economic destiny liberates them from government dependence and long-term dependence on charity.”
Read the full commentary here.
Read the full commentary here.
Comments
#1 2005-12-15 02:00 (Reply)
An interesting article indeed.
It would be interesting to read an article by an Arab from one of these countries, or by someone from the "developing world" to hear what they would say about private property, freedom, rule of law, etc. I wonder how these people understand themselves. It seems also from this article that there really is no place on earth that has ever experienced true freedom and economic development unless America was involved. Why all these underdeveloped countries have a propensity to hate the western values of rule of law, freedom (of expression), private property, free enterprise capitalism, - why all of them seem to have a propensity for hating these values would make an interesting sujbect of research and inquiry, the findings of which would make a very interesting reading.
#2 2005-12-20 17:06 (Reply)
Interesting article, but I must demur. All the economic ideology in the world based on soild Western and therefore Christian principles can’t be exported into a culture and religious society that as a central tenet of it’s core faith, rejects the source of said ideology.
The religion of Islam by nature stands in contra-distinction and in no way honors and appreciates the economic models that have made America strong.
Attempting to import and impose (and as they see it, forceably) capitialism, the freemarket system, and democratic government will fail. These are all constructs of a Christian nation which they’re willing to die for to see destroyed, i.e. Sept 11.