What is the most libertarian country on earth? What is the most libertarian country on earth that is politically stable and not subject to extreme shifts in policy?
Liechtenstein. A Catholic monarchy with low taxes and not much economic interventionism. Has no conscription, unlike Switzerland, because they have no military.
some info from cia.gov
Economy - overview: |
  Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and the highest per capita income in the world. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. In 2008 Liechtenstein came under renewed international pressure - particularly from Germany - to improve transparency in its banking and tax systems. |
|---|---|
GDP (purchasing power parity): |
 $4.16 billion (2007) |
GDP (official exchange rate): |
$4.993 billion (2007) |
GDP - real growth rate: |
3.1% (2007 est.) |
GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$118,000 (2007 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 8% industry: 39% services: 54% (2007) |
Labor force: |
31,000 of whom 13,900 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2006) |
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 1.7% industry: 43.5% services: 55.4% (31 December 2006) |
Unemployment rate: |
1.5% (31 December 2007) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Budget: |
revenues: $424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million (1998 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
1% (2001) |
Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$NA |
Industries: |
electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments |
Exports: |
$2.47 billion (1996) |
Exports - commodities: |
small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products |
Imports: |
$917.3 million (1996) |
Imports - commodities: |
agricultural products, raw materials, energy products, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles |
Debt - external: |
$0 (2001) |
Exchange rates: |
Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0774 (2008 est.), 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004) |
I don’t just mean on economic grounds.
curious, sicsempertyrannis, is Liechtenstein totally free of regulation (except for the monarchy)? I know that even hong kong has communized land so I am naturally curious to see if there is another place more dignified in respecting the nature of man and reality than that asian island.
Further, is it true that Liechtenstein is in threat of loosing its low taxes due to EU laws?
As for the main question, what about new hampshire -I hear that it has pretty much no laws except for a few token PC ones.
On what specific grounds do you mean then?
That is correct. Ethnically and culturally homogenous polities have very little need for coercive government–everybody pretty much pulls their weight according to the consensual expectations of the society. Thus New Hampshire, which is whiter than Augusta National, is a pretty free place.
Which is also why it is laughably ironic that NH has such stridently PC laws. Relocate a bunch of , ahem, diversity there, and see how long those PC laws stay on the books. Or how long it takes all those oh-so-PC New Hampshireans to relocate to Portland.
You never miss a chance, do you, Byzantine?
Man your smack is so fresh. Gimme a pound dawg.
Costa Rica is another tiny state with no army. It also offers tax breaks for foreign investors.
Don’t forget Dominica. No military, and tax-free status for foreign businesses.
[quoteuser=“wikipedia”]
Dominica offers tax-free status to companies locating from abroad. It is not known how many companies benefit from the tax-free status because of the strict confidentiality the government enforces, although it is known many Internet businesses utilize Dominica for this reason.
[/quote]
Legitimate business, and you know it.
And don’t you embrace the delightful creative manipulation of language?
I’d agree. Furthermore I’d say they have the soundest currency too, the CHF that is.
I love the CHF. Mainly because it made me a little bit of money the other day.
Do divulge the details, please.
I’d also be concerned with other freedoms, like freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom pf bearing arms, etc.
For example, someone said on here that Ireland, Singapore, and Hong Kong had more economic freedom than America. I’m pretty sure Singapore is not very libertarian, though.
The only area I was unable to find any real info on was gun rights. Seems like they are pretty good on civil liberties. The Roman Catholic Church is the state church, but there is freedom of religion in their constitution so I doubt it amounts to much.
Not to mention all three of those have horrible gun laws.
What ? a catholic monarchy is not deeply concerned about upholding those ?
What an amazing example of libertarianism at work, eh ?