In recent years Charles Koch and his brother David Koch have emerged as prominent defenders of economic freedom and the freedom and prosperity it promises. In today’s Wichita Eagle, Charles Koch explains the importance of economic freedom and warns of the threats to freedom and prosperity that our country faces.
A key component of economic freedom is property rights. In his 2007 book The Science of Success: How Market-Based Management Built the World’s Largest Private Company, Mr. Koch explained the importance of property rights: “Countries that clearly define and protect individual private property rights stimulate investment and grow. Those that threaten and confiscate private property lose capital and decline. They also lose the capability and efforts of the individuals who would be the greatest contributors to economic growth.”
In the Economic Freedom of the World report, there are five broad areas that are measured to determine the relative economic freedom of countries:
- Size of Government: Expenditures, Taxes, and Enterprises;
- Legal Structure and Security of Property Rights;
- Access to Sound Money;
- Freedom to Trade Internationally; and
- Regulation of Credit, Labor, and Business.
We can see the importance of property rights to economic freedom. When government taxes, it takes our property and gives it to someone else — often to business firms in the form of corporate welfare. Without a developed legal system, property rights are not secure. Without sound money, government takes our property by devaluing our savings through inflationary monetary policies.
It is the advancement of policies that promote economic freedom that, as Koch writes, “help societies prosper.” We see this in the rankings of countries on the economic freedom index. Countries with high levels of economic freedom, like Hong Kong, are prosperous even through they often have little in the way of natural resources. And countries that are rich in resources but not in economic freedom: Their people suffer, although corrupt leaders usually live richly.
Economic freedom is not just for rich people. Everyone — especially those on the lowest rungs of the economic ladder — benefits.
Charles Koch: Economic freedom key to improving society
By Charles G. Koch
My brother David and I have long supported the principles that help societies prosper. I have actively done so for nearly 50 years, as has my brother for more than 40.
In recent years, we have stepped up our efforts to deal with the enormous threats to the future well-being of the people of this country. This has prompted some extreme criticism. From the White House to fringe bloggers, we are now being vilified, mischaracterized and threatened.
In a perverse way, these attacks indicate that we are having a positive effect on public awareness and policymaking. That is why we are working even harder to advance economic freedom and prosperity.
We do so because we believe economic freedom is essential for improving the well-being of society as a whole, especially those who work hard to provide for their families, as well as our most vulnerable. History and sound theory are clear on this point. If we allow our government to waste scarce resources and become the ultimate decision maker, almost everyone will suffer a lower standard of living.
Continue reading at The Wichita Eagle. A slightly different version of Mr. Koch’s editorial is available on the Koch Industries website at Advancing economic freedom.