Ekonomske slobode ljudi na Balkanu i nisu podjednako podržane politikama i institucijama svojih država. Očigledno je teško obezbediti kamen temeljac ekonomskim slobodama – lični izbor, dobrovoljna razmena, otvorena tržišta i jasno definisana i sprovedena imovinska prava. Ili balkanske institucije ne odgovaraju klasičnom liberalnom idealu ograničene vlade!?!
Ekonomska sloboda se zasniva na konceptu sopstvenog vlasništva. Podrazumeva samostalno odlučivanje pojedinaca, njegov dobrovoljan izbor, bez nametanja političkih pritisaka, spoljnih procesa ili upotrebe nasilje, krađe ili prevare.
Indeks EFW meri stepen usklađenosti institucija i politike zemalja sa ekonomskim slobodama. Viši indeks podrazumeva od države da obezbedi infrastrukturu i pravni sistem kojim se štiti ličnost i imovina svakog pojedinaca od agresivnih akata drugih i sprovodi ugovore na nepristrasan način; da obezbedi pristup zdravom novcu (makroekonomska stabilnost cena, izvesnost, i predvidljivost), da se uzdrže od akcija koje ograničavaju lični izbor, ometaju dobrovoljnu razmenu i ograničavaju ulazak na tržišta; da lični izbor, dobrovoljnu razmenu i koordinaciju tržišta ne zameni neproduktivnim nametima i kvazi porezima.
Indeks čine pet glavnih oblasti: [1] Veličina vlade, [2] Pravni sistem i imovinska prava, [3] Solidan novac [4] Sloboda međunarodne trgovine i [5] Regulacija kredita, rad i posao. Indeks ima 24 komponente, neke se sastoje od nekoliko podkomponenti, tako da indeks uključuje ukupno 42 različite varijable (merene na skali od 0 do 10).
U posmatranom periodu ekonomske slobode ljudi su značajno porasle. Institucije i politički procesi su sve više usmereni liberalnom konceptu funkcionisanja (oskudni resursi alocirani ličnim izborima koordinisanim tržištima, a ne centralizovanim planiranjem). Sve države su beležile rastući trend. Dominira Albanija. Slede je Makedonija i Slovenija. Najmanje ekonomske slobode imaju građani Bosne i Hercegovine i Srbije (ispod EWF indeksa).
Politički, društveni i ekonomski odgovori na pandemiju koronavirusa nesumnjivo su doprineli eroziji ekonomske slobode za većinu ljudi u 2020. Otuda ne iznenađujuće da su praktično 146 od 165 zemalja, zabeležile niže rezultate u 2020. nego u 2019. godini, a globalni prosek sumarnog EFW indeksa pao je za 0,18 poena (sa 7 na 6,84). Ovaj indeks (crna debela linija na slici) prikazuje globalni prosek za sve 123 zemlje sa potpunim podacima od 2000. Čak i nakon nedavnog pada, između 2000. i 2020. prosečna ocena ekonomske slobode porasla je sa 6,59 na 6,84.
Izvor: Fraser Institute
The economic freedoms of people in the Balkans are not equally supported by the policies and institutions of their countries. The cornerstones of economic freedom – personal choice, voluntary exchange, open markets, and clearly defined and enforced property rights – are difficult to secure. Or the Balkan institutions do not correspond to the classic liberal ideal of limited power!?!
Economic freedom is based on the concept of self-ownership. It implies the independent decision-making of individuals, and their voluntary choice, without the imposition of political pressures, external processes, or the use of violence, theft, or fraud.
The EFW index measures the degree of alignment of institutions and policies of countries with economic freedom. The higher index requires the state to provide an infrastructure and a legal system that protects the person and property of each individual from the aggressive acts of others, and impartially enforces contracts; to ensure access to sound money (macroeconomic price stability, certainty, and predictability), to refrain from actions that limit personal choice, hinder voluntary exchange and limit market entry; that personal choice, voluntary exchange, and market coordination should not be replaced by non-productive levies and quasi-taxes.
The index consists of five main areas: [1] Size of Government, [2] Legal System and Property Rights, [3] Sound Money, [4] Freedom of International Trade, and [5] Credit Regulation, Labor and Employment. The index has 24 components, some of which consist of several subcomponents, so the index includes a total of 42 different variables (measured on a scale of 0 to 10).
In the observed period, people’s economic freedom increased significantly. Institutions and political processes are increasingly oriented towards a liberal concept of functioning (scarce resources allocated to personal choices coordinated by markets rather than centralized planning). All countries recorded a growth trend. Albania dominates. Macedonia and Slovenia follow. Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia have the least economic freedom (below the EVF index).
The political, social, and economic responses to the coronavirus pandemic undoubtedly contributed to the erosion of economic freedoms for most people in 2020. It is therefore not surprising that practically 146 out of 165 countries recorded lower results in 2020 than in 2019, and the world average of the summary EFV index fell by 0.18 points (from 7 to 6.84). This index (black thick line in the figure) shows the global average for all 123 countries with complete data since 2000. Even after the recent decline, between 2000 and 2020 the average economic freedom score rose from 6.59 to 6.84.
Source: Fraser Institute