Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Economic freedom across the Americas tells a story of sharp contrasts.
fee.org/articles/democracy-and-capitalism-are-mutually-reinforcing/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fee-online
At one end, the United States and Canada remain among the region’s strongest performers, supported by relatively sound institutions, open markets, and stable monetary frameworks. Yet even within the United States, there is substantial heterogeneity across states, reflecting differences in regulation, taxation, and legal quality, which translates into uneven economic opportunities.
Several Latin American countries, such as Chile, Costa Rica, and Uruguay, show that stronger property rights and openness to trade can coexist with social stability. Others, including Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, continue to struggle heavy regulation and policy volatility. At the bottom, Venezuela illustrates how the erosion of sound money and legal institutions devastates living standards.
Countries with higher economic freedom enjoy far higher incomes, longer life expectancy, and dramatically lower poverty. Strengthening legal systems, stabilizing currencies, and reducing barriers to enterprise remain essential if the Americas are to close their persistent development gaps.
Economic freedom across the Americas tells a story of sharp contrasts.
fee.org/articles/democracy-and-capitalism-are-mutually-reinforcing/?utm_source=Youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fee-online
At one end, the United States and Canada remain among the region’s strongest performers, supported by relatively sound institutions, open markets, and stable monetary frameworks. Yet even within the United States, there is substantial heterogeneity across states, reflecting differences in regulation, taxation, and legal quality, which translates into uneven economic opportunities.
Several Latin American countries, such as Chile, Costa Rica, and Uruguay, show that stronger property rights and openness to trade can coexist with social stability. Others, including Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, continue to struggle heavy regulation and policy volatility. At the bottom, Venezuela illustrates how the erosion of sound money and legal institutions devastates living standards.
Countries with higher economic freedom enjoy far higher incomes, longer life expectancy, and dramatically lower poverty. Strengthening legal systems, stabilizing currencies, and reducing barriers to enterprise remain essential if the Americas are to close their persistent development gaps.
