The Wall Street Journal’s new Index of Economic Freedom is out. The US comes in fourth, behind Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia.

Mary Anastasia O’Grady has a good column about it. Her key point is that poorer nations don’t have to remain poor. Those that have liberalized their economics (using the word in its true meaning, of course), have enjoyed substantial advances in living standards.

Alas, there are still quite a few oppressed nations where the people are excruciatingly poor. The last five on the list: Burma, Zimbabwe, Libya, Cuba, North Korea. Would it do those people more good to have copies of Edwards’ book on poverty, or for their governments to abolish their dictatorial economic policies?