Editor's Notes

You might think that economic freedom is just some vague, abstract notion invented by academics who want some new puzzle to ponder. Nothing could be further from the truth. Economic freedom, or its lack, is something everyone in the world experiences in every transaction we conduct, from the things we buy (or would like to buy if they were available in our country), to how we are allowed to pay for those purchases, to how we go about setting up our businesses that create the wealth that we or our governments, in varying degrees, will then spend.

Part of the research program of the Fraser Institute has been to support the development of an economic freedom index. In 1996 we co-published, along with 10 other institutes around the world, this 103-country comprehensive index in book form, as Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995. In the feature article in this issue of Fraser Forum, Michael Walker uses the economic freedom index to examine the Busang gold debacle currently unfolding in Indonesia. Were the unpleasant business dealings surrounding this find and the plans for its development predictable? Is there a lesson in this mess for speculative investors in other countries?

Economic freedom is anything but dull and academic.

This Issue's Authors

Brian April is Director of Development at The Fraser Institute. He has a Ph.D. in Modern History from the University of Cambridge.

Wendell Cox is Principal of Wendell Cox Consultancy in the St. Louis area. He has frequently contributed to Fraser Institute publications. His e-mail is: wcox@publicpurpose.com; internet: http://www.publicpurpose.com.

Joel Emes is Research Economist at The Fraser Institute. He has his Masters in Economics from Simon Fraser University.

Laura Jones is Environment Economist at The Fraser Institute. She received her M.A. in Economics from Simon Fraser University.

William McArthur, M.D., is Visiting Fellow in Health Policy at The Fraser Institute. He is a practising physician in Vancouver, and was B.C.'s first Chief Coroner.

Kristin McCahon is Director of Publication Production at The Fraser Institute. She has an M.A. in English Literature from the University of B.C.

Fazil Mihlar is Policy Analyst at The Fraser Institute. He received his M.A. in Public Administration from Carleton University.

Lydia Miljan is Director of the National Media Archive, a division of The Fraser Institute. She earned an M.A. in Communications from the University of Calgary. She researches and writes On Balance.

Kate Morrison is Co-ordinator of the National Media Archive. She has a B.A. (Hons) in Economics and Communications from Simon Fraser University.

Filip Palda is Professor at l'École Nationale d'Administration Publique in Montreal, and Senior Fellow of The Fraser Institute. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago.

Cynthia Ramsay is Health Economist at The Fraser Institute. She has her M.A. in Economics from Simon Fraser University.

John Robson is a freelance writer based in Ontario. He has a Ph.D. in History from the University of Texas at Austin. He has written several Critical Issues Bulletins and many articles in Fraser Forum.

Chris Sarlo teaches economics at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario. He is the author of Poverty in Canada, published by The Fraser Institute.

Michael Walker is Executive Director of The Fraser Institute. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Western Ontario. He has written, edited, or co-authored dozens of Fraser Institute publications.

Mark Weller is Manager of Information Systems at The Fraser Institute. He has a B.A. in International Relations from the University of B.C.

Craig Yirush is pursuing his Ph.D. in History at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He was a 1996 Fraser Institute student intern.

Walter Williams is John M. Olin Distinguished Scholar at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and is a syndicated columnist. He has a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California at Los Angeles.

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