Table 9: Economic Performance Indicators—Selected OECD Countries

US

Japan

UK

Canada

Italy

France

Size of Government, Total Outlays as Percent of GDP

1966

29.1

19.3^a

35.4

30.1

34.3

38.5

1996

32.7

36.2

41.8

44.7

52.7

54.8

Change 1966 to 1996

+4.2

+16.9

+6.5

+14.6

+18.4

+16.3

Real GDP Growth , Compound Annual (percent)

1960-1973

3.9

9.6

5.4

4.8

5.3

5.4

1989-1994

2.1

2.1

0.8

1.1

1.0

1.2

Real Per-Capita GDP Growth , Compound Annual (percent)

1960-1973

2.6

8.3

3.6

3.6

4.6

4.3

1989-1994

1.1

1.8

0.4

-0.2

0.8

0.6

Taxes and Economic Freedom, 1995

Marginal Tax Rate, 1995^c

29.9

28.1

40.0

51.7

41.1

22.5

Economic Freedom Rating, 1995^b

7.9

6.7

7.3

6.9

5.5

6.1

Unemployment Rate (percent, standardized)

1966

3.6

1.3

2.2

3.3

5.7

1.8

1996

5.4

3.4

8.2

9.7

12.0

12.4

Country Indebtedness, Debt/GDP
(1995 estimate) (percent)

52

11

39

74

109

35

Labour Force (percent)

Participation Rate: 1996

77.0

77.1

75.3

75.9

58.8

67.0

Discouraged Workers: 1993

0.9

2.2

0.6

0.9

2.6

0.2

Saving and Investment (percent of GDP)

Saving: 1966

20.3

32.6

19.6

23.9

22.8

25.8

Saving: 1995

15.8

30.8

14.3

17.1

20.6

19.8

Investment: 1966

18.5

30.4

18.5

24.5

18.8

23.7

Investment: 1995

17.6

28.5

15.1

17.5

17.0

18.0

Consumer Price Inflation (percent change)

1966

2.9

5.1

3.9

3.7

2.0

2.7

1996

2.9

0.1

2.4

1.6

3.8

2.0

^aFor Japan, 1970 data (1966 not available).
^bRating is out of a maximum of 10, ^{Economic Freedom of the World 1997} published by The Fraser Institute et al.
^cOne earner couple, two children, 200 percent of average production worker’s salary.
Sources: J. Gwartney and R. Lawson, Economic Freedom of the World, Annual Report 1997, The Fraser Institute, Vancouver; United Nations Human Development Report 1997; Historical Statistics 1960-1994, OECD Economic Outlook, June and December 1997, and December 1985; OECD Economic Surveys, 1997.