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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Do Americans Still Believe Freedom Leads to Prosperity?


From The Hill
By Dr. Barry Asmus


One of the greatest displays of American military and economic might took place during the tsunami relief efforts of 2004, when close to 230,000 people died. When all seemed most bleak, American rescue operations were there. Within hours of the disaster, a giant city rolled upon the shores of Indonesia, in the form of one of America’s 24 aircraft carriers (the world has only 34). The ship’s nuclear power generators fueled the water purification efforts, bringing life and hope to millions of Indonesians. The confluence of American technology, manpower and execution symbolized the last century of American dominance on the world stage. Billions of dollars poured out of the hearts of Americans, giving more to the relief effort than the next five countries combined. The whole world watched. America’s capability to organize such a massive relief effort would not have been possible but for its economic system. The modern ideals of private property, free markets and low taxes found unprecedented success in America over the last two hundred years. Beginning with free trade between the states, low taxes, and a nearly hereditary aversion to government meddling – America prospered. The United States, with less than 5% of the world’s population, created almost 1/3 of the world’s wealth for every year over the last century.

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