This project is financed by the John Templeton Foundation and aims to examine how human freedom emerges and explore the benefits it brings to society. By “human freedom,” we refer to a comprehensive set of negative rights under the rule of law. It includes freedom of religion, movement, association, expression, and relationships (i.e., personal freedom), as well as the institutional framework of free market economies, such as low taxation, low and stable inflation, limited regulation, and freedom to trade (i.e., economic freedom).
This project is motivated by existing misconceptions and a lack of systematic knowledge about how human freedom is achieved and its impact on society, particularly in discussions concerning whether government intervention can improve human capabilities, or if mechanisms in markets and civil society are better able to do so.
Among potential determinants of human freedom, we study the roles of populist parties, constitutional protections (as opposed to statutory legislation), religion, and civil society. Regarding potential outcomes, our focus is on life satisfaction and aspects of human flourishing. To address these questions, we employ established empirical methods, including regression analysis. While cross-country data is a standard choice, we utilize techniques such as instrumental variables, the epidemiological approach, and matching methods to better infer causality.
The deliverables of this research include published papers, workshops, policy seminars, consistent media participation, and social media and blog coverage.
The key goal is that these insights will enhance appreciation for how institutions of freedom emerge and how they contribute to individuals' flourishing in life.
Niclas Berggren and Christian Bjørnskov are the lead investigators of the project.