Georgia (the country) to become free market paradise?

[burnthebeautiful]

Recently I came across some blog posts by Swedish libertarian blogger and author Johan Norberg. He's been visiting the country of Georgia in southeast Europe, A country whose existence I was barely even aware of until reading these posts. The changes going on in Georgia seem exciting!

"Wednesday, 25/10/2006:

16:01 - CAPITALISM IN THE CAUCASUS:

I mentioned that Georgia is reforming. More than anyone else, actually. According to the Doing Business index 2007, Georgia has moved from place 112 to 37 in just one year ? unprecedented in the history of the report.

Georgia has reduced the minimum capital required to start a new business by 90 percent, and the number of days to meet bureaucratic requirements to export from 54 to 13 days. The labour market has been deregulated and social security contributions have been reduced from 31 percent of wages to 20 percent.

At the same time, the number of new businesses has increased by 20 percent and unemployment has fallen by 2 percentage points.

The problem is implementation. The new laws are not always upheld by the local civil servant and policeman. So the priority is improved governance and anti-corruption reform. And, naturally, deregulation that strips the bureaucracy of powers entirely.

For example, the Georgian government recently decided to abolish all tariffs until 2008. Way to go.

Friday, 27/10/2006:

15:49 - TBILISI BY NIGHT:

When Georgians do things, they apparently take it seriously. Yesterday at dinner we were entertained by dancers who attacked one another with swords. Quite aggressive and very impressive.

And the Georgian prime minister Zurab Nogaideli gave a speech a la Castro - long, hopeful and filled with statistics and ambitions. But with a different sort of ambition, of course. He basically said that Georgia was going to become the most free trade-oriented country in the world and explained why corruption among the traffic policemen made him fire every single one of them. And even though Russia has stopped their exports, Georgia will grow by almost 10 percent this year.

If I remember it correctly, the prime minister?s plan for privatisation went something like this:

   1. Sell all government companies.
   2. Sell all government assets.

And afterwards, the dancers attacked one another again."

[Lex]

Hmmm....

[Rochelle]

As long as Georgia doesn't get invaded by Russia again, it could stand a chance. As Johan said, it's very important that the countries bordering Russia become democracies so that the average Russians know what they're missing and, more importantly, that it CAN work out.

Johan Norberg has also written "In Defense of Global Capitalism," which I own if anyone is interested in reading it My husband and I are big fans 
I'm waiting for his newest book, "When Man Created the World" to be translated into English 

[burnthebeautiful]

I like Johan Norberg, because he talks about the positive rather than the negative. His running theme is all the great things that entrepreneurship and free markets have brought to mankind. Higher standards of living, better products and services, less sickness and so on and so forth.

Norberg is always giving speeches all around the world. Literally all around the world, he was giving speeches in the country of Georgia just now for Christs sake, and right now he's in Azerbaijan. He was just in Boston a few weeks ago, shame I didn't say anything earlier.

Calender:
http://www.johannorberg.net/?page=calendar

[Russell Kanning]

some of those rules make the evil US government seem tame.

[burnthebeautiful]

some of those rules make the evil US government seem tame.

What rules?
The point is that Georgia is becoming free, very very fast. Going from place 112 to place 37 in just one year is huge. Can you imagine the amount of work the government has to do to move down the list that quickly?

[error]

To move that far up the list that fast requires eliminating massive amounts of bureaucracy.

What tends to happen in these cases, though, is they'll eliminate what some people think is "too much" and restore some of it. Then back down the list they go.

[MattLeft]

Much like I plan to soon leave my home of Florida for NH, I wouldn't hesitate to make the same move to freedom from the US to somewhere else.  I feel more and more betrayed by this country every day.  Not so much even by the politicians, but by the hoards of sheeple who let it all slip away.

Some people may be the "line in the sand" type who refuse to be pushed any farther, and decide to fight till the bitter end for America.  I consider myself more of a free agent.  I'd gladly become a citizen of somewheres else for more freedom.

Hopefully Georgia (or anywhere else) gets enough stability and momentum in a freedom direction.

[Pat McCotter]

They have been privatizing many government businesses and selling government assets for a few years now.
http://www.privatization.ge/

Edit: Of course the bottom of the page shows the site is funded by USAID - "From the American People."

[Rochelle]

Of course the bottom of the page shows the site is funded by USAID - "From the American People."

We're such nice people. We should pat ourselves on the back!

[Dreepa]

I wouldn't want to live in Georgia.

[Forastero]

Oh, Georgia cool, go Braves....oh wait, wrong one, well, good for them.

[KBCraig]

Only slightly related to Georgia... I recently heard that the city with more billionaires than any other is Moscow.

[FrankChodorov]

I wouldn't want to live in Georgia.

then you would be a Georgist!

[David]

I agree with error. 
I am skeptical when I read or hear about these kinds of things.  Respect for liberty and property rights are cultural.  I am very skeptical of how long a nation that may have no real respect for rights can do things that they don't really believe in.  China comes to mind.  Russia has come full circle, almost.