The principle of measuring a country's success could be very simply stated (though the actual measurements might be horrendously complex): two years ago, I suggested to the magazine "The Economist" to use as indicator for a nation's income what I proposed to call a "Free National Product" ("FNP"), i.e., a NNI (Net National income) minus government outlays except when payments for public "services" are neither coerced nor subsidized. This would measure real wealth creation, eliminate state transfers, predation and waste. It is based on the obvious: a state does not create wealth more than it creates happiness.

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