Report Finds the U.S. Falling Behind in Property Rights Protections

2011 International Property Rights Index ranks 129 nations, 97 percent of world's GDP

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Property Rights Alliance is proud to announce the release of the 2011 International Property Rights Index (IPRI) http://www.internationalpropertyrightsindex.org, which measures the intellectual and physical property rights of 129 nations from around the world. This year, sixty-seven international organizations partnered with the Property Rights Alliance in Washington, D.C. and its Hernando de Soto Fellowship program to produce the fifth annual IPRI.

The IPRI uses three primary areas of property rights to create a composite score: Legal and Political Environment (LP), Physical Property Rights (PPR), and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Most importantly, the IPRI emphasizes the great economic differences between countries with strong property rights and those without. Nations falling in the first quintile enjoy an average national GDP per capita of $38,350; more than double that of the second quintile with an average of $18,701. The third, fourth, and fifth quintiles average $9,316, $5,065, and $4,785 respectively.

In this year's report, the United States fell to 18th place with a score of 7.5 out of a possible 10.0. This is the lowest the United States has scored since the reports inception in 2007. According to the report, the most significant decline is seen in the PPR subcomponent, decreasing 0.7 points to a score of 7.1. The United States highest score was in IPR with a score of 8.4.

"In a time of economic turbulence and financial uncertainty, all nations should be seeking solutions that will provide stability. Strong property rights is one key component," stated PRA executive director Kelsey Zahourek, "While the United States still enjoys fairly strong property rights, its recent decline in the rankings should be cause for concern. From eminent domain abuses in New Jersey and California to new regulations that seek to gain control of the market, actions that weaken America's property rights foundation pose a serious threat to its economic vitality."

The International Property Rights Index will provide the public, researchers and policymakers, from across the globe, with a tool for comparative analysis and future research on global property rights. The Index seeks to assist underperforming countries to develop robust economies through an emphasis on sound property law.

2011 IPRI Partners:

Adriatic Institute for Public Policy - Albanian Socio Economic Think Tank - Alternate Solutions Institute - Asociacion de Consumidores Libres - Association for Liberal Thinking - Austrian Economics Center - Bishkek Business Club - Cathay Institute for Public Affairs - Center for the Dissemination of Economic Knowledge for Freedom - Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development - Center for Free Enterprise - Center for Institutional Analysis and Development -Center for Liberal-Democratic Studies - Center for Mozambican and International Studies - Center of Research for Development - Le Centre Des Affaires Humaines - Central Asian Free Market Institute - Centre for Civil Society - Centre for Policy Research - Centro de Investigaciones de Instituciones y Mercados de Argentina - Civita - Competere - EBI Think Tank Institute - Eudoxa European Coalition for Economic Growth - F.A. Hayek Foundation - F.A. v. Hayek Institute - The Free Market Foundation - Friedrich Naumann Foundation - Frontier Centre for Public Policy - Fundacion Atlas 1853 - Fundacion IDEA - Fundacion Libertad – Argentina - Fundacion Libertad – Panama - IMANI Center for Policy and Education - The Initiative for Public Policy Analysis - Institut Constant de Rebecque - Institute of Political Economy - Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs - The Manhattan Institute for Free Enterprise - Institute of Future Studies for Development - Institute for Liberty and Democracy - Institute for Market Economics - Institute of Public Affairs - Instituto de Libre Empresa - Instituto Liberdade - International Research Foundation - Iraq Institute for Economic Reform - Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies - Liberales Institut - Libertad y Desarrollo - Liberty Institute - Limited Government - The Lion Rock Institute - Ludwig von Mises Institute - Minimal Government Thinkers, Inc. - The Nassau Institute - New Economic School - New Zealand Business Roundtable - OHRID Institute for Economic Strategies and International Affairs - Pal-Think for Strategic Studies - Polish-American Foundation for Economic Research and Education - Samriddhi Foundation - Timbro - The Unirule Institute of Economics - The Ukrainian Reform Support Foundation - The Zambia Institute for Public Policy Analysis (ZIPPA)

Property Rights Alliance (PRA) stands as an advocacy organization dedicated to the protection of physical and intellectual property rights. PRA is a special project of Americans for Tax Reform.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Kelsey Zahourek at (202) 785-0266 or at [email protected].

SOURCE Property Rights Alliance