Many governments talk about cutting regulation but few manage to
Yet radical deregulation is often a big boost to growth
He brandished a chainsaw at campaign rallies, to signify his eagerness to clear-cut the thickets of bureaucracy and regulation impeding the economy’s progress. Perhaps more strikingly, he has actually lived up to this act. In November Javier Milei, the president of Argentina, told The Economist he had already taken 800 steps to reduce red tape and planned 3,200 more such “structural reforms”.
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This article appeared in the Briefing section of the print edition under the headline “Rule-breakers”
From the February 1st 2025 edition
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The transactional world Donald Trump seeks would harm not help America
Ukraine, Gaza and China will all test his self-interested approach to diplomacy
Donald Trump is a reckless president, but not yet a lawless one
He has yet to flatly defy a court order, which would initiate a constitutional crisis
America’s military supremacy is in jeopardy
To win future wars it needs new weapons, new suppliers and a new system of procurement
Online scams may already be as big a scourge as illegal drugs
And they are growing fast
Even in India, bureaucracy is being curtailed
Many small steps could make a big difference
Why Chinese AI has stunned the world
DeepSeek’s models are much cheaper and almost as good as American rivals