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Having worked there for a while, everything about running a business in Saudi is pretty nightmarish. But importing virtual slave labor from the third world and working them to death (all too often literally) is cheap.

That's the same sort of freedom that the foundation's name refers to, so SA scoring well adds up.

> I guess it depends on the definition of ‘economically free’. Maybe it is easier/less regulated opening a business in Saudi than in France? Or just faster and less paperwork? Maybe it is far easier to hire/fire people in Saudi?

A lot of it is probably partially due to dumb methodology. They have Saudi Arabia's tax burden rated at 99.1%, but that's probably because Heritage is all less taxes == more better and Saudi Arabia's government is basically a state-owned oil company, so they basically don't tax at all.

Saudi Arabia has a 0% tax rate.

Though, I will second a neighbour comment from Clewza313.

The veil of regulatory liberalism of Gulf countries crumble after your first in person interaction with a local official.