Economic Diversity Is Only Part of the Story Published  in Business Week -- November 26, 2001 The Ross study's effort to link a lack of human development to countries'  overreliance on commodity exports overlooks the more important relationship  between freedom (both political and economic) and human development. An analysis of these same countries that incorporates freedom reveals that the nations that are both politically and economically free fare best in terms of human development. Those that lack both kinds of freedom do worst. Economic diversity is not the most effective solution for overcoming poor countries' challenges. Rather, a combination of political and economic freedom offers them their best chance for improving their human development situation. Donald J. Sutherland Institute for SocioEconomic Studies White Plains, NY