What are indicators of ineffective policy?

What are the best indicators of a sustainable economic policy?

• This is specifically in regards to Dubai, U.A.E. and its promotion of free economic zones. How do these zones contribute toward a sustainable economic policy. I need to find some variables to use in my tests. I was thinking of looking at GDP/cap, Foreign Direct Investment Rates, and some way of examining technology spillover effects.

• Answer:

  Are you looking for theoretical variables? Like, some kind of math model like what gamblers use to try and beat the system at a casino? The only truly sustainable economic policy is to have a currency that is as perfectly stable as possible and can not be inflated by any means whatsoever -- especially by government intervention. Anything else (political-economic policy) is just an attempt to "juggle" the system around, and hope you can "cash in" before you "crap out". The better you juggle, the more you cash in! (Steal from those who actually produce something). The best indicator would be the gold price trend of the currency used by the economy in question.