This should come as no surprise to those who understand free-market economics: a CNBC study finds that the 25 “right to work” states in America are also have the top 25 best workforces.

Right-to-work states in the south and west of the country, which tend to be more conservative altogether, do not allow workers to be compelled to join a labor union against their will.

Workers in the remaining, Democratic-leaning states are generally less efficient and less educated.

Indeed, education overall is better in right-to-work states.

The conservative blog RedState argues that “those who receive their educations in forced union states get smart, pack up and leave, leaving the not-so-smart union extremists to invent myths about their own superiority while they pay their forced union dues.”

The reason is simple. While unions improve job security as well as pay and benefits, they undermine competition and make labor more expensive.

Right-to-work states have a more competitive labor market. Workers there have an incentive to work hard and excel. In heavily unionized professions, by contrast, excellence is too often discouraged. In a free market, it pays off.