The broad basis of societal progress
From Wikiprogress.org
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Abstract
Gross domestic product is less and less often used as the sole yardstick of a country’s progress. At the same time, the search continues for the deep roots of economic growth. Interesting insights emerge at the interface of these two trends and different disciplines.
Theories of societal progress use many similar variables. In the view of Nelson and Winter, Hayek, Sen, and Inglehart and Welzel a large number of variables tend to develop hand in hand over time: life satisfaction, freedom, trust, the level of education, income, employment, government effectiveness, the quality of democracy, corruption reduction, tolerance, commitment and innovation all are aspects of one phenomenon: societal progress.
The data for 20 OECD countries show high correlation between variables in 2005. Scandinavian countries, and also some Anglo-Saxon countries and the Netherlands, show the highest level of societal achievements in many areas.
Germany ranks in the middle on many measures. By international standards there is room for improvement particularly in education, employment, government effectiveness, anti-corruption and the quality of democracy.
Historical path dependancies make change difficult, but not impossible. Progress can be achieved and is sustainable if many areas are addressed simultaneously and consistently on more than one level: federal, state and local government, businesses and individual citizens all need to be involved. In the past 10 years Spain, the Netherlands and Australia have made significant progress in many aspects of societal progress.
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The broad basis of societal progress
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