More Proof that Social Support Systems are Good for People and Societies
A quick perusal of the Prosperity and Happiness Indices below make the following conclusion inescapable:
Countries with the strongest social welfare systems win for prosperity, just as they do in surveys for the happiness of the general citizenry.
Are politicians never going to learn this? It’s been the same for the last 30 years of social surveys. How much proof do they need before they will take a more sophisticated view of the world?
Can we stop worrying about GNP and instead start worrying about a Wellbeing Index?
Surveys of Happiness Indexes are even more telling.
Democratic capitalism combined with a social support net for our less competitive citizenry is an obviously superior model for our societies.
Will the future never arrive?
An Article - Norway at top of Prosperity Iindex.
By the CNN Wire Staff, Oct 2010
- Index is based on economy, government, educator and other factors
- Norway tops the rankings for the 2nd straight year
- The United States is No. 10, down one spot from 2009
(CNN) -- Norway leads the 2010 list ranking the prosperity of 110 of the world's nations by the London analytical center Legatum Institute.
Norway also topped the 2009 rankings.
"The Prosperity Index seeks to understand how economic fundamentals, health, freedom, governance, safety, education, entrepreneurial opportunity, and social capital influence a country's economic growth and the happiness of its citizens," the group says.
Europe dominates the Top 10, taking six of the spots. The United States and Canada represent North America, while Australia and New Zealand check in from the Pacific-Asia nations.
Eight of the Bottom 10 nations are from Africa, with Zimbabwe coming in last.
The Top 10:
1. Norway
2. Denmark
3. Finland
4. Australia
5. New Zealand
6. Sweden
7. Canada
8. Switzerland
9. Netherlands
10. United States
Statistics - The Happiness Index
| Rank | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| # 1 | Iceland: | 94% | |
| = 2 | Sweden: | 91% | |
| = 2 | Denmark: | 91% | |
| = 2 | Netherlands: | 91% | |
| # 5 | Australia: | 90% | |
| = 6 | Ireland: | 89% | |
| = 6 | Switzerland: | 89% | |
| # 8 | Norway: | 88% | |
| = 9 | United Kingdom: | 87% | |
| = 9 | Venezuela: | 87% | |
| # 11 | Belgium: | 86% | |
| # 12 | Philippines: | 85% | |
| = 13 | United States: | 84% | |
| = 13 | France: | 84% | |
| # 15 | Finland: | 83% | |
| # 16 | Austria: | 81% | |
| # 17 | Canada: | 75% | |
| # 18 | Poland: | 74% | |
| # 19 | Japan: | 72% | |
| # 20 | Turkey: | 71% | |
| # 21 | Bangladesh: | 70% | |
| # 22 | Spain: | 68% | |
| # 23 | Italy: | 64% | |
| # 24 | Uruguay: | 60% | |
| = 25 | Brazil: | 59% | |
| = 25 | Argentina: | 59% | |
| # 27 | Azerbaijan: | 56% | |
| # 28 | Chile: | 52% | |
| # 29 | China: | 49% | |
| = 30 | Mexico: | 48% | |
| = 30 | Portugal: | 48% | |
| # 32 | Dominican Republic: | 47% | |
| = 33 | Hungary: | 46% | |
| = 33 | Nigeria: | 46% | |
| # 35 | Ghana: | 43% | |
| # 36 | India: | 40% | |
| # 37 | Slovenia: | 32% | |
| # 38 | Croatia: | 31% | |
| = 39 | Georgia: | 27% | |
| = 39 | Latvia: | 27% | |
| # 41 | Estonia: | 26% | |
| # 42 | Romania: | 23% | |
| # 43 | Armenia: | 14% | |
| # 44 | Lithuania: | 10% | |
| # 45 | Slovakia: | 4% | |
| # 46 | Russia: | 2% | |
| # 47 | Ukraine: | -4% | |
| # 48 | Belarus: | -8% | |
| # 49 | Moldova: | -12% | |
| # 50 | Bulgaria: | -24% | |
| Weighted average: | 53.9% |
- If you wish to complain about this article go here: I'm outraged!
- If you wish to compliment Lee Vidor on this article go here: I'm inraged!
- If you wish to go back to Serious Fun to find another lovely article go here: Yes Lee, take me back to Serious Fun to read another article, I feel smarter already.
