Two economists are walking in a forest when they Come across a pile of shit.
The first economist says to the other “Ill pay you $100 to eat that pile of shit.” The second economist takes the $100 and eats the pile of shit.
They continue walking until they come across a second pile of shit. The second economist turns to the first and says “l pay you $100 to eat that pile of shit.” The first economist takes the $100 and eats a pile of shit.
Walking a little more, the first economist looks at the second and says, “You know, I gave you $100 to eat shit, then you gave me back the same $100 to eat shit. can’t help but feel like we both just ate shit for nothing.” “That’s not true”, responded the second economist. “We increased the GDP by $200!”
• median net discretionary GDP (PPP) per capita
• generalised entropy index
• Social Progress Index
The first one yields that 50% of the population can buy more or less than a certain amount of stuff, after tax and regular expenses.
The second could be used for wealth disparity. Unlike the Gini index, it allows you to view differences by groups.
The third is very broad and does not use economics, instead focusing on general wellbeing. Some criticism I have on the index though, is that on regards of inclusivity, it doesn’t include the (very good) Asher Fergusson index for trans rights. LGBTQ+ isn’t just gays and lesbians, it’s all queer people.
I’d also add in the Copenhagenisation index for bicycling, alongside with indices for pedestrian and public transit-friendliness.
For countries occupying other areas, count those areas both separately and include them in that country’s statistics. So then Israel’s statistics are actually honest: the inequality is extremely high, life expectancy very low, and so on.
To top it off, within the safety part of the social progress index, I’d include the detained population as a rate of the total, perceptions of state (and hybrid) violence, as well as extent of surveillance, police and para-military, armedness.
Oh, and it’d be better to have sources be independent from state and corporatist actors.
Yes of course. In reality, capitalists would take 40% of that GDP produced and the state another 20%. So you’d be left with 40% of the “value” you produced while eating shit.
IF you had a functional social safety net, however in this circumstance you would eat shit, pay taxes, a family in Palestine would die, and a rich person would have a couple extra dollars towards the next extravagant pedophilia convention in Florida
Sorry, all you get is a Ukraine that is in debt for the next 100 years as Euro-American megacorporations pillage the land and opportunists purchase its women and children for their own satisfaction. The men, of course, are sent into a neverending meatgrinder against whatever enemy we decide they should fight this week.
Another reason why measuring economic success in GDP is stupid.
It’s better to measure wealth disparity.
I myself would favour to use:
• median net discretionary GDP (PPP) per capita
• generalised entropy index
• Social Progress Index
The first one yields that 50% of the population can buy more or less than a certain amount of stuff, after tax and regular expenses.
The second could be used for wealth disparity. Unlike the Gini index, it allows you to view differences by groups.
The third is very broad and does not use economics, instead focusing on general wellbeing. Some criticism I have on the index though, is that on regards of inclusivity, it doesn’t include the (very good) Asher Fergusson index for trans rights. LGBTQ+ isn’t just gays and lesbians, it’s all queer people.
I’d also add in the Copenhagenisation index for bicycling, alongside with indices for pedestrian and public transit-friendliness.
For countries occupying other areas, count those areas both separately and include them in that country’s statistics. So then Israel’s statistics are actually honest: the inequality is extremely high, life expectancy very low, and so on.
To top it off, within the safety part of the social progress index, I’d include the detained population as a rate of the total, perceptions of state (and hybrid) violence, as well as extent of surveillance, police and para-military, armedness.
Oh, and it’d be better to have sources be independent from state and corporatist actors.
What that joke is missing is the fact that the $200 is taxable income so the government and its citizens would benefit from that transaction.
Yes of course. In reality, capitalists would take 40% of that GDP produced and the state another 20%. So you’d be left with 40% of the “value” you produced while eating shit.
IF you had a functional social safety net, however in this circumstance you would eat shit, pay taxes, a family in Palestine would die, and a rich person would have a couple extra dollars towards the next extravagant pedophilia convention in Florida
Maybe Ukraine would be given a missile to defend itself.
I’d be okay with that.
Sorry, all you get is a Ukraine that is in debt for the next 100 years as Euro-American megacorporations pillage the land and opportunists purchase its women and children for their own satisfaction. The men, of course, are sent into a neverending meatgrinder against whatever enemy we decide they should fight this week.