Social Progress Index: Why does US rank No. 16?

Graphic by Rich Clabaugh/Staff

The Social Progress Index – covering everything from social inclusion to environmental stability and literacy rates – offers a window into the well-being of people in 132 nations.

By Mark Trumbull, Christian Science Monitor / April 10, 2014

Does economic growth mean better lives for citizens? Not always, finds the new Social Progress Index.

The United States remains unmatched by any other large economy when measured by per-person income, but by a new measure of “social progress,” it’s way behind – No. 16 – in delivering a high-quality life to its citizens. That’s the message of the Social Progress Index, a barometer released this month that offers a window into the well-being of people in 132 nations.

1. What is 'social progress' and why is it important to measure?

For decades, the value of goods and services exchanged (gross domestic product per person) has been used as a proxy for the well-being of average citizens. But for just as long, GDP per capita has been acknowledged as an imperfect benchmark for human progress.

“If we have the wrong metrics, we will strive for the wrong things,” a trio of prominent economists opined in one report after the 2008 financial crisis.

The new index, put out by a nonprofit group called the Social Progress Imperative, is an attempt to address the problem. It’s not the only such effort, but it’s ambitious in its scope, ranking nations on 54 indicators that cover everything from social inclusion to environmental stability and literacy rates.

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