Alexander B. Veber. The Study of Social Progress: Global Dimension and Challenges for Politics

Текст статьи.

Abstract

Social progress is a goal towards which we should strive, but to which different countries are moving differently at different paces and with different results. How to assess the level of social progress, how it can be measured? Traditional GDP per capita measurement cannot serve as an adequate measure of society's well-being. Attempts to find such a measure had been taken repeatedly, but the proposed methods and models do not completely satisfy the requirements of completeness. Social Progress Index 2015” represents a new step in this direction, offering for the first time a method of evaluation of social progress as such, separately from economic factors. It allows researchers a deeper analysis of the relationship between economic development and social progress, a better understanding of both objective and subjective reasons for striking disparity between different countries in how they use their economic opportunities for social development, and provides policy makers, business leaders, and civil society activists with an analytical tool in order to more rationally and clearly identify the priorities and the main landmarks for actions to achieve the objectives of social progress and sustainable development.