The standard of living describes the material prosperity of persons, normally in relation to comparison persons. This standard of living is measured with indicators.

Indicators

On social level often become thereby

• the gross national income (in former times gross national product),
• the Pro-Kopf-Einkommen and other comparable indicators from the economic science than yardstick taken.

One finds rarer:

• Big Mac index: Big price in the country
• Human development index: A possibility of referring and nevertheless measuring and comparable results of receiving more than the gross national income into the standard of living, is the human development index of the UN. This contains also data for the life expectancy, Alphabetisierungsrate and education.
• The Swiss banking company (SBG) measures the average work time for a Big with Pommes of frites. The measurement in work time (material) instead of in money (nominal) has to illustrate the advantage more valider.

On individual level normally goods apply like e.g. a modern car, beautiful clothes or a comfortable place for living as a sign of the standard of living (life-style).

Related links

bread and rice in work time (S.7)

Criticism

Critics of one at the economic growth oriented society argue for a change of the term standard of living to the term quality of life. From its view economic growth leads to problems such as resources conflicts, military expansionist tendencies and environmental pollution. They e.g. prefer therefore definitions, which are independent of the economic growth, like the presence an environment nature-left by social mechanisms, the entrance to education, a filled out spare time etc.

Some the criteria, which consult representatives of this position, are not qualitative and quantitative kind. Therefore the measurability lacking of the results was reproached to this position. The controversy, whether the break leads standard of living of the economic growth as measure to a restriction of the individual liberty and to the loss at international competitive ability, is undecided.

Material prosperity and well-being (satisfaction)

Articles in category "Standard of living"

We found here 176 articles.

Related Websites

We found here 3 related websites.

• Standard of living - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  The Standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people and the way these services and goods are distributed ...


• Standard of living - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  The Standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people and the way these services and goods are distributed ...


• Standard of living in the United States - Wikipedia, the free ...
  The United States measures better under some measures of standard of living than others. Americans are some of the wealthiest people in the world, ...