The state and fate of nations: Implications of subjective measures of personal and social quality of life

Abstract

The equation of 'more' with 'better' - of standard of living with quality of life - is at the heart of a growing international debate about indicators of progress. At one level, the debate is about the adequacy of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) as the dominant indicator of national performance. However, the debate also reaches far beyond this question to challenge conventional thinking about progress. Quality of life includes both objective and subjective elements, so indicators of progress should include measures of how people feel about their lives. Drawing mainly on Australian data - but also on US and international studies - this analysis examines and differentiates between subjective measures of personal and social quality of life, and discusses their use in evaluating whether life is getting better - or worse.