Kev took part in a survey

Tosh · October 26, 2010

". . Gross National Product counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage…It counts the destruction of the redwood and the loss of our natural wonder in chaotic sprawl . . . Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials . . . it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile." (R F Kennedy)

This article is from the Daily Wail but the BBC just ran a segment on this and suggested that we are far better off - more prosperous - than we think we are. So we are seen as being in a far better position than we percieve ourselves to be - someone should stop Kev doing surveys.

Indeed, 13th out of more than a hundred countries suggests we have plenty to be happy about - strong democratic governments/systsms, freedoms and liberties and so forth compared to the majority of the world but.....lo, the Daily Wail starts with a negative and continues in that vein. I think Canada/US are the only countries more populous than the UK above us in the list (Netherlands is more densely populated)

... and odd how suddenly it's not "necessary cuts" but "sack half a million public workers"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1323452/Mediocre-UK-slips-13th-world-league-happiness.html

Britain has slipped to 13th in a list of the world’s most successful countries because of its ‘mediocre’ education and health services, a report says.

The Prosperity Index, an annual survey of 110 countries based on the wealth and happiness of their citizens, ranks the UK below Norway, Denmark and Finland. The UK was ranked 12th last year.

The loss in public confidence since the banking crisis and deepening gloom over the threat of mass unemployment is also undermining Britain’s status.

Tough times: With Britain still in a recession, it's no surprise we have slipped in the Prosperity Index

The Prosperity Index Top 25

1 Norway

2 Denmark

3 Finland

4 Australia

5 New Zealand

6 Sweden

7 Canada

8 Switzerland

9 Netherlands

10 United States

11 Ireland

12 Iceland

13 United Kingdom

14 Austria

15 Germany

16 Belgium

17 Singapore

18 Japan

19 France

20 Hong Kong

21 Slovenia

22 Taiwan

23 Spain

24 Czech Republic

25 Italy

The survey, which comes from the Legatum Institute, an international think tank based in London, was carried out before the Coalition Government unveiled plans to sack nearly half a million public sector workers, slash £7billion off welfare benefits and axe 19 per cent from Whitehall budgets.

The index crowns Norway in first place, followed by Denmark in second place, and Finland third.

The survey covers 90 per cent of the world’s population. It tries to take into account factors that contribute to overall prosperity – such as education standards, health, personal freedom, safety, security and democracy.

Britain is ranked 101st in the world on public confidence in financial institutions, 98th on optimism about job prospects and 93rd on expectations of future economic performance – the kind of ratings usually found in the world’s poorest countries.

The think tank said that although the high-ranking Scandinavian countries had relatively high tax levels and large welfare states, they had embarked on ‘economic liberalisation’ in recent years by ‘freeing up their labour markets and slashing government spending’.

Murphman · October 26, 2010

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