What’s the best country to live in?

Core Claim

The video argues that the world often treats GDP as the main shortcut for determining the “best country to live in,” but GDP was never designed to measure human well-being—and can mislead policy and public debate.

GDP: Origin and Purpose

• GDP was invented by economist Simon Kuznets in the 1930s.
• It was created to estimate the size of an economy using a single, easy-to-interpret number.
• A common variant—GDP per capita—is often treated as a proxy for quality of life.

Why GDP Is an Imperfect Measure of Well-Being

• It counts market transactions: harmful or wasteful spending (e.g., weapons) can raise GDP as much as beneficial spending (e.g., vaccines/food).
• It misses non-market services such as public education or firefighters.
• It can mislead when wealth is concentrated: GDP per capita may not reflect what the average person actually receives.

Trends Over Time

• In many Western countries, especially 1945–1970, GDP growth often correlated strongly with rising wages and broad improvements in living standards.
• By the 1980s, the benefits increasingly flowed to a smaller share of the population—even as GDP continued rising.

Alternatives to GDP

• Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH)

  • Introduced by King Jigme Singye Wangchuk in 1972.
  • A values-based measure that includes health, education, community strength, and living standards.
  • Uses survey-style questions about happiness and knowledge.

• United Nations Human Development Index (HDI)

  • Described as combining health, education, and income per capita.

• Sustainable Development–style indices

  • Weigh both well-being and environmental impacts from growth.

Example Countries Mentioned

• Costa Rica is said to come closest to improving living standards without drastically increasing emissions.
  • The video claims its well-being outcomes (including life expectancy) compare favorably even against some richer countries.
• Colombia and Jordan are noted as making “notable progress.”

Main Conclusion

No single number can fully capture quality of life. The video argues for a dashboard approach—using multiple indicators aligned to what different people value—because the “best” country depends on the priorities of the person asking.

Presenters or Contributors

• Simon Kuznets (inventor of the GDP concept)
• King Jigme Singye Wangchuk of Bhutan (proponent of Gross National Happiness)
• United Nations (associated with the Human Development Index)
• Unnamed experts (advocating the dashboard approach)