It's time for a well-being lens of Governance
While preparing for a talk last month in London, the strategic vision for Sudan sustainable development, organised by Sudan Diaspora, Sudan knowledge www.sudanknowledge.org on 21 June 2019, I read-up on well-being as an alternative measure to GDP and found it intriguing
The existing notion of measuring prosperity of a nation using Gross Domestic Product(GDP), that is the sum of all income from all internal activities. It exclude products made outside the country.
GDP= national output = national expenditure) produced in a particular country.
Looking at the country as a nation with contributions from citizens living abroad taken into account , we get the Gross National Product(GNP).
so GNP=GDP + net property income from abroad
GNP is the value of all goods and service produced by nationals- whether in the country or not.
Both GDP and GNP for that matter, don't tell us much about the nature of economic activity. It is therefore, blind to the the activities that are not recorded e.g. unpaid care or long-term unsustainable energy generation.
I find the notion that contributions from citizens is not necessary bounded by geography of that country quite appealing. Human contributions are not bounded by geography, Albert Einstein( German national, became Swiss is 1901, American in 1940 after immigrating to America and working as a professor at Princeton. Nicolas Tesla, the 'mad scientist', who was vicious inventor , emigrated from Serbia and spent last days of his live in USA. He is inventor of Alternating Current (AC) and induction motor as well as various other inventions in wireless communications , optics and x-rays, to name a few.
Yet, this is still a simplistic view , as Einstein theory of general relativity is touching all major works in space exploration, fundamental physios that touching countless products and services. Same for Tesla's AC current making electricity a reality for humankind.
The notion of contribution to humanity is more encompassing that either GDP, GNP or any other economic, social measure. TO capture the essence of human contribution/input to development of humanity, culture and civilisation, well-being should be used.
Scotland is leading the " ell-being economy governments group" with New Zealand and Iceland as members.. The group is putting the foundation for how well-being should be used as key measure to government success. Scotland, the nation where the enlightenment started from, since Adam Smith's " The Wealth of Nation" and " Theory of Moral Sentiments" where he defined GDP as we currently know it.
I am personally fond of Scotland's progressive politics and in particular of Nicola Sturgeons ,so can't resist putting her TED talk below and a picture in 2015 during the Leaders debate held at University of Aberdeen King's College
https://www.ted.com/talks/nicola_sturgeon_why_governments_should_prioritize_well_being?language=en
New Zealand is also pioneering as it publishes its first Well-being Budget, with mental health at its heart. Iceland leading the way in paternity rights.
I am not surprised to observer that Scotland, Iceland and New Zealand and are lead by women and are leading the well-being group. Women relate and appreciate comprehensive aspects of social cultural change. These three women are also exceptionally strong and talented.
With the current debate on Universal Basic Income(UBI) and Yuval Noah Harari's proposed Universal Basic Services, well-being as an objective of governments is a key measure of their success. How humanity civilisation developed and will develop will ultimately reflect on human-being ability to nurture well-being of the society themselves, environment around them and social interactions that govern our interaction with each other and our future generations.
Hassan Hamdoun
15/09/2019
Comments
Post a Comment