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From: eder@ssc-vax.UUCP (Dani Eder)
Newsgroups: net.politics.theory
Subject: Re: Measure of success?
Message-ID: <457@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Feb-85 20:32:03 EST
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.457
Posted: Tue Feb 26 20:32:03 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 1-Mar-85 05:45:37 EST
References: <257@cmu-cs-k.ARPA> <761@ucbtopaz.CC.Berkeley.ARPA>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 29

> >economic systems fail to measure the
> >success of an economy by the ONE THING THAT REALLY MATTERS: the standard of
> >living of those under the system.
> 
> What I consider important is free time. How much time do those under a
> system have where they aren't worrying about where there next meal comes
> from, where they are going to sleep that night, where to get enough CRAY
> time to run the gas flow model they are interested in, or doing something
> that someone else wants them to do.
> 
> I can't concieve of how standard of living could mean the same as what I
> mean by free time. Somebody who likes wandering around on the beach,

How about defining 'standard of living' as the fraction of the population
that do not HAVE to work.  It would be a number from zero to one.
A neolithic tribe that must spend 100% of it's time hunting would have
a standard of living of zero.  In the United States today, something
like 24% of the population produce all the physical goods made.  Another
10-15% supply all the services needed to mak the present system function.
The other 60% are children, retired, people who work because they like to,
etc.  This would be a standard of living of .6  In the mid-21st century,
automation of banks, insurance companies, factory floors, etc. might
leave only 10% of the population providing physical goods, and as little
as 5% providing services.  The standard of living would then be .85.
Note that there might be very many more people working.  But these
people would be working because they wanted to do it, rather than
had to do it.  Comments, netland?

Dani Eder / ssc-vax!eder/ Boeing