Wealth
Wealth (including welfare, well-being ) is a positive state that is perceived individually different. Wealth consists of intangible and material wealth (see also standard of living) together. The standard of living is easier to measure. Colloquially is meant by wealth that someone has more money than normally available, or that it lacks in substantive terms, nothing.
In the context of policy decisions and modes of material prosperity or the gross domestic product per capita is considered as an indicator of material well so far mostly. Other indicators of wealth are the Engel coefficient and the Human Development Index.
As part of the changes in our society demands that are perceived other aspects of wealth and added to the political discourse, such as the mental development and mental balance.
Historical Development
The anthropologist Marshall Sahlins called the hunter-gatherer cultures ( the warm countries) than the original affluent societies, for all needs were met and there was plenty of time for leisure. On average, they had only two to five hours a day for hunting, gathering and food preparation aufwänden. In modern consumer society indess advertising constantly generates new needs, however, are often not achievable without money and job. Sahlins expressly indicates that it would be presumptuous to view our modern ideas of a good life as the only true measure.
" Our greatest wealth lies in the number of Kupunas ( elders ) "
The interpretation of wealth has changed greatly over time. In ancient and medieval prosperity was largely determined by ethical and religious norms. The overall objective of mercantilism ( in Germany cameralism ) was the well-being of the ruler. For Physiocrats (18th century, Quesnay ) products from agriculture were the only source of wealth. The labor factor and the principle of division of labor won in the classical period of relevance ( Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Malthus ). Within the framework of utilitarianism was the individual's perception of well-being according to the " principle of the greatest happiness for the greatest number " of meaning. Alfred Marshall led the early 20th century, the theory of consumer surplus, which takes into account the economic and material prosperity aspect. Already Pigou has construed the measurability of money and the criteria for increased prosperity in the early 20th century. In the New Welfare Economy prosperity based on the principle of Pareto optimality, which was characterized by individual well-being of individual households. Today's understanding of wealth is determined by the national accounts. The mid-17th century, this was first detected by the estimation of national income by Petty. In Germany, this goes back to Leopold Krug. Over time, Keynes and Föhl have further developed the theory of the economic process. Their work served as the basis for international mechanisms such as the OECD. Today, the 3rd edition of the " System of National Accounts " is available (national accounts, 1993), in the European version of ESA 1995 (European System of Accounts ). To date, it is the basis for the calculation of economic indicators.
Happiness research
Economists like Bruno S. Frey have analyzed the relationship between the growth of income and well-being, among other things They have established the thesis that it was more important to deal with the conditions of happiness than with the average level of happiness. In Happiness Research in Economics Frey describes four problems of economics: income, unemployment, inflation and inequality. He tries to show that unemployment has the greatest negative effect on the perception of happiness, because it limits the income. Due to inflation, the feeling of happiness is, according to Frey rather less affected. In the book, also the importance of social norms is highlighted. Thus, the negative effects of unemployment on the welfare of the people seem to be lower when this state is socially accepted. In addition to unemployment, according to Frey also affect other economic factors, the well-being of the people. So the happiness 'll positively influenced by the increase of income. ( But compare: economic research on happiness. )
The Asian country of Bhutan has used for research into happiness was a state commission that regularly determined the " gross national happiness " of the population. The country has established a non- growth-oriented economic model in its constitution.
Factors
The factors can be divided into positive and negative aspects. Negative factors can prevent the increase of prosperity or lower it. In contrast, positive influence factors contribute to the increase of wealth.
War, flight, military influence, isolation, closed borders, blockades, corruption, unchecked power, populism, terrorism
Rising labor productivity, real wages rise, homogeneous distribution of income, technological progress
Inflation, currency devaluation, loss of property, unemployment, frequent strikes, legal uncertainty, excessive public debt
Clean air and water, little noise, access to nature and green areas
Natural disasters, environmental pollution
Education, child care, cultural activities, social and political engagement, leisure
Epidemic diseases, addiction, drugs, illiteracy, professional crime, mafia-like structures, collective fear
Prosperity in Germany
Prosperity is caused by a high local production of goods and services, as this will improve the care offered. An important requirement is thus a growing domestic sales or increasing exports. Growth of domestic demand in Germany Regarding the stagnant population and the increasing aging is limited. Thus, foreign trade potentials can be exploited and the internal market is not threatened by competition countries, the international competitiveness of the interior of importance. The fact that German companies are internationally competitive and thus high-priced products may deposed on the world market, showing high export revenue of the country. This amounted in 2008 according to preliminary results of the Federal Statistical Office € 1157.18 billion (nominal / real terms ).
For this consideration, the gross domestic product per capita is a good measure that is influenced by productivity and employment. Here, productivity is measured as GDP per hour worked. In Germany, the development of both variables, however, is unfavorable. The average annual growth rate of productivity was from 2000 to 2005, only 1.2 % and it is distinguished from a negative trend. Employment growth declined in this period on average by 0.4%. For this reason, policies aimed at the creation of more jobs.
Crucial for the prosperity of the country is the system of social market economy. Germany is benefiting from the efficiency of the markets. At the same time social aspects are taken into account for the purposes of the Company.
From the perspective of the population, rising incomes lead to greater prosperity. In Germany, the main source of income is the dependent employment. The net income has risen much faster over a period of 60 years as the prices. The average hourly wages were in West Germany at € 2.57 in 1950 and increased to 2007 to € 13.59. This positive development is also reflected in the wage share, the result of rising wages still reached a high level of 65 % in 2008. The increasing use of the production factor capital this would have to decrease in the long run actually.
Another feature of the recent increase in the prosperity of the German is the increasing leisure time. The collectively agreed weekly working time in the country has declined from an average of 47 to 37 hours. With about 30 vacation days a year, Germany is at a high level. These also contribute to greater prosperity.
In addition to this selection are further aspects of meaning. These include a healthy environment and cultural and social values . This booming dimensions are not included in the measurement of wealth by the gross domestic product. This has the consequence that prosperity in Germany as well as in most other countries is largely equated with material wealth and material prosperity with GDP.
To take account of the complexity of wealth, is therefore required for its measurement, a Complementing GDP with environmental and social well-being indicators. For this plead, inter alia, of Experts on the Assessment of the overall economic development in Germany and the French Conseil d'Analyse Economique (CAE ) in their joint report " Economic performance, quality of life and sustainability: A comprehensive system of indicators ". Specifically, they propose 25 indicators from three application areas: material well-being, quality of life and sustainability. A similar proposal comes from the Foundation Denkwerk future. In the so-called prosperity quartet puts the gross domestic product per capita three other indicators to page: a distribution measure ( the so-called 80/20-Relation ), social exclusion ratio as well as the ecological footprint in relation to the globally available biocapacity.
EU -country comparison
Despite the many criticisms, the gross domestic product of the most relied on indicator is for measuring wealth. In order to allow international comparisons between countries, this is calculated on a per capita basis.
If you measure GDP per capita in purchasing power standards (short: PPS), the different levels of price levels between countries are compensated.
In the EU - country comparison on the basis of gross domestic product per capita Luxembourg takes first place. This is according to Eurostat in part to the large number of foreigners who work in Luxembourg, due since, although they contribute to GDP, however, are not counted in the population. The assets of Luxembourg is 2.5 times as large as that of the average EU citizen. In addition to the Luxembourgers are the richest EU citizens in Ireland. Last place Bulgaria is placed. The people there are not even half as wealthy as one of the EU average citizen. One of the reasons is the low wages, which amounts to just € 1.80. Germany is currently 116% just above the average.
2008 was assessed the situation even more so, that Germany had developed slowly in recent years than the other countries. 2008 one still pulled out a scenario into consideration, where this development would continue, and would then have been expected in the next few years that Germany would obsolete as Italy or Spain .. Meanwhile, it has been shown that the 2008 is still very good standing there in Spain, Italy and Ireland have now slipped into a serious crisis and that Germany currently doing well in comparison. In Ireland and Spain was the bursting of real estate bubbles, the main reason for slipping into crisis.
Problems of measuring wealth
Over time, scientists have developed a set of indicators and indices for measuring wealth, and its gross domestic product, per capita income, welfare function, the Human Development Index (HDI ) and others. But especially the gross domestic product is increasingly criticized for years. The criticism is based, among other things, that such welfare losses, such as pollution, noise and traffic accidents are not recorded with. But even those sizes, such as leisure and housework are not considered.
To overcome these shortcomings, a new index, the Human Development Index ( HDI ) was developed. He also takes into account aspects such as still life, public health or education. The measuring wealth with the help of HDI has, however, turned out to be complicated, as you can see the variables used to summarize difficult and weight.
Another approach to wealth acquisition provides the so-called Net Economic Welfare (NEW ). This is first of the gross domestic product, which is about the social costs, such as pollution, and adjusted to the private service, such as housework, extended. The problem with this method is the same as the Human Development Index.
To conclude that all existing indicators and indices to capture a country's prosperity, only parts whose grasp of what constitutes prosperity as a whole. It merely tries to supplement the deficiencies of the gross domestic product by individual aspects.
A holistic solution to the problem of wealth acquisition are not yet available, however.