In Iceland, there is a bawdy joke that alludes to the weaknesses of economic indicators. “Sex with the wife, but with a prostitute already counts in the gross domestic product.” The Icelandic Prime Minister, Katrin Jakobsdottir told him at public appearances, in order to explain the household policy.

The 43-Year-old has teamed up with Scotland’s first Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the new Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to “propose welfare agenda”.

Jakobsdottir calls “an alternative future on the basis of prosperity and growth, all can participate”. In addition to the traditional data of gross domestic product social indicators to be taken into consideration.

The new Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. Photo: Nick Perry/AP

The gross domestic product measures the total value of all goods and products produced by a country within a year. In the past year, Island generated, with its 350’000 inhabitants and a gross domestic product of nearly $ 25.6 billion Swiss francs. For comparison: In Switzerland, it amounted to nearly 690 billion Swiss francs.

Jakobsdottir said, the destruction of the environment is a key factor that leave Iceland to new social indicators in addition to the economic growth in its budget planning to include. The Chairman of the left-Green movement is leading a coalition government with the progressive party and the independence party.

As the British broadcaster BBC reported, presented the Icelandic Prime Minister this week, their plans for the London think-tank Chatham House. In her speech, she went first to the Disappearance of the Icelandic glacier Okjokull. For scientists, the melting of glaciers is a note on global warming, triggered by emissions of carbon dioxide.

sports and the arts in the fight against Antidrepressiva

More Jakobsdottir, praised the progress made by Iceland in the family-friendly policy, but said that their country is still facing major challenges. As an example, she cited the public transport is to be improved, and the fight against mental disorders such as Depression.

“Iceland uses more antidepressants than the neighbouring countries,” she said. “We need to strengthen the prevention through Sport and art.”

In the past two months had already practiced the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the new Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern criticism of the goal of pure economic growth.

Ardern said in September, economic growth is pointless if people benefit from it. Sturgeon pleaded in August to ensure that modern economies devote more resources to the areas of mental health, child care, parental leave, as well as green energy.

The Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon. Photo: Kirsty O’connor/Press Association

The of your and your Counterparts-sponsored Initiative should not be viewed as a female backlash against populism, said Jakobsdottir. “It is very important to have all genders at the table – it affects the way you think, and then different decisions will be made.”

Other countries like Bhutan have adopted already by pure economic measurements. The Himalayan Kingdom is recognised for its residents with a questionnaire, the so-called gross national happiness.

This measurement is anchored in value since the year 2008 in the Constitution as an Alternative to the gross domestic product. He didn’t just measure subjective well-being and happiness, but also social and environmental circumstances, such as for the directly Affected to represent.

criticism from renowned Economists

The growth of criticism from well-known Economists is now. The Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz is one of several economists who argue that the gross domestic product captures the consequences of climate change, inequality, digital services and other phenomena that characterize modern societies.

In an article In the British newspaper “The Guardian” of last month, Stiglitz said that the global financial crisis of 2008 was “the ultimate example of the shortcomings in the commonly used economic indicators”. So, the gross domestic product have been able to detect any distortions in the inflated US housing market, which triggered the crisis.

Created: 06.12.2019, 11:59 PM