article_snippet.sent: The findings recorded by US analysts in a ‘social progress index’ suggest that the fast economic recovery from the recession has done little to ease longstanding problems that blight the lives of millions.
article_snippet.sent: The analysts, led by a Harvard Business School academic, based their research on the idea that financial records do not tell the whole truth about a country.
article_snippet.sent: The same thinking has driven David Cameron to order Whitehall to start collecting measurements of happiness and well-being.
article_snippet.sent: The social progress league table has been drawn up on the basis of ratings of essential medical care and everyday nutrition; on housing and energy standards; crime; education; health and fitness; political and conscience rights and freedoms, and levels of tolerance.
article_snippet.sent: Index chief Michael Green said:
article_snippet.sent: Professor Michael Porter of Harvard Business School, who headed the research, said:
article_snippet.sent: ‘A striking finding is that gross domestic product is far from being the sole determinant of social progress.