GDP is unscientific and unfair for poor people.

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

At 12:15 PM 9/3/99 -0400, Charles B. wrote:
> for example by serving as the base for comparing social
>> welfare spending among different countries (i.e. what share of national
>> wealth is being spent on human development).  
>> 
>> so it is not the indicator itself, but how it used that is fair or unfair
>> to poor people.
>> 
>(((((((((((((((
>
>Charles: Right. It is used to hoodwink.
>

 

Charles, you are not replying to the point I made and demonstrated in this
thread - that you can use a gdp based statistic to critique capitalist
development - e.g. by comparing the % of the gdp (or economic activity in
substantive terms) spent on social welfare.  US has the highest gdp in the
world and one of the highest gdp per capita levels, yet its social
spendings are about 16% of the gdp, comparing to 28%+ in Europe.  That is
not hoodwinking, it is a national disgrace, in my opinion. 

wojtek