WHAT’S THE ECONOMY FOR, ANYWAY? Part 3 of 3

Life Expectancy at Birth (2004) Rank 1Spain (80.3)9Netherlands (78.6) 2Sweden (80.2)10Finland (78.5) 3Italy (79.7)11United Kingdom (78.5) 4France (79.4)12Ireland (78.3) 5Greece (78.9)13Denmark (77.6) 6Austria (78.8)14United States (77.5) 7Belgium (78.8)15Portugal (77.4) 8Germany (78.6)

Infant Mortality Deaths Per 1,000 Live Births (2004)

Obesity % of Total Population (2004)

Obesity % of Total Population (2004) Rank 1United States (32.2)9Belgium (12.7) 2United Kingdom (23) 10Netherlands (10.9) 3Greece (21.9)12Sweden (9.8) 4Finland (14.1)13France (9.5) 5Spain (13.1)13Denmark (9.5) 6Ireland (13)14Austria (9.1) 7Germany (12.9)15Italy (9) 8Portugal (12.8)

Are Americans Safe and Secure? The U.S. murder rate is about six times the European rate The U.S. murder rate is about six times the European rate The U.S. child abuse rate is triple the European rate The U.S. child abuse rate is triple the European rate The U.S. incarceration rate is highest in world The U.S. incarceration rate is highest in world

Prison Population Rate Number Per 100,000 Population "The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by…its prisons.” -- Dostoyevski

But We Have the Most Stuff Americans produce the most stuff Americans produce the most stuff Americans consume the most stuff Americans consume the most stuff And Americans waste the most stuff And Americans waste the most stuff Click this image to see a 20- minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns Click this image to see a 30 second add about U.S. waste

So Americans Have More Stuff and Pay Lower Taxes, But… We work much longer We work much longer We’re not as healthy We’re not as healthy We have less time for family and friends and leisure We have less time for family and friends and leisure We are less safe We are less safe And we’re more stressed out And we’re more stressed out Is this the greatest good?

What about Economic Opportunity? A child born poor in the US has less chance to end up wealthy than in any European country except the UK. A child born poor in the US has less chance to end up wealthy than in any European country except the UK. Danes have 3 times as much chance to move up the income ladder; Swedes, Finns and French 2.5 times as much chance Danes have 3 times as much chance to move up the income ladder; Swedes, Finns and French 2.5 times as much chance Almost every European country has a larger percentage of self-employed workers than the US Almost every European country has a larger percentage of self-employed workers than the US

Economic Opportunity (cont) The US poverty rate is over 12%; average rate in Europe is 7% The US poverty rate is over 12%; average rate in Europe is 7% The US child poverty rate is 21%; average in Europe is 7% The US child poverty rate is 21%; average in Europe is 7% The percentage of poor Americans living in severe poverty reached a 32-year high in 2007 The percentage of poor Americans living in severe poverty reached a 32-year high in 2007 Gap between rich and poor in US is widest in industrial world Gap between rich and poor in US is widest in industrial world Is this the greatest number?

American Inequality

There’s More... Americans now have net personal savings rate of -1%, lower than any European country except Greece Americans now have net personal savings rate of -1%, lower than any European country except Greece In 1970 Americans saved more of their incomes than Europeans In 1970 Americans saved more of their incomes than Europeans Since 1996, more Americans have declared personal bankruptcy each year than graduated from college Since 1996, more Americans have declared personal bankruptcy each year than graduated from college Americans rank near last among OECD countries in income and pension security Americans rank near last among OECD countries in income and pension security

What about Ecological Sustainability? Compared to the EU-15 countries The US has the largest Ecological Footprint (negative impact on planet) according to Global Footprint network The US has the largest Ecological Footprint (negative impact on planet) according to Global Footprint network The US is the least sustainable according to UN Environment program The US is the least sustainable according to UN Environment program Is this the longest run?

In Conclusion… Is the U.S. economic model working well? Is the U.S. economic model working well? By what measures? By what measures? For whom? For whom? What questions do you have? Discuss them! What questions do you have? Discuss them! Research and study the issues. Create your own study group. Research and study the issues. Create your own study group. Ask your elected representatives, What’s the Economy for Anyway? Ask your elected representatives, What’s the Economy for Anyway? What might YOU do to help change our priorities? What might YOU do to help change our priorities?

What’s the Economy For, Anyway? A Project of the Center for Communication and Civic Engagement, in association with the Forum on Social Wealth, the Political Economy Research Institute, the Center for Popular Economics, and with support from the University of Washington and The Rockefeller Brother's Fund This slide show was created by Tim Jones, John de Graaf, and Lloyd Jansen