Tim Harford Quotes

The ultimate purpose of economics, of course, is to understand and promote the enhancement of well-being.

Our aims are absolutely clear: They are a high living standard in the country and a secure, free and comfortable life.

We have become stronger economically; we have been successfully resolving the social problems, raising the level of living - the standards of living - of the population.

Most rich countries have reported increases in happiness as they become richer.

There is no western, capitalistic country in which the conditions of the masses have not improved in an unprecedented way.

Capitalism has created the highest standard of living ever known on earth. The evidence is incontrovertible. The contrast between West and East Berlin is the latest demonstration, like a laboratory experiment for all to see. Yet those who are loudest in proclaiming their desire to eliminate poverty are loudest in denouncing capitalism. Man's well-being is not their goal.

I want ordinary people to enjoy a decent standard of living, with ever increasing security, comfort and joy.

By 1979, Chinese people were poorer, on average, than North Koreans. I mean, your average per-capita income in China that year was one third of sub-Saharan Africa's.

Economic growth is necessary to keep the promise - enormously important to individual Americans - that each generation will have the opportunity to become more prosperous than the preceding one, the popular term for which is 'the American dream.'

Bend everything toward improving the standard of living of the people.

More people in more countries, both developing and developed, have experienced larger increases in living standards than in any prior fifty year period.

It is past time to acknowledge that economic growth … is good, and that what the world needs is more of it.

No single number has become more central to society in the past 50 years” than gross domestic product.

We shouldn't measure everything in terms of GDP figures or economics. There is something called quality of life.

It's time we admitted that there's more to life than money, and it's time we focused not just on GDP, but on GWB - general well-being.

I think the main figure that matters to all of us, including people in the media, is: How does GDP per capita grow? And those figures have been very good. There is a huge flux both up and down, so it isn't like we're all static in status. What's important is that pie grows.

The standard of living of the common man is higher in those countries which have the greatest number of wealthy entrepreneurs.

Equity, dignity, happiness, sustainability - these are all fundamental to our lives but absent in the GDP.

A high proportion of the population enjoys many of the 'luxuries' which until recently were considered the prerogative of the rich; and the ordinary worker lives at what even two decades ago would have been considered in Britain a middle-class standard of life.

Capitalism has improved the standard of living of the wage earners to an unprecedented extent. The average American family enjoys today amenities of which, only a hundred years ago, not even the richest nabobs dreamed.

Increased means and increased leisure are the two civilizers of man.

One industrial age belief is that GDP or GNP is a measure of progress. I don't care if you're the President of China or the U.S., if your country doesn't grow, you're in trouble. But we all know that beyond a certain level of material need, further material acquisition doesn't make people happier.

The goal to strive for is a poor government but a rich people.

Western Europe GDP per capita - not taking into account the new accession counties - was lower in 2001 relative to that of the US than any time since the 1960's.

The ultimate test of the value of a political system is whether it helps that society to establish conditions which improve the standard of living for the majority of its people.