
A demonstrator holding a "People Over Profit" sign at a protest in Brooklyn on June 5, 2020. (Photo: Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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A demonstrator holding a "People Over Profit" sign at a protest in Brooklyn on June 5, 2020. (Photo: Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Economic indicators - data points, trends, and micro-categories - are the widgets of the big information industry. By contrast, indicators for our society's democratic health are not similarly compiled, aggregated, and reported. Its up and down trends are presented piecemeal and lack quantitative precision.
We can get the process started and lay the basis for qualitative and quantitative refinement. Years ago, when we started "re-defining progress" and questioning the very superficial GDP and its empirical limitations, professional economists took notice. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, economists cling to the yardsticks that benefit and suit the plutocrats and CEOs of large corporations.
Here are my offerings in the expectation that readers will add their own measures:
Time to conclude and look forward to your indicators of societal decay. Send them to info@csrl.org or CSRL, P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036. The more Americans know where their country is heading, the more they may just want a better future and participating in or supporting the movements dedicated to turning our democracy around.
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Economic indicators - data points, trends, and micro-categories - are the widgets of the big information industry. By contrast, indicators for our society's democratic health are not similarly compiled, aggregated, and reported. Its up and down trends are presented piecemeal and lack quantitative precision.
We can get the process started and lay the basis for qualitative and quantitative refinement. Years ago, when we started "re-defining progress" and questioning the very superficial GDP and its empirical limitations, professional economists took notice. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, economists cling to the yardsticks that benefit and suit the plutocrats and CEOs of large corporations.
Here are my offerings in the expectation that readers will add their own measures:
Time to conclude and look forward to your indicators of societal decay. Send them to info@csrl.org or CSRL, P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036. The more Americans know where their country is heading, the more they may just want a better future and participating in or supporting the movements dedicated to turning our democracy around.
Economic indicators - data points, trends, and micro-categories - are the widgets of the big information industry. By contrast, indicators for our society's democratic health are not similarly compiled, aggregated, and reported. Its up and down trends are presented piecemeal and lack quantitative precision.
We can get the process started and lay the basis for qualitative and quantitative refinement. Years ago, when we started "re-defining progress" and questioning the very superficial GDP and its empirical limitations, professional economists took notice. Unfortunately, with few exceptions, economists cling to the yardsticks that benefit and suit the plutocrats and CEOs of large corporations.
Here are my offerings in the expectation that readers will add their own measures:
Time to conclude and look forward to your indicators of societal decay. Send them to info@csrl.org or CSRL, P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036. The more Americans know where their country is heading, the more they may just want a better future and participating in or supporting the movements dedicated to turning our democracy around.