For the Good of Humanity
What makes a great country? Can we measure the happiness of citizens, quality of life or the level of equality a country might have?
According to The Good Country Index, “a good country is one that successfully contributes to the good of humanity.” What this really means is that country must serve the interests of its own citizens, and not at the expense of other countries.
From this The Good Country Index chose 35 metrics – from groups like Fairtrade, the World Bank and the World Health Organisation (WHO) – to rate and rank countries by.
The 2016 index has ranked Britain to 4th place in the world. The country’s contribution to science and technology helped push the Britain up the rankings of 164 countries. Britain was also praised for sending money and aid to developing countries and people in need. The ranking placed Great Britain above our European rivals like Germany (No.5), France (No.8) and Italy (No.18).
“The UK, for example, isn’t just an island unconnected to the rest of Europe or to the rest of the world. Just like every other country on earth, it is part of one system. If it fails, we all fail,” said The Good Country Index founder, Simon Anholt.
Winners and losers
At the top of the rankings sits Sweden, universally praised for its contributions to global health, wellbeing, prosperity and equality.
“This upgraded and updated edition of the Index puts Sweden in first place because, relative to the size of its economy, it simply does more ‘good’ and less harm than any other country on earth,” said Anholt.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of The Good Country Index sits Libya (No.164), criticised for its role in international conflict and arms exports.
Now the question arises whether a citizen with ‘good’ moral standards would chose to live in a country supposed to another. In his article commenting the findings from The Good Country Index 2016, journalist Oliver Smith asks: “Would the global contribution of a country influence your desire to live or work there? Or is it merely a ‘nice to know’ fact?”
