Well-being, Sustainability and Social Development

This open access book examines over two centuries of societal development using a novel historical and statistical analysis. It features The Netherlands as a case study. This serves as an especially interesting example because the country has gone from being one of the richest to one currently experiencing high levels of extreme poverty. This unique analysis of well-being and sustainability will appeal to historians, statisticians, and policy makers.

The well-being monitor used in this title was developed by Statistics Netherlands. It is an alternative to analyses with the focus on economic growth and on the indicator system of national accounts (including GDP). The monitor depicts three dimensions of well-being: the quality of life 'here and now', 'later' and 'elsewhere'.

The study reveals the importance of natural capital: soil, air, water, and subsoil resources. It shows that the way a society deals with natural capital shapes, in large part, its social structure in the ‘here and now’ and ‘elsewhere.’ It also has a great impact on the quality of life ‘later.’

In addition, readers will learn the key role institutional context plays in well-being. The book ends with indicating the solutions and the barriers raised by this historical anchoring of the problems.