2018年-WEF世界经济论坛_The_Inclusive_Development_Index_2018_14页_727kb

Summary of The Inclusive Development Index 2018

Core Content

The Inclusive Development Index (IDI) 2018 highlights the growing concern over inequality and slow progress in living standards across advanced and emerging economies. It underscores the need for a more inclusive and sustainable model of growth, which not only increases economic output but also ensures that the benefits of growth are broadly shared. The IDI was introduced as an alternative to GDP, which is criticized for focusing on aggregate economic output rather than the multidimensional aspects of living standards such as income, employment, and quality of life.

Main Views and Key Information

The Need for Inclusive Growth

• Political and social polarization is increasing due to slow living standards improvements and growing inequality.
• A new economic policy framework was introduced to help align aspirations with actions for more inclusive growth.
• The IDI measures 15 structural economic policy areas that influence both growth and social inclusion.

GDP as a Flawed Metric

• GDP is the dominant economic performance indicator, but it fails to capture the multidimensional nature of living standards.
• What gets measured gets managed, and the focus on GDP often leads to neglect of structural policies that promote equity and inclusion.
• GDP growth is necessary but not sufficient for inclusive socioeconomic progress and improved living standards.

IDI as a Complementary Metric

• The IDI provides a more accurate reflection of how people perceive economic progress, incorporating income, wealth, employment, and quality of life.
• The Index is divided into three pillars: Growth and Development, Inclusion, and Intergenerational Equity and Sustainability.
• Only 64% of economies have improved their IDI scores over the past five years, showing a disconnect between GDP growth and inclusive development.

Performance Highlights

• Norway leads as the most inclusive advanced economy, ranking second in Intergenerational Equity and Sustainability and third in the other two pillars.
• Small European economies dominate the IDI rankings, with Australia being the only non-European economy in the top 10 among advanced nations.
• Emerging economies show better performance in Inclusion and Growth and Development, but wealth inequality remains a significant issue.
• Lithuania, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Panama, and Croatia are among the top emerging economies.
• Income inequality has increased in most advanced economies, while it has declined in many emerging ones.
• Wealth inequality is generally worse than income inequality, and it has worsened in 49 out of 103 economies.
• GDP per capita is not strongly correlated with IDI performance, except for labor productivity and healthy life expectancy.

Country-Specific Findings

• Australia has a strong GDP and employment rate but lags in labor productivity and health-adjusted life expectancy. It has high income and wealth inequality.
• Canada has strong GDP and labor productivity but struggles with income and wealth inequality and environmental sustainability.
• France has strong labor productivity and health-adjusted life expectancy but suffers from high public debt, low adjusted net savings, and rising inequality.
• Germany has improved in the IDI, particularly in Intergenerational Equity and Sustainability, but still has high wealth inequality and a rising poverty rate.
• Italy shows poor performance across the IDI, with low growth, high public debt, and increasing inequality.
• Ireland has strong GDP and labor productivity but faces significant challenges in Inclusion and Intergenerational Equity and Sustainability.
• Japan has the longest health-adjusted life expectancy but suffers from low labor productivity and employment rates, as well as an aging population.
• South Korea has high GDP per capita but weak performance in Inclusion and Growth and Development, with high poverty and wealth inequality.
• United States has high GDP per capita but poor performance in Inclusion and Intergenerational Equity and Sustainability, particularly in income and wealth inequality.

Trends and Implications

• 64% of economies have seen IDI scores improve, but 27% have seen declines, even as GDP per capita increased.
• Income inequality has increased in most advanced economies, while poverty has declined in many emerging economies.
• Interpersonal trust is positively correlated with IDI performance, suggesting the importance of social cohesion in inclusive growth.
• GDP growth alone cannot ensure inclusive progress, and structural reforms are necessary to address inequality and ensure sustainable development.

Conclusion

The IDI highlights the disconnect between GDP growth and inclusive development, urging policymakers to adopt a more human-centric approach to economic progress. It emphasizes that inclusive growth is not just an aspiration but a necessity for long-term social stability and economic success. The Index calls for a rethinking of economic priorities, with a focus on equity, sustainability, and institutional strength, to transform inclusive growth from a goal into a reality in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.