This is amazing, but what’s more astounding to me is to think of how much more dramatic this presentation could have been without the taxes, restraints and wars foisted upon us by the state. Health and wealth are found first and most in free countries, last and worst in slave states. The inference to be drawn is obvious: The less government there is, the greater the longevity and prosperity of ordinary people.
Matt says:
“what’s more astounding to me is to think of how much more dramatic this presentation could have been without the taxes, restraints and wars foisted upon us by the state.”
What’s astounding to me is how much less dramatic this video would have been if they had someone else do the presenting.
A very amazing video, passing it on to friends.
December 14, 2010 — 3:42 pm
Richard Riccelli says:
Tufte http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/books_vdqi would admire this even more than I — even absent the obvious effect of capitalism on world health, wealth, and happiness. Nicely done.
December 14, 2010 — 6:14 pm
Brian Brady says:
“what’s more astounding to me is to think of how much more dramatic this presentation could have been without the taxes, restraints and wars foisted upon us by the state.”
I saw this the other day and thought the same thing, Greg. I didn’t get the feeling that Rosling felt that way. His conclusion hinted at some global redistribution of wealth scheme. Did you sense that or am I looking for a bogeyman?
December 14, 2010 — 6:45 pm
Greg Swann says:
I didn’t see that, but I’m not listening hard for libertarian messages from state-funded functionaries.
I’d like to play with the dataset, FWIW. The countries that seemed to bounce from the top to the bottom and back to the top were interesting to me.
December 14, 2010 — 6:49 pm
Al Lorenz says:
The presentation is fantastic! What a world we’re in. If BHB had a “crew” like that to help present things, wow!
December 15, 2010 — 10:55 am
Mike says:
The two biggest states are California and Texas.
In the Mercatus Center Index of Personal and Economic Freedom, Texas ranks #5 and California ranks #47.
So who lives longer and makes more, Texans or Californians?
For life expectancy: California is #6 and Texas #34.
Median household income: California #13, Texas #35.
In fact, when you look at the top 10 in both income and life expectancy, the majority are “blue” states. Most of the bottom 10 are “red” states.
December 15, 2010 — 10:57 am
Greg Swann says:
Good thinking, Mike. Pay more taxes right away. Concoct your own new regulations to stymie your productivity. Don’t let me stop you. I’m all for people who love government expressing that love with their own labor, time and money.
December 15, 2010 — 11:03 am
Mike says:
That’s not what I said, Greg. I simply pointed out that people in the socialist nightmare of California are better off than they are in the anti-government utopia of Texas.
Can you explain why? Maybe it’s more complicated than “less regulation and taxes are always better”?
Also, people in Japan, W. Europe, Canada and Australia (government run health care – the horror!) all live longer than Americans. And they pay less for it. Can you explain this?
December 15, 2010 — 12:20 pm
Greg Swann says:
How does North Korea compare with South Korea? How do Norwegians in Norway compare with their cousins in Minnesota. Talk is cheap. The facts of reality are obvious. The last word is yours.
December 15, 2010 — 12:37 pm
Mike says:
If you’re talking absolutes – a free unregulated economy vs. communism, then we agree that free economies are the way to go, of course. I was arguing the subtle differences between capitalist democracies, and between different states.
And Norwegians are much much better off than Minnesotans! Although most of that has to do with the huge amount of natural resources in Norway, so I’m not sure how useful the comparison is. (Norway has the second largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, worth about $94,650 per person)
Norway
GDP per capita: $81,240 – official exchange rate
GDP per capita: $57,600 – PPP
Unemployment rate: 3.2%
Life expectancy: 80.2
Minnesota
GDP per capita: $41,552
Unemployment rate: 6.4%
Life expectancy: 80.5
December 15, 2010 — 1:52 pm