Beyond GDP: The Social Progress Podcast

For the last 15 years, while much of the world has pushed forward, the US, Canada, and the UK have seen their social progress stall,or worse, go backwards. Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland are also facing some challenges. 

We use the 2026 Social Progress Index to diagnose why the English-speaking countries are losing their edge. 

Listen now to learn why every English-speaking country ranks lower than 100th in housing affordability, how Canada and Australia are seeing a decline in personal security and see how the UK’s self-inflicted wounds are affecting their quality of life. 

These countries must look for inspiration to solve some of their most pressing issues…somewhere else. 

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Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. 

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In just three decades, China has transitioned from a developing nation to a global superpower, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty; however, is China’s development story an example for the rest of the world?

In this episode, we analyze China’s economic and social development from 1990–2020 using the Time Series Social Progress Index to measure China’s "efficiency" in turning wealth into wellbeing. We compare China's trajectory with India and Indonesia, nations that achieved significant social progress with only a fraction of China's GDP per capita.

Which country would you like us to analyze next? 

Time Series: https://www.socialprogress.org/social-progress-index-time-series

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Ever wondered how we can really measure our quality of life? Economic growth is not the full answer. Michael Green explains the importance of going beyond GDP and why social progress matters. 

We compare the world's richest nations, like Singapore, with economic "underdogs" like Estonia and Costa Rica to reveal who is actually delivering a better life for their citizens. GDP is definitely not destiny! 

We go from "It's the economy, stupid," said in 1992, to why the United States' booming economy hasn't been able to translate its results into social progress. Why did the U.S. drop from 8th to 32nd in the world? We look at the outcomes that GDP ignores, like health, education, rights, and safety, to show you the real map of success. 

Other countries we analyze their Social Progress Score vs. their GDP per capita for are Malawi, Norway, Turkey, Egypt, Guyana, Qatar, Finland, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan, and the Central African Republic. 

Data from 1990 to 2020 available on the Time Series Social Progress Index: https://www.socialprogress.org/social-progress-index-time-series

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Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. 

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Living in a wealthy capital city gives you the best quality of life? Not necessarily. While Northern Europe consistently tops the Social Progress Index ranking, the 2026 EU Regional Social Progress Index discovers hidden gems where wellbeing and social outcomes far exceed economic development.

We use the Social Progress Imperative methodology adopted by the European Commission to look beyond GDP. We explore regions that prove you don't need a massive bank balance to enjoy safety, clean environments, and advanced education.

Places like Extremadura in Spain, Northern Portugal near Porto, Podlaskie in Poland, Northern and Western Ireland and the North Aegean Islands are your safe options when looking for places to live in Europe. 

Check out the full EU Regional Social Progress Index: https://www.socialprogress.org/thematic-webpages/european-union-regional-social-progress-index

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Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. 

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While the connection between GDP per capita and life satisfaction is undeniable, it isn't the whole story. We explore the World Happiness Report by looking at countries that punch above their weight and those that underperform given their wealth. GDP only buys happiness up to a point, so with the Global Social Progress Index, we analyze the role of Personal Freedom and Opportunity in long-term life satisfaction.

Michael Green, CEO at Social Progress Imperative, analyzes the top countries in the World Happiness Report, including Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Costa Rica, and Mexico. He also compares the results with some underperforming countries such as the United States, Singapore and Greece. 

The Empirics of Social Progress: The Interplay between Subjective Well-Being and Societal Performance: 
https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pandp.20181036

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Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/

Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. 

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As Hungary prepares for the high-stakes April 12, 2026, general election, the world is watching to see if Viktor Orbán’s 16-year tenure will finally come to an end. What does nearly fifteen years of “Orbánism” actually look like for Hungarians?

Using the Global Social Progress Index, we track Hungary’s trajectory in education, rights, health, housing and overall quality of life. While neighbors in Central and Eastern Europe have surged forward, Hungary’s progress has stalled. Michael Green, CEO at Social Progress Imperative, explores the erosion of civil liberties and Hungary’s decline in educational standards, to provide an audit of a populist legacy.

But what happens if the opposition wins? We outline a strategic roadmap for a potential successor, identifying “quick wins”. 

Chapters: 

• How Hungary dropped to 40th in the world for social progress.
• Analyzing the 15-point drop in personal rights and freedom.
• Why Hungary ranks 107th for NGO treatment.
• Can a new government fix education and healthcare?
• Election Integrity

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Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. 

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Happy World Health Day! From the top-performing leaders in Asia to the surprising decline in health indicators among rich countries, we are exploring the 2026 Social Progress Index and analyzing the countries with the best health scores and those falling dangerously behind.

Success isn’t just about doctors; it’s about building a healthy society. 

Topics covered in the episode:

• Top-ranked healthiest countries 
• Which are the top-ranked countries in Latin America  
• The U.S. and the health crisis in Russia and the post-Soviet states
• How poverty and inequality drive global health trends
  
  
  
  

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Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/

Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. 

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Is the world really doomed to decline? New data from the 2026 Global Social Progress Index shows a worrying halt in global quality of life after decades of steady progress. But what’s behind this worrying trend, and is there any hope for reversal?

This episode isn't just about grim stats; it's about understanding the critical choices ahead.

Explore the 2026 Global Social Progress Index results!

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Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/

Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. 

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What does social progress actually look like inside one of the world's most watched and most misunderstood economies? Michael Green sits down with Sofía Ramírez Aguilar, Director of México ¿Cómo Vamos?to dig into where Mexico really stands on quality of life, what the Social Progress Index reveals across all 32 states, and why the story is far more nuanced than the headlines suggest. 

From the happiness paradox to the three critical gaps holding Mexico back — public safety, basic education, and healthcare, to the Shared Prosperity Map that puts U.S. and Mexican states on the same quality-of-life scale, this is a conversation about what North American integration actually looks like on the ground.

Plus: why foreign direct investment follows social progress scores, what teen pregnancy rates in Oaxaca vs. Chihuahua reveal about the limits of aggregate data, and Sofía's optimistic prediction for the decade ahead.

Chapters

00:00:00 – Introduction & What México ¿Cómo Vamos? Does

00:02:15 – Mexico's Happiness Rankings & Social Progress Reality Check

00:05:48 – The Three Big Gaps: Safety, Education, Healthcare

00:10:33 – The Shared Prosperity Map of North America

00:12:37 – Quality of Work vs. Employment as a Social Progress Driver

00:18:59 – The Two-Way Relationship Between Growth and Social Progress

00:20:39 – State-Level Data: Guerrero, Chiapas, Oaxaca & Closing the Gap

00:23:00 – Teen Pregnancy as a Window Into Different State Realities

00:27:41 – Laredo/Nuevo Laredo: Social Progress at the Municipal Level

00:29:33 – Why Investors Follow Social Progress Scores

00:34:12 – Supply Chains, Integration, and the States Being Left Behind

00:36:15 – Sofía's Prediction: A Decade of Real Progress in North America

Follow Sofía Ramírez Aguilar and México ¿Cómo Vamos?: 

Website https://mexicocomovamos.mx 

Please follow and rate our show! 

Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/

Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. 

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In this episode of Beyond GDP: The Social Progress Podcast, host Michael Green, CEO of the Social Progress Imperative, speaks with Dr. Amit Kapoor, Chairman of the Institute for Competitiveness, about the challenges behind India’s rise and why measuring progress requires looking beyond GDP.

Dr. Kapoor explains how India’s development story is shaped by social progress indicators, environmental pressures, and shifting global economic dynamics. From foreign aid and international development to urban pollution and global influence, the conversation explores how countries can measure success in ways that reflect the real well-being of their citizens.

They also discuss why GDP alone cannot capture a nation’s progress, what alternative metrics reveal about inequality and sustainability, and how India’s trajectory may influence global development in the decades ahead.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why GDP is an incomplete measure of national progress
 • How India’s social progress has evolved over the past decade
 • The global impact of foreign aid spending
 • Why many of the world’s most polluted cities are in India
 • How economic strength translates into geopolitical influence

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction & why India’s development story matters

00:01:38 Is India’s social progress slowing down?

00:03:35 Does foreign aid actually work?

00:04:11 Measuring progress beyond GDP

00:09:42 Why social progress indicators matter

00:13:21 India’s development trajectory and inequality

00:18:10 India’s pollution crisis and public health

00:20:22 Why solving pollution is so complex

00:23:32 Economic power and global influence

00:25:58 India’s role in the global economy

00:26:03 Can economic growth solve inequality?

00:27:39 Final thoughts on measuring progress beyond GDP

Please follow and rate our show! 

Explore our work at https://www.socialprogress.org/

Interested in the Social Progress Index? Learn more. 

Help us advance social progress across the world! Your donation makes a huge difference to us. Donate now! 

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