From the Economist: Economic growth does not guarantee rising happiness - excerpt: Happiness is not everything - so shall we content ourselves with "well-being", that is being able to lead an average/normal lifestyle? Devoid of both poverty and wildly exaggerated incomes that are taxed away? Is there really any other choice ... ?
Local prices have gone up with increases in national GDP, so perhaps that explains some of the lack of difference. Also, moving large populations from more rural to urban areas results in an increase in stress. As prices go up (and sometimes as agricultural commodity prices go down), remaining in the rural areas becomes less of a viable option, even if hypothetically individuals would have preferred the old way of life. As people move into middle class jobs they become more mobile and nomadic, destroying traditional family structures.
There is a good-side to what you say above. That is, as large cities that have historically attracted workers because that was where manufacturing was located (at the advent of the Industrial Age) are less and less attractive because of empty-building dilapidation over the past century*. In fact, some companies are supposedly seeking the "boonies" to locate their production centers. Of course, these are middle-class families who will be both living and working there. Meaning that they will want a higher level of education for their children. But, their higher incomes should bring with them the taxes allowed to pay for education. I come from just such a place in Central Mass. Which was once the heartland of plastics manufacturing in the US. It no longer is, of course. But I see no reason why places like that, which have maintained very good secondary-schooling, cannot rise once again to the challenge. (Of course, it would help if the necessary national-funding for such development were available instead of wasted on the DoD** ...) *But that problem too could be addressed by adequate government financing - that is taking down the old city production centers and building new ones. **Sorry - just had to get that in there!
the choice is capitalism or socialism and socialism just killed 120 million. France has libsocialism and lives like Arkansas, about out poorest state.
