Abstract
This investigation examines several key factors believed to promote human flourishing, specifically: Factor 1: Age, Education, & Healthcare, Factor 2: Labor Force Participation, Factor 3: Crime, Factor 4: Income, Factor 5: Youth Unemployment and Factor 6: Voting Behavior. Data was examined at the county level, and collected from a variety of US government and non-governmental organizations. Our investigation into the conditions necessary to promote human flourishing uses internal migration within the United States (measured by moving to another county) as the indicator of “unhappy” communities. The findings reveal that all factors are important in emigration (i.e. leaving) somewhere, but the factors vary for different counties. As a result, attempts to address the ills of society require an appreciation of geography and context.
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Notes
The question is always a normative one, as values and value judgements greatly shape all social institutions. There is no such thing as a “positive” value free social analysis.
Often there can be a mis-match between individual needs and community assets, such as there not being the schools that fit what some students are looking for or businesses that do not require specific skill sets.
Survey of Income and Program Participation.
See also Wilkinson’s earlier book Unhealthy Societies: the Afflictions of Inequality (1996) which goes into the details on how inequality affects people’s health.
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Clark, C.M.A., Buoye, A., Keiningham, T. et al. Some Foundational Factors for Promoting Human Flourishing. Humanist Manag J 4, 219–233 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41463-019-00064-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41463-019-00064-8