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India ranked poor in global prosperity survey
By siliconindia
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Tuesday, 03 July 2007, 19:30 IST
Mumbai: In a survey by Legatum, a Dubai-based international investment firm, through its Legatum Prosperity Index, has ranked India, along with Pakistan and Egypt lowest in terms of prosperity. The three countries are better than only Zimbabwe. The survey saw a three-way tie among Norway, Sweden and the United States for the most prosperous nation.
"India's low position may seem puzzling, given the country's achievement of democracy and Indians? oft-noted spiritual strength," said Legatum in a press release. The reason for India's downfall has been attributed to the extreme deficiency in health. "Health is the second-strongest determinant of life satisfaction, trailing only freedom of choice, and India has one of the three lowest scores in our study," it explains.
The first annual edition of the Legatum Prosperity Index, which covered 50 countries, is the result of an investigation into the factors that drive prosperity in different countries. Legatum has defined national prosperity as the well-rounded combination of material wealth and life satisfaction of people.
Though no country has poor scores in every category, Zimbabwe has the lowest scores. While its people report that they maintain strong religious faith, this does not make up for extreme levels of ill health, poverty and unemployment, as well as high divorce rates.
Through responsible management of its natural resource wealth, Norway has achieved rapid economic growth as well as excellent social conditions. Sweden may perform less well economically, but it has world-leading scores on the most important social indicators.
The United States has respectable scores in most areas and is exceptional in the degree to which its citizens maintain strong religious faith and report that they feel secure in their ability to make free choices and control their lives.