Each of us is constantly confronted with the concept of what constitutes the standard of living of the population. You can feel this, as they say, in your own skin. Let's try to figure out what are the main factors affecting the level and quality of life of the population in the modern world.
What is the standard of living of the population?
Let's start with the basics. It is assumed that the statistics of the standard of living of the population reflect, so to speak, the ability of each individual in society to allow himself the use of certain material goods.
In other words, in this matter almost everything comes down to money only. As they say, money is dirt, but you cannot live without it. Here, from an economic point of view, the standard of living of the population can be traced by the example of income and expenses, as well as the difference between them. There is probably no need to explain that the negative balance only indicates that the person does not actually cover expenditure items and is constantly in debt dependence (primarily from the state).
Key indicators: income and living standards
Let us now pay attention to priority expenses, which are priority in any state.
Do you have to live somewhere? Do you need to eat something? Do you need to dress in something? The analysis of the standard of living of the population highlights such issues in the first place. But the way it is. Judge for yourself, the cost of utility bills, food and clothing are the highest. Another thing is that such expenses are commensurate, say, with wages or the same unemployment benefits, pensions, etc.
Western Europe in this regard is quite loyal to the population. An assessment of the living standards of the population suggests that no more than one third of income is spent on the same communal payment. Funds allocated for food are somewhere in the same range, although they can reach half or more. Anyway, if you evaluate the difference, the person in any case remains in the black. Raising the standard of living of the population is carried out at the expense of the efforts of the state itself, and not of the individual who is part of society.
Food and other wealth
Now a few words about what the statistics of the standard of living of the population in terms of food costs, which are basic, suggest.
To consider this issue, we can cite Germany as an example, where even before the creation of the European Union zone, it was easy to spend about 600 marks a month on food. And this provided that the minimum unemployment benefit was 800 marks.
Pensioners, in general, are the most well-to-do population. For example. if on German roads you meet a steep “Mercedes”, we can conclude that it is either Russian, or Turks, or a pensioner.
Pensioners, by the way, do not even go to cheap stores like ALDI or Penny Markt. Most often, incomes and living standards of the population in terms of this particular layer allow pensioners to constantly “shop” in supermarkets such as Kaiser’s, where an ordinary German will not always go because of the high cost of products (mainly meat, fresh vegetables and fruits).
Utilities
No less important in any state is the expenditure on the payment of utilities. If we again take Germany as an example, based on the average salary, expenses will not exceed one third.
But what about Eastern Europe, where payment for a communal apartment is often at the level of the minimum wage or pension guaranteed by the state? Frankly, sometimes it seems that people specifically want to be driven into a coffin (which, incidentally, is confirmed by the unwritten goals of Masonic lodges to reduce the world's population).
As mentioned above, in the same Ukraine, due to the shortage of gas and coal for the heating period, one can easily predict the energy collapse that will happen in the autumn-winter period.Well, electricity would be cheaper. So no. If you do not use gas, then you are warming yourself with electrical appliances, but you have to pay for it, and pay a lot. In general, a vicious circle.
Accordingly, the payment of utilities in terms of comparing the revenue and expenditure budget of each resident still remains quite high.
In this case, an increase in the standard of living of the population precisely in terms of comfortable use of funds that remain after all mandatory payments cannot be forecasted at all. After all, it is clear that if the lion's share of the budget goes only to this, for the normal existence (food, clothing, etc.) of what remains, is clearly not enough.
However, a significant and very negative role is played by the increase in the same utility tariffs without a corresponding increase in salaries and pensions. Over time, in countries with troubled economies, a situation may arise where the cost of compulsory payments will simply exceed the minimum income guaranteed by the state. So what can we say about improving the living standards of the population?
Salaries
The level and quality of life of the population of any country can also be estimated by average or minimum wages and pensions.
Unfortunately, the situation in world practice is such that the population of the so-called developed countries, especially the USA and Western Europe, feels self-sufficient in terms of this type of income.
Here the minimum state-guaranteed salaries and pensions are such that you can not worry about anything at all. True, it is not yet known how the coming “ideal storm” will affect this in the form of a global crisis, which, alas, is just around the corner. Judging by the collapse of world stock exchanges, a financial apocalypse is inevitable. But even with minimal salaries for the population and actually prepared, it will include Russia and China.
Of course, the standard of living of the population cannot be called particularly high. The economy, on the contrary, especially in the field of energy in Russia, as well as production in China, will withstand any blow.
Taxes
The statistical living standards of the population in the analysis based on the results of comparisons in different countries show that taxation systems give quite frequent failures.
Not to mention the standard taxes for the population, it is worth separately mentioning the topic of private business. For some reason, in the post-Soviet space, he is strangled in all possible and impossible ways.
For example, in the same Holland, in the agricultural sector, the state owns only 4% of the sector. Yes, look, private owners from the Netherlands provide food and flowers to almost the whole world. It is clear that in this situation, the state is trying to apply flexible tax schemes that only contribute to the development of private small and medium-sized businesses. Incidentally, this practice is accepted in most civilized countries.
Basic living standards for some countries
If we analyze the data on what is the highest level and quality of life of the population, the latest ratings include all Benelux countries, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Canada, the USA and Australia.
By the way, it is Australia that tops the ten. If you do not take into account the United States, the situation with the leadership of Canada and Australia is explained quite simply. The fact is that these countries are most oriented towards agricultural production and have rather large undeveloped territories.
That is why the state makes every possible contribution to their settlement and the establishment of farms, which in the future will be able to provide not only the needs of the domestic market, but also give a considerable share in exports. It goes without saying that export operations and income from them only increase the standard of living of the population.
The most interesting thing is that this applies to countries as a whole.Of course, the standard of living of the population of a region or a certain region may vary, but this difference in no way affects the indicators as a whole and has no ordinal differences.
Depreciation of the domestic currency
Domestic and foreign exchange rates of national currencies also play an important role. Although everything in the world economy is tied to the American dollar, the most stable currencies are pounds sterling, Australian dollars, kroons of the North European countries and the currencies of African and Middle Eastern oil exporting countries.
Unfortunately, often the state pursues an absolutely senseless policy in relation to the national currency, which ultimately reduces the standard of living of the population. Look again at Ukraine. Since the so-called “revolution”, the hryvnia has depreciated more than twice, and the minimum per capita income has remained the same. The communal apartment has risen enormously; food prices have tripled. What then to say about the standard of living? It is clear that almost 95% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Loans and deposits
The banking market in the world today is also very unstable. If we take Ukraine as an example, bursting banks are simply not able to pay people deposits. It's not even the banks themselves. State Deposit Guarantee Fund individuals has such a budget deficit that no external credit can cover it. In addition, the state itself is acting very cunningly. Amounts to be paid shall not exceed 150 thousand hryvnias. All that is more, alas, a potential investor simply loses. And if you look at the pace of the collapse of the national currency, even at the time of payment (if any), a person will receive a penny in the same dollar equivalent. Convenient to the state? Highly!
As for loans, the global market has come to life only recently. After the deep depression associated with the latter global crisis the economy has just begun to slowly thaw. How long? Something terrible is coming now. It is not surprising that if banks give loans, they try to protect themselves with high interest rates and mortgages in the form of liquid real estate.
If we compare the same Western Europe with us, there the interest rates on loans differ by an order of magnitude. Again in Germany, you can take a loan from a state-owned bank for business development at 4% per annum for ten years. Moreover, during this period no one will touch you (as a rule, contracts of this type provide for payment at the end of the term).
And try to get such a loan in the post-Soviet space. Not only that, the longer the term, the higher the rate (at the level of 40% per annum, and in terms of commissions and one-time payments, and even more), so throughout the whole time you will be called by bank employees demanding repayment of the debt. It could be even worse. Emerging collection companies just do not lag behind you. This is already a kind of racketeering legalized at the state level. You cannot call it otherwise.
Some experts also take into account the external debts of states. If you look at the situation in Europe, Greece and Ukraine are in a pre-default state. Even the agreement to write off part of the external debt (restructuring) is actually just a temporary outlet, since under the terms of the agreements, external private creditors, although they give a delay in repaying the debt, still will not lose anything in the future (or maybe even increase their profit due to special rewards due to the growth of the economies of dependent countries).
What is there to be afraid of?
Finally, it is worth noting that the standard of living of the population is associated not only with macroeconomic indicators. One of the dominant preferences can be given to the mood in society. After all, they say the truth that you can be a beggar, but happy.
That is why, in the first place, you should be afraid of losing faith in both God and in yourself.As you know, faith in all its manifestations has always been the driving force that helps a person to survive in any seemingly most hopeless situation.
Of course, material goods that ensure a comfortable existence cannot be discounted either. After all, as you know, one does not think about high on an empty stomach. But here it’s worth turning to folk wisdom, which claims that you should not rely only on God, but you don’t have to blame yourself, because “water does not flow under a lying stone”.
Probably, it is already clear that in the modern world the state, which is called upon to provide social protection for any of its citizens, by and large does not have to count. It's a pity.
Among other things, you need to pay attention even to global financial crises. These are trifles compared to military conflicts and confrontations. As already clear, some (let's not point a finger towards the States) make good money on this. If you look at the situation around the same US foreign debt, which reached hundreds of trillions of dollars, the sale or supply of weapons to the “hot” regions is an attempt to stabilize its own economy.
There was, however, a moment when the US tried to apply the method of “I forgive everyone I owe”, but in the case of China, to which the US debt is maximum, this option did not work. Of course, the standard of living of the population is not particularly reduced, but this situation is supported by the usual inflation of support for the dollar as a world currency. In fact, more and more rumors appear in the world that the United States has no gold and foreign exchange reserves. So sooner or later all this lie with the support of the dollar will spill out. Then the population of America with its Hollywood dreams will sing differently. For them, this will be an even greater disaster than all the times of the Great Depression. What about us? We don’t get used to it. As they say, break through. It was worse.
Actually, the Slavs and world crises are, by and large, not terrible. After all, we lived and live. Try us with something to surprise! This sleek Americans or Germans will bend on the very first day of the crisis, but we are not used to it. Lived, live and will live! So, as they say, it’s too early to give up, because the Slavs, if we take the whole story, could not cope with such difficulties.
