Well-being, Sustainability and Social Development

Description

This open access book examines more than two centuries of societal development using novel historical and statistical approaches. It applies the well-being monitor developed by Statistics Netherlands that has been endorsed by a significant part of the international, statistical community. It features The Netherlands as a case study, which is an especially interesting example; although it was one of the world’s richest countries around 1850, extreme poverty and inequality were significant problems of well-being at the time. Monitors of 1850, 1910, 1970 and 2015 depict the changes in three dimensions of well-being: the quality of life 'here and now', 'later' and 'elsewhere'. The analysis of two centuries shows the solutions to the extreme poverty problem and the appearance of new sustainability problems, especially in domestic and foreign ecological systems. The study also reveals the importance of natural capital: soil, air, water and subsoil resources, showing their relation with the social structure of the ‘here and now´. Treatment and trade of natural resources also impacted on the quality of life ‘later’ and ‘elsewhere.’ Further, the book illustrates the role of natural capital by dividing the capital into three types of raw materials and concomitant material flows: bio-raw materials, mineral and fossil subsoil resources. Additionally, the analysis of the institutional context identifies the key roles of social groups in well-being development. The book ends with an assessment of the solutions and barriers offered by the historical anchoring of the well-being and sustainability issues. This unique analysis of well-being and sustainability and its institutional analysis appeals to historians, statisticians and policy makers. Front Matter ....Pages i-xxxii Front Matter ....Pages 1-1 Well-being and Sustainability: Measurement System and Institutional Framework (Jan-Pieter Smits)....Pages 3-24 The Great Transformation and the Questions (Jan-Pieter Smits, Harry Lintsen)....Pages 25-44 Front Matter ....Pages 45-45 Natural Capital, Material Flows, the Landscape and the Economy (Harry Lintsen)....Pages 47-79 Quality of Life: A Poor and Vulnerable People (Harry Lintsen)....Pages 81-102 Stagnation and Dynamism in Three Supply Chains: Agriculture and Foods, Building Materials and Construction, Energy (Harry Lintsen)....Pages 103-125 Well-being and Sustainability Around 1850: The Frame of Reference (Harry Lintsen)....Pages 127-144 Front Matter ....Pages 145-145 The Point of Departure Around 1850: The Turn of the Tide (Harry Lintsen)....Pages 147-164 Agriculture and Nutrition: The Food Revolution (Harry Lintsen)....Pages 165-182 Building Materials and Construction: The Four Building Challenges (Harry Lintsen)....Pages 183-199 Energy: A Revolution with Steam (Harry Lintsen)....Pages 201-215 From Extreme Poverty to the Social Question. Well-being and Sustainability Around 1910 (Harry Lintsen)....Pages 217-235 Front Matter ....Pages 237-237 The Situation Around 1910: A New Order (Frank Veraart)....Pages 239-258 Agriculture and Nutrition: The End of Hunger (Frank Veraart)....Pages 259-292 Building Materials and Construction: Constructing a Quality of Life (Frank Veraart)....Pages 293-326 Energy and Plastics: Toward a Fossil Land of Milk and Honey (Frank Veraart, Rick Hölsgens, Ben Gales)....Pages 327-353 The Turn of the Tide. Well-being and Sustainability Around 1970 (Frank Veraart, Harry Lintsen)....Pages 355-372 Front Matter ....Pages 373-373 The Point of Departure Around 1970: Overabundance and Discontent (Frank Veraart)....Pages 375-396 Agriculture and Foods: Overproduction and Overconsumption (Frank Veraart)....Pages 397-416 Building Materials and Construction: Sustainability, Dependency and Foreign Suppliers (Frank Veraart)....Pages 417-434 Energy and Plastics: The Slow Transition (Harry Lintsen)....Pages 435-457 The Tensions Between Well-being and Sustainability. Well-being and Sustainability Around 2010 (Harry Lintsen, Frank Veraart)....Pages 459-479 Front Matter ....Pages 481-481 The Long-Term Development: In Search of a Balance (Harry Lintsen, Jan-Pieter Smits)....Pages 483-508 Contemporary Problems of Well-being and How We Got Here (John Grin)....Pages 509-536 Conceivable Strategies for Sustainable Well-being (John Grin)....Pages 537-572