What institutions and policies are most conducive to human flourishing?

1. INTRODUCTION

About this book

What do we want in a good society?

How do we know?

PART 1. WHAT WE WANT IN A GOOD SOCIETY

2. COMMUNITY

Social connections

Neighborhoods and neighborliness

Civic engagement

Trust

Religion

3. DEMOCRACY

Democracy

Political satisfaction

Voters, groups, parties, and elections

Is America too polarized?

Do election outcomes matter?

4. ECONOMIC EQUALITY

Income distribution

Is income inequality harmful?

Wealth distribution

5. ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

Equality of opportunity

6. ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Economic growth

Shared prosperity

7. ECONOMIC SECURITY

A decent and rising income floor

Stable income and expenses

8. EDUCATION

Early education

K-12 education

College education

What good is education?

9. EMPLOYMENT

Employment

Job quality

Employee voice

Work-family-leisure balance

10. ENVIRONMENT

Clean air, water, and land

Climate stability

11. FAMILY

Families

12. FINANCE

Finance

13. FREEDOM

Economic freedom

Personal freedom

Marijuana

Guns

14. GOOD GOVERNMENT

Good government

Social programs

Public insurance and the least well-off

How much public insurance do Americans want?

Taxes

Is big government bad for the economy?

Is big government bad for freedom, civil society, and happiness?

15. HAPPINESS

Happiness

16. HEALTH

Longevity

The Covid-19 pandemic

Weight moderation

Mental health

Health care

17. HOUSING

Affordable renting

Homeownership

Housing the homeless

18. INCLUSION

Tolerance

Recognition and respect

Women

Working-class whites

Disabled

Latinos

Elderly

African Americans

Asian Americans

LGBTQ

Native Americans

19. KNOWLEDGE

Information

Truth

20. LAW AND ORDER

Law and order

21. OPENNESS AND SUPPORT FOR OTHER PEOPLES

Why nations?

Trade

Migration

Military intervention abroad

22. PRIVACY

Privacy

23. SAFETY

Safety

PART 2. HOW TO GET GOOD-SOCIETY OUTCOMES

24. WHAT WE SHOULD AIM FOR

Life in the good society

25. AFFLUENCE

Affluence and progress

26. SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC CAPITALISM

Social democratic capitalism

Will the Nordic model work in non-Nordic countries?

How to ensure rising incomes when labor unions are weak

Is there an attractive small-government alternative?

27. BEYOND SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC CAPITALISM?

Why not a universal basic income?

Should income and wealth equality be a priority?

Will government steering boost economic growth?

Is capitalist finance beyond salvaging?

Would more public ownership be better?

Capitalism, inequality, and democracy

Do we want economic democracy?

28. CITIES

The advantage of urban

29. PROSPECTS FOR THE UNITED STATES

America is exceptional and ordinary, good and bad, better and worse

What America needs

Toward the good society: an American path

APPENDIXES

A decent and rising income floor: additional data

College education: additional data

Employee voice: additional data

Employment: additional data

Finance: additional data

Good government: additional data

Income distribution: additional data

K-12 education: additional data

Personal freedom: additional data

Shared prosperity: additional data

Taxes: additional data

Voters, groups, parties, and elections: additional data