What institutions and policies are most conducive to human flourishing?
1. INTRODUCTION
What do we want in a good society?
PART 1. WHAT WE WANT IN A GOOD SOCIETY
2. BASIC NEEDS
Energy
3. COMMUNITY
4. DEMOCRACY
Elections: voters, groups, and parties
Elections: does it matter who wins?
5. ECONOMIC EQUALITY
6. ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
7. ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
8. ECONOMIC SECURITY
A decent and rising income floor
9. EDUCATION
K-12 education
10. EMPLOYMENT
11. FAMILY
12. FINANCE
13. FREEDOM
14. GOOD GOVERNMENT
Good government
15. HAPPINESS
16. HEALTH
17. HOUSING
Homeownership
18. INCLUSION
Disabled
19. KNOWLEDGE
Information
Truth
20. ORDER
21. PRIVACY
Privacy
22. PROGRESS
23. SAFETY
24. SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE IN OTHER SOCIETIES
PART 2. WHICH COUNTRIES HAVE DONE BEST AT ACHIEVING GOOD-SOCIETY OUTCOMES?
25. SUCCESSFUL SOCIETIES
PART 3. HOW TO GET GOOD-SOCIETY OUTCOMES
26. KEY CONTRIBUTORS
How to ensure rising incomes when labor unions are weak
International peace and economic openness
27. HELPFUL
Stimulative and sound macroeconomic policy
28. SENSIBLE BUT SECONDARY
29. QUESTIONABLE
30. CHALLENGES
Will the Nordic model work in non-Nordic countries?
How much do public social programs help the poor?
Do Americans prefer small government?
Is big government bad for the economy?
Is big government bad for freedom, civil society, and happiness?
Does capitalism permit truly democratic politics?
Does capitalism undermine community?
The right-wing populist challenge
PART 4. A BETTER AMERICA
31. PROSPECTS FOR THE UNITED STATES
America is exceptional and ordinary, good and bad, better and worse
Toward the good society: an American path
PART 5. THE GOOD LIFE IN THE GOOD SOCIETY
32. WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL CAN DO
APPENDIXES
A. OPEN ACCESS BOOKS ON THE GOOD SOCIETY
Is Inequality the Problem? (open access in October 2026)
Would Democratic Socialism Be Better?
B. ADDITIONAL DATA
A decent and rising income floor: additional data
Climate stability: additional data
College education: additional data
Employee voice: additional data
Income distribution: additional data
K-12 education: additional data
Personal freedom: additional data
Social connections: additional data
Voters, groups, parties, and elections: additional data
C. SUPPLEMENTS
Liberalism, liberal democracy, and the liberal international order