What institutions and policies are most conducive to human flourishing?

1. INTRODUCTION

About this book

What is a good society?

How do we know?

Progress

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

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

Do election outcomes matter?

Is America too polarized?

4. ECONOMIC EQUALITY

Income distribution

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

9. EMPLOYMENT

Employment

Job quality

Employee voice

Work-family-leisure balance

10. ENVIRONMENT

Clean air, water, and land

Climate stability

11. FAMILY

Families

12. FREEDOM

Economic freedom

Personal freedom

Marijuana

Guns

13. GOOD GOVERNMENT

Good government

14. HAPPINESS

Happiness

15. HEALTH

Longevity

The Covid-19 pandemic

Weight moderation

Mental health

16. HOUSING

Affordable renting

Homeownership

Housing the homeless

17. INCLUSION

Tolerance

Recognition and respect

Women

Working-class whites

Disabled

Latinos

Elderly

African Americans

Asian Americans

LGBTQ

Native Americans

18. KNOWLEDGE

Information

Truth

19. LAW AND ORDER

Law and order

20. PRIVACY

Privacy

21. SAFETY

Safety

PART 2. HOW TO GET GOOD-SOCIETY OUTCOMES

22. CITIES

The advantage of urban

23. NATIONS

Social democratic capitalism

Education

Health care

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?

How to ensure rising incomes when labor unions are weak

Can finance be harnessed?

Is income inequality harmful?

Would more public ownership be better?

Do we want economic democracy?

24. ABOVE, ACROSS, AND BETWEEN NATIONS

Why nations?

Trade

Migration

Military intervention abroad

World government?

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

Personal freedom: additional data

Shared prosperity: additional data

Taxes: additional data

Voters, groups, parties, and elections: additional data