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

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?

World government?

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

What good is 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. FINANCE

An effective and stable financial system

13. FREEDOM

Economic freedom

Personal freedom

Marijuana

Guns

14. 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?

Good government

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

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

Trade

Migration

Military intervention abroad

22. PRIVACY

Privacy

23. SAFETY

Safety

APPENDIXES

A decent and rising income floor: additional data

College education: additional data

Employment: 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