Summary of Week 1

We have reached the end of Week 1, and now have a clearer perspective on what GDP is and why it has for so long been used as an indicator of prosperity. We’ve also seen that when we only think of success economically, important other elements of prosperity are left out. This means that often, decisions are made on behalf of economic growth only. This can lead to large parts of society feeling like they are losing control over their lives and their futures.

We heard a bold new proposal about how we should measure success: What if the state became guardians of prosperity, instead of guardians of economic growth?

Next week we will consider other ways of conceptualising success, including the latest research from the IGP in creating a grassroots, bottom-up vision of prosperity.

The activities are available to view now, but if you decide to review them early you may want to return to the comments and discussions while the week is live to see the perspectives of other learners and to offer your own.

At the end of each week we collate the key thoughts, themes, and any questions from your conversations in a summary document added to the Downloads area of this step.