3.2 Standard of Living and Quality of Life


Did historical globalization and imperialism lead to a better life for people in the colonized and colonizing nations? Nations can be compared in terms of both standard of living and quality of life. In much the same way as maps, we are trying to see new ways of measuring standard of living and quality of life throughout the world.

Understanding these terms is essential to understanding the impact of both historical globalization and imperialism on people around the world. Standard of living includes measurable standards by which we can compare the way people live. It refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people. It is the ease by which people living in a country are able to satisfy their needs and wants. Standard of living is generally measured by amount of real income per person.

Per capita income is a statistic resulting from the gross national income (GNI), the average value of all the finished goods produced by citizens of a country, divided by the number of people in the country. The most common way to compare standards of living from country to country is to compare per capita income.

In 2016, Canada's GNI was $2,008,610,000,000 CDN. Canada's population was 35,151,728 people. Therefore, its per capita income is calculated as $2,008,610,000,000 divided by 35,151,728, which equals $57,141. (Source: Statistics Canada) 

Per capita income is usually reported in International dollars, which are based on US dollars, for comparisons among nations. Canada's per capita income in 2016 was $44,020.00 International dollars (Source: World Bank). This means that on average every man, woman, and child in Canada earned $44,020. However, this does not mean that the median income or the amount every Canadian citizen earned was $44,020. Information on personal income per person is much more difficult to determine.

*PPP or Purchasing Power Parity shows what money can buy in a given country.

Purchasing Power Parity for Chosen Countries
Average Per Capita Income
Order   Country  PPP ($International) 
 1  Qatar 124,927
 2  Macao 114,430
 3  Luxembourg 90,531
 4  Singapore 90,531
 5  Brunei 76,743
 6  Ireland
72,632
 7  Norway
70,590
 8  Kuwait
69,669
 9  United Arab Emirates
68,245
 10  Switzerland 61,360
 13  United States
59,495
 24  Canada 48,141
 192  Central African Republic 
681

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database, 2017

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Consider the map above in terms of imperialism. Were the richest nations colonizers or colonized? Looking at per capita income as evidence, can we draw any conclusions about the impact of imperialism on wealth? Have other factors contributed to this inequality in wealth? Using evidence to reach a conclusion is called making an inference.