[Opinion]: Economic Success

Many governments think that economic progress is their most important goal. Some people, however, think that other types of progress are equally important for a country.
 Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

It is debatable by many whether economic development should be any nation’s top priority. For me, however, I strongly believe that a country’s progress should be judged by its technological and social gains. 

On the one hand, it is understandable why some would argue that economic progress is the most important. It is often believed that a healthy economy would provide higher living standards, which equates to happiness for citizens. While a higher income ensures many basic needs such as hunger and shelter are met, there is no proof that this makes people happier. In fact, focusing more on the economy typically results in longer hours at work for citizens. When looking at nations where this is commonplace such as Japan and the US, a high level of depression among inhabitants is witnessed, which is often attributed to the excessive stress accumulated from a poor work-life balance. 

On the other hand, I would stand behind the argument that a country’s focus should be on its technological and social development. For one, there is a plethora of benefits that could come from cutting edge technology. A major one would undoubtedly be a better healthcare system. With more advanced medication and medical equipment, citizens in any country would be better off health-wise. In addition, countries should not disregard their social programs, which would ensure that the gap between the rich and poor is bridged, as well as better living standards for the elderly. This would result in a lower crime rate, along with a higher age expectancy for citizens.   

All in all, while a strong economy surely brings its benefits, I would argue that governments around the world should make technology and social development their top priority because of the massive gains they would bring.