Evidence of material progress (the series)

Human material progress is a fact, not an opinion, so why deny it?

GDP, health, education, and survival rates all tell the same story: material progress is real, measurable, and global.

---

A key theme of my Substack column and book series is: human material progress:

• what it is,

• how it has transformed our lives (largely for the better)

• when and where it started

• what caused it,

• how progress spread throughout the world,

• how we can keep it going,

• how poorer nations and individuals can experience the same progress, and

• who is against progress or at least skeptical of its existence.

This article displays links to all my articles documenting evidence for increased material progress. I recommend:

1. Reading the first four articles in order and then

2. Picking articles about trends that interest you most.

Enjoy reading!

---

Table of Contents for the “Evidence of Progress” series

1. Evidence of progress: intro

2. Countering objections to the concept of progress

3. Why we ignore progress (part 1 and part 2)

4. Specific trends:

   1. Evidence for progress: Per capita GDP

   2. Evidence for progress: UN Human Development Index

   3. Evidence for progress: UN Human Development Index (podcast)

   4. Evidence for Progress: UN Human Development Index (video)

   5. Evidence for progress: Declining global poverty rates

   6. Evidence for progress: Declining global poverty rates (video)

   7. Evidence for Progress: Long-term trends in per capita GDP (video)

   8. Evidence for Progress: Long-term trends in per capita GDP (podcast)

   9. Evidence for Progress: Growth in per capita GDP 2012-2022 (video)

   10. Evidence for Progress: Growth in per capita GDP 2012-2022 (podcast)

   11. Does material progress lead to happiness?

   12. Does material progress lead to happiness? (video)

   13. Does material progress lead to happiness? (podcast)

   14. The Extraordinary Rise in the American Standard of Living Since 1970

5. Other related topics:

   1. Declining lifetime work hours

   2. Does material progress lead to happiness?

If the above is not enough, then look at the metrics of economic growth, human development, freedom, slavery, poverty, agricultural production, literacy, diet, famines, sanitation, drinking water, life expectancy, neonatal mortality, disease, education, access to electricity, housing, and violence (to name just a few), and in virtually every nation.

And there are plenty more in my book.

---

If you enjoyed reading this series of articles, you might also be interested in reading my “From Poverty to Progress” book series: