The OECD programme for the elaboration of social indicators

Abstract

The OECD programme for the elaboration of social indicators was created in 1970, as the sequence of a declaration by the ministers of the member countries underlying that the «growth is not an end in itself but rather a means of creating better conditions of life; it is necessary to pay more attention to its qualitative aspects and define the policies to follow concerning the great economic and social choices implied by the distribution of the growing resources». In a first phase of the achievement of this programme, provisionally closed in 1973, one established a list of the «social concerns» common to most OECD member countries. After the approval of the list by the Council of this organization, the second work phase began, leading to the elaboration of a series of social indicators corresponding to the «social concerns» referred previously. In 1976, the OECD published a first report, entitled Measure of the social welfare - Improvements achieved in the elaboration of the social indicators. This report presents the results of the first two years of this phase of work and shows a «Table of the social concerns and social indicators». The present text - that reproduces such a «Table» in annexe - wants to make known in short the objectives of this OECD programme and the contents of the referred report as well.