the purpose of Society

If we strip away the complexities of politics and economics, the fundamental purpose of any society is simple: to want the best for the people living within it.

But what does "the best" actually mean? It is not merely the accumulation of wealth. To truly fulfill its purpose, a society must aim for four specific outcomes:

1. A Safe Society: Creating an environment where citizens are physically, economically, and environmentally secure.

2. Sufficient Resources: Ensuring reliable access to essentials like water, food, and energy.

3. A Comfortable Society: Moving beyond mere survival to ensure a baseline of dignity, housing, and quality of life.

4. Active Living: Providing access to sport, leisure, and community activities, recognizing that physical and mental health are crucial to a functioning population.

To reach these goals, a society needs to build the right systems.

1. The Necessary Foundations

To achieve the goals above, we must invest in two primary areas: people and resources.

Education A society is only as robust as its people. Therefore, solid education is a necessity, not a luxury. This must extend beyond childhood schooling to include adults who are missing critical skills. A society that educates its adults ensures they remain adaptable and capable of contributing.

Resource Independence The second foundation is the management of the physical world. The goal is to acquire resources (water, energy, materials, space) and efficiently transform them into housing and goods.

It is good practice to aim for independence and self-sufficiency. When a region can meet its own basic needs, it avoids dependency and reduces the risk of conflict between regions. However, total isolation is rarely possible. If resources are missing in a region, they should be acquired through transparent exchange, not coercion.

2. The Exchange and Distribution Process

Once resources are transformed into goods, how they are distributed defines the fairness of the society. The distribution process must balance two critical factors:

• Rewarding Effort: The system must allow for the reward of effort. People should feel incentivized to work hard and innovate.

• Fairness and Equity: Simultaneously, the system must account for age, disability, and handicapping issues. A just society ensures that those who cannot contribute in traditional ways are still supported.

This balance serves a protective function: it prevents high power unbalances. When wealth or resources are hoarded by a few, the purpose of society is compromised. A fair distribution system keeps the power balance in check, ensuring stability for the majority.

3. Measuring Success: The Wellbeing KPI

How do we know if a society is fulfilling its purpose?

We need to stop measuring success solely by financial growth and start measuring Wellbeing as a KPI (Key Performance Indicator). While "wellbeing" can feel like a vague concept, it becomes measurable when we break it down into sub-levels.

We can look to existing frameworks that are already attempting to measure the true purpose of society:

• The Human Development Index (HDI): Considers life expectancy, education, and standard of living alongside economic data.

• The Happy Planet Index (HPI): Measures sustainable wellbeing, looking at how efficiently a society creates long, happy lives without depleting the environment.

• The OECD Better Life Index: Tracks 11 topics including housing, income, community, and work-life balance.

By adopting a composite KPI similar to these, we can track the metrics that actually impact people's lives—safety, activity, resource access, and equality. When we measure the right things, we can finally build a society that delivers on its promise: the best for the people living within it.