ABSTRACT
Groping concern with poverty has ushered in the much more controversial issue of inequalities within the affluent society. In America, relative deprivation is a more important aspect of “poverty” than poor physical conditions. Income alone is an inadequate indicator of level of living. This paper proposes six dimensions for the measurement of well-being: income, assets, basic services, social mobility and education, political position, and status and satisfaction. Questions of “who does and should get what” within each of these dimensions are issues arousing acrimonious debate. Social indicators are suggested which would create greater awareness of the extent of inequalities and make discussions of inequalities more useful. These indicators will not tell us what choices to make in inequality-reduction, but they can prevent us from complacently ignoring the fact that choices are being made.
