How has the life expectancy for sub-Sahara changed since the 1800s? As GDP or income has increased, what do you expect to happen to the life expectancy of nations? View this Gapminder graph to answer these questions. The graph takes less than 30 seconds to view. Click here to see a 4-minute video where Hans Rosling discusses the 200 years that changed the world.
I've noticed the following: (1) the lifespan in Africa has improved but still lags behind all other continents. (2) income has increased in almost all countries except the Congo. Income is in Purchasing Parity Power. (3) The ending graph results in a shape that is predicted by Solow Growth Model. (4) If one view's a longer life as a measure of standard of living, then an increase in GDP increases our standard of living.
As the world becomes increasingly interrelated, goods and factors of production can easily cross borders and increase the GDP of participating countries. Of course, there are negative consequences of globalization to the environment and domestic industries that import competing countries who have a comparative advantage, but economics weights the costs and benefits of choice.
Thomas Friedman, The World is Flat, argues that countries that trade with each other will not go to war with each other. As the world becomes more interconnected, will we find global peace?
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