Official Site - The Legatum Prosperity Index is the world's only global assessment of wealth and wellbeing; unlike other studies that rank countries by actual levels of wealth, life satisfaction or development, the Prosperity Index produces rankings based upon the very foundations of prosperity – those factors that help drive economic growth and produce happy citizens over the long term.

Social Capital Sub-Index

Social networks and the cohesion that a society experiences when people trust one another have a direct effect on the prosperity of a country. The Social Capital sub-index measures countries’ performances in two areas: social cohesion and engagement, as well as community and family networks. As illustrated in the chart below, the variables in the sub-index are categorised into these areas.

This sub-index assesses how factors like volunteering, helping strangers, and donating to charitable organisations impacts the economic and life satisfaction of the populace as a whole. The sub-index also evaluates the levels of trust in a society and the manner in which citizens believe they can rely on others, and it assesses how marriage and religiosity provide support networks that improve wellbeing.

Empirical studies on the impact of social capital have shown that citizen wellbeing is improved through social trust, family and community ties, and membership within civic groups. Religious communities are also an important element in the creation of social capital. And societies with lower levels of social capital have been shown to experience lower levels of economic growth. The use of the term “capital” in “social capital” reflects an important reality: social networks are an asset that produces economic and wellbeing returns.

Sub-Index Rankings