TEDSummit 2019
Nicola Sturgeon: Why governments should prioritize well-being
Filmed:
Readability: 4.8
1,925,492 views
In 2018, Scotland, Iceland and New Zealand established the network of Wellbeing Economy Governments to challenge the acceptance of GDP as the ultimate measure of a country's success. In this visionary talk, First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon explains the far-reaching implications of a "well-being economy" -- which places factors like equal pay, childcare, mental health and access to green space at its heart -- and shows how this new focus could help build resolve to confront global challenges.
Nicola Sturgeon - First Minister of Scotland
As the first woman to hold the office of First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon is an important progressive and feminist voice in the governance of the United Kingdom. Full bio
As the first woman to hold the office of First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon is an important progressive and feminist voice in the governance of the United Kingdom. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Just over a mile away from here,
in Edinburgh's Old Town,
in Edinburgh's Old Town,
0
733
5932
00:18
is Panmure House.
1
6689
1958
00:21
Panmure House
2
9775
1495
00:23
was the home of the world-renowned
Scottish economist
Scottish economist
3
11294
6311
00:29
Adam Smith.
4
17629
1150
00:31
In his important work
"The Wealth of Nations,"
"The Wealth of Nations,"
5
19761
5408
00:37
Adam Smith argued,
amongst many other things,
amongst many other things,
6
25193
3823
00:41
that the measurement of a country's wealth
7
29040
2977
00:44
was not just its gold and silver reserves.
8
32041
4418
00:48
It was the totality of the country's
production and commerce.
production and commerce.
9
36483
5753
00:54
I guess it was one of the earliest
descriptions of what we now know today
descriptions of what we now know today
10
42260
6269
01:00
as gross domestic product, GDP.
11
48553
3810
01:05
Now, in the years since, of course,
12
53176
3102
01:08
that measurement
of production and commerce, GDP,
of production and commerce, GDP,
13
56302
5413
01:13
has become ever more important,
14
61739
2941
01:16
to the point that today --
15
64704
1281
01:18
and I don't believe this
is what Adam Smith would have intended --
is what Adam Smith would have intended --
16
66009
3937
01:21
that it is often seen as
the most important measurement
the most important measurement
17
69970
5195
01:27
of a country's overall success.
18
75189
2455
01:30
And my argument today
is that it is time for that to change.
is that it is time for that to change.
19
78242
5444
01:36
You know, what we choose to measure
as a country matters.
as a country matters.
20
84853
4977
01:41
It really matters,
because it drives political focus,
because it drives political focus,
21
89854
4491
01:46
it drives public activity.
22
94369
4002
01:50
And against that context,
23
98395
2078
01:52
I think the limitations of GDP
as a measurement of a country's success
as a measurement of a country's success
24
100497
6516
01:59
are all too obvious.
25
107037
3239
02:02
You know, GDP measures
the output of all of our work,
the output of all of our work,
26
110300
5187
02:07
but it says nothing
about the nature of that work,
about the nature of that work,
27
115511
3426
02:10
about whether that work
is worthwhile or fulfilling.
is worthwhile or fulfilling.
28
118961
4432
02:15
It puts a value, for example,
on illegal drug consumption,
on illegal drug consumption,
29
123417
6539
02:21
but not on unpaid care.
30
129980
2612
02:25
It values activity in the short term
31
133708
4690
02:30
that boosts the economy,
even if that activity is hugely damaging
even if that activity is hugely damaging
32
138422
6645
02:37
to the sustainability of our planet
in the longer term.
in the longer term.
33
145091
4761
02:42
And we reflect on the past decade
34
150533
3692
02:46
of political and economic upheaval,
35
154249
3408
02:49
of growing inequalities,
36
157681
3003
02:52
and when we look ahead to the challenges
of the climate emergency,
of the climate emergency,
37
160708
5352
02:58
increasing automation,
38
166084
2266
03:00
an aging population,
39
168374
3289
03:03
then I think the argument for the case
for a much broader definition
for a much broader definition
40
171687
7000
03:10
of what it means to be successful
as a country, as a society,
as a country, as a society,
41
178711
4635
03:15
is compelling, and increasingly so.
42
183370
3312
03:19
And that is why Scotland, in 2018,
43
187253
2826
03:22
took the lead, took the initiative
in establishing a new network
in establishing a new network
44
190103
4881
03:27
called the Wellbeing Economy
Governments group,
Governments group,
45
195008
5904
03:32
bringing together as founding members
46
200936
2280
03:35
the countries of Scotland, Iceland
and New Zealand, for obvious reasons.
and New Zealand, for obvious reasons.
47
203240
6572
03:41
We're sometimes called the SIN countries,
48
209836
3579
03:45
although our focus is very much
on the common good.
on the common good.
49
213439
3968
03:50
And the purpose of this group
is to challenge that focus
is to challenge that focus
50
218445
3328
03:53
on the narrow measurement of GDP.
51
221797
2699
03:56
To say that, yes,
economic growth matters --
economic growth matters --
52
224520
3730
04:00
it is important --
53
228274
1897
04:02
but it is not all that is important.
54
230195
3721
04:05
And growth in GDP should not be pursued
at any or all cost.
at any or all cost.
55
233940
6259
04:12
In fact, the argument of that group
56
240903
2730
04:15
is that the goal, the objective
of economic policy
of economic policy
57
243657
4651
04:20
should be collective well-being:
58
248332
3109
04:23
how happy and healthy a population is,
59
251465
3888
04:27
not just how wealthy a population is.
60
255377
3366
04:30
And I'll touch on the policy
implications of that in a moment.
implications of that in a moment.
61
258767
3583
04:34
But I think, particularly
in the world we live in today,
in the world we live in today,
62
262374
2921
04:37
it has a deeper resonance.
63
265319
2182
04:39
You know, when we focus on well-being,
64
267525
2540
04:42
we start a conversation
65
270089
2835
04:44
that provokes profound
and fundamental questions.
and fundamental questions.
66
272948
3961
04:48
What really matters to us in our lives?
67
276933
3264
04:52
What do we value
in the communities we live in?
in the communities we live in?
68
280935
4382
04:57
What kind of country,
what kind of society,
what kind of society,
69
285341
3745
05:01
do we really want to be?
70
289110
2386
05:03
And when we engage people
in those questions,
in those questions,
71
291885
3310
05:07
in finding the answers to those questions,
72
295219
2066
05:09
then I believe that we have
a much better chance
a much better chance
73
297309
3893
05:13
of addressing the alienation
and disaffection from politics
and disaffection from politics
74
301226
5396
05:18
that is so prevalent in so many countries
75
306646
2480
05:21
across the developed world today.
76
309150
2417
05:24
In policy terms, this journey
for Scotland started back in 2007,
for Scotland started back in 2007,
77
312360
3802
05:28
when we published what we call
our National Performance Framework,
our National Performance Framework,
78
316186
3877
05:32
looking at the range of indicators
that we measure ourselves against.
that we measure ourselves against.
79
320087
3858
05:35
And those indicators
are as varied as income inequality,
are as varied as income inequality,
80
323969
4309
05:40
the happiness of children,
81
328302
1842
05:42
access to green spaces, access to housing.
82
330168
3738
05:45
None of these are captured
in GDP statistics,
in GDP statistics,
83
333930
3911
05:49
but they are all fundamental
to a healthy and a happy society.
to a healthy and a happy society.
84
337865
6198
05:56
(Applause)
85
344087
5634
06:01
And that broader approach is at the heart
of our economic strategy,
of our economic strategy,
86
349745
3571
06:05
where we give equal importance
to tackling inequality
to tackling inequality
87
353340
3859
06:09
as we do to economic competitiveness.
88
357223
3248
06:12
It drives our commitment to fair work,
89
360495
1890
06:14
making sure that work
is fulfilling and well-paid.
is fulfilling and well-paid.
90
362409
2825
06:17
It's behind our decision to establish
a Just Transition Commission
a Just Transition Commission
91
365258
4143
06:21
to guide our path
to a carbon zero economy.
to a carbon zero economy.
92
369425
3978
06:25
We know from economic
transformations of the past
transformations of the past
93
373427
3365
06:28
that if we're not careful,
there are more losers than winners.
there are more losers than winners.
94
376816
3737
06:32
And as we face up to the challenges
of climate change and automation,
of climate change and automation,
95
380577
3968
06:36
we must not make those mistakes again.
96
384569
3357
06:40
The work we're doing here in Scotland
is, I think, significant,
is, I think, significant,
97
388608
3081
06:43
but we have much, much to learn
from other countries.
from other countries.
98
391713
3218
06:46
I mentioned, a moment ago,
our partner nations
our partner nations
99
394955
3199
06:50
in the Wellbeing network:
100
398178
2637
06:52
Iceland and New Zealand.
101
400839
1858
06:54
It's worth noting, and I'll leave it to you
to decide whether this is relevant or not,
to decide whether this is relevant or not,
102
402721
4183
06:58
that all three of these countries
are currently led by women.
are currently led by women.
103
406928
3770
07:02
(Applause)
104
410722
7000
07:14
They, too, are doing great work.
105
422001
1929
07:15
New Zealand, in 2019,
publishing its first Wellbeing Budget,
publishing its first Wellbeing Budget,
106
423954
4827
07:20
with mental health at its heart;
107
428805
2602
07:23
Iceland leading the way on equal pay,
childcare and paternity rights --
childcare and paternity rights --
108
431431
5253
07:28
not policies that we immediately think of
109
436708
3461
07:32
when we talk about
creating a wealthy economy,
creating a wealthy economy,
110
440193
2825
07:35
but policies that are fundamental
to a healthy economy
to a healthy economy
111
443042
4578
07:39
and a happy society.
112
447644
2032
07:42
I started with Adam Smith
and "The Wealth of Nations."
and "The Wealth of Nations."
113
450176
4937
07:47
In Adam Smith's earlier work,
"The Theory of Moral Sentiments,"
"The Theory of Moral Sentiments,"
114
455137
5195
07:52
which I think is just as important,
115
460356
2554
07:54
he made the observation
that the value of any government
that the value of any government
116
462934
4529
07:59
is judged in proportion
117
467487
1858
08:01
to the extent that it makes
its people happy.
its people happy.
118
469369
2729
08:04
I think that is a good founding principle
119
472830
3667
08:08
for any group of countries
focused on promoting well-being.
focused on promoting well-being.
120
476521
5858
08:14
None of us have all of the answers,
121
482403
2588
08:17
not even Scotland,
the birthplace of Adam Smith.
the birthplace of Adam Smith.
122
485015
3677
08:20
But in the world we live in today,
with growing divides and inequalities,
with growing divides and inequalities,
123
488716
4732
08:25
with disaffection and alienation,
124
493472
2564
08:28
it is more important than ever
125
496060
1770
08:29
that we ask and find the answers
to those questions
to those questions
126
497854
4070
08:33
and promote a vision of society
127
501948
3620
08:37
that has well-being,
not just wealth, at its very heart.
not just wealth, at its very heart.
128
505592
6731
08:44
(Applause)
129
512347
5517
08:49
You are right now in the beautiful,
sunny capital city ...
sunny capital city ...
130
517888
5445
08:55
(Laughter)
131
523357
1746
08:57
of the country that led the world
in the Enlightenment,
in the Enlightenment,
132
525127
5326
09:02
the country that helped lead the world
into the industrial age,
into the industrial age,
133
530477
3032
09:05
the country that right now
is helping to lead the world
is helping to lead the world
134
533533
2825
09:08
into the low carbon age.
135
536382
2254
09:10
I want, and I'm determined,
that Scotland will also be the country
that Scotland will also be the country
136
538660
5410
09:16
that helps change the focus of countries
and governments across the world
and governments across the world
137
544094
4997
09:21
to put well-being at the heart
of everything that we do.
of everything that we do.
138
549115
4485
09:25
I think we owe that to this generation.
139
553624
3882
09:29
I certainly believe we owe that
to the next generation
to the next generation
140
557530
3810
09:33
and all those that come after us.
141
561364
2214
09:35
And if we do that, led here
from the country of the Enlightenment,
from the country of the Enlightenment,
142
563602
3865
09:39
then I think we create
a better, healthier, fairer
a better, healthier, fairer
143
567491
4294
09:43
and happier society here at home.
144
571809
2431
09:46
And we play our part in Scotland
145
574264
2030
09:48
in building a fairer,
happier world as well.
happier world as well.
146
576318
4214
09:52
Thank you very much.
147
580556
1389
09:53
(Applause)
148
581969
5562
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nicola Sturgeon - First Minister of ScotlandAs the first woman to hold the office of First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon is an important progressive and feminist voice in the governance of the United Kingdom.
Why you should listen
In November 2014, Nicola Sturgeon was elected as the first female leader of the Scottish National Party. Days later, she was sworn in as the country's first woman First Minister. Soon after her election, she appointed a cabinet boasting a 50/50 gender balance.
As head of the Scottish government, Sturgeon is responsible for her administration's policies and for promoting and representing Scotland both at home and overseas.
Sturgeon entered the Scottish Parliament as a regional MSP for Glasgow in 1999. She is currently MSP for Glasgow Southside. Sturgeon served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing between 2007 and 2012, and then Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities until November 2014. Throughout this period she also served as Deputy First Minister of Scotland.
Nicola Sturgeon | Speaker | TED.com