Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress

Sep 18, 2026

Report prepared by the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress, chaired by Joseph E. Stiglitz and advised and coordinated by Amartya Sen and Jean-Paul Fitoussi. It explains why the Commission was created in response to limitations of GDP as an indicator, outlines how measurements shape policy design and economic market assessment, and argues that flawed or incomplete metrics can distort decisions. The report surveys gaps between standard statistics and citizen perceptions, and presents substantive discussions across classical GDP issues, quality of life, and sustainable development and environment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages292

Reading Time12 h 16 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Why has this report been written?

I. Short Narrative on the Content of the Report

Chapter 1: Classical GDP Issues

Chapter 2: Quality of Life

Chapter 3: Sustainable Development and Environment

II. Substantial Arguments Presented in the Report

Chapter 1: Classical GDP Issues

Chapter 2: Quality of Life

Chapter 3: Sustainable Development and Environment

Report by the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress Professor Joseph E. STIGLITZ, Chair, Columbia University Professor Amartya SEN, Chair Adviser, Harvard University Professor Jean-Paul FITOUSSI, Coordinator of the Commission, IEP [www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr](www.stiglitz-sen-fitoussi.fr) Other Members Bina AGARWAL Kenneth J. ARROW Anthony B. ATKINSON François BOURGUIGNON Jean-Philippe COTIS Angus S. DEATON Kemal DERVIS Marc FLEURBAEY Nancy FOLBRE Jean GADREY Enrico GIOVANNINI Roger GUESNERIE James J. HECKMAN Geoffrey HEAL Claude HENRY Daniel KAHNEMAN Alan B. KRUEGER Andrew J. OSWALD Robert D. PUTNAM Nick STERN Cass SUNSTEIN Philippe WEIL University of Delhi StanfordUniversity Warden of Nuffield College School of Economics, Insee, Princeton University UNPD Université Paris 5 University of Massachussets Université Lille OECD Collège de France Chicago University Columbia University Sciences-Po/Columbia University Princeton University Princeton University University of Warwick Harvard University London School of Economics University of Chicago Sciences Po Rapporteurs Jean-Etienne CHAPRON General Rapporteur Didier BLANCHET Jacques LE CACHEUX Marco MIRA D’ERCOLE Pierre-Alain PIONNIER Laurence RIOUX Paul SCHREYER Xavier TIMBEAU Vincent MARCUS INSEE INSEE OFCE OCDE INSEE INSEE/CREST OCDE OFCE INSEE Table of contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I. SHORT NARRATIVE ON THE CONTENT OF THE REPORT Chapter 1: Classical GDP Issues ........................................ 21 Chapter 2: Quality of Life .............................................. 41 Chapter 3: Sustainable Development and Environment ..................... 61 II. SUBSTANTIAL ARGUMENTS PRESENTED IN THE REPORT Chapter 1: Classical GDP Issues ...................................... 85 Chapter 2: Quality of Life .......................................... 143 Chapter 3: Sustainable Development and Environment ................ 233 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Why has this report been written? 1) In February 2008, the President of the French Republic, Nicholas Sarkozy, unsatisfied with the present state of statistical information about the economy and the society, asked, Joseph Stiglitz (President of the Commission), Amartya Sen (Advisor) and Jean Paul Fitoussi (Coordinator) to create a Commission, subsequently called “The Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress” (CMEPSP) . The Commission’s aim has been to identify the limits of GDP as an indicator of economic performance and social progress, including the problems with its measurement; to consider what additional information might be required for the production of more relevant indicators of social progress; to assess the feasibility of alternative measurement tools, and to discuss how to present the statistical information in an appropriate way. 2) In effect, statistical indicators are important for designing and assessing policies aiming at advancing the progress of society, as well as for assessing and influencing the functioning of economic markets. Their role has increased significantly over the last two decades. This reflects improvements in the level of education in the population, increases in the complexity of modern economies and the widespread use of information technology. In the “information society”, access to data, including statistical data, is much easier. More and more people look at statistics to be better informed or to make decisions. To respond to the growing demand for information, the supply of statistics has also increased considerably, covering new domains and phenomena. 3) What we measure affects what we do; and if our measurements are flawed, decisions maybe distorted. Choices between promoting GDP and protecting the environment may be false choices, once environmental degradation is appropriately included in our measurement of economic performance. So too, we often draw infer

FAQs

Why was the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress created?

It was established in February 2008 at the request of the French President due to dissatisfaction with existing statistical information about the economy and society, aiming to identify GDP’s limits and improve measurement for social progress.

How does the report link measurement to policy decisions?

It argues that what is measured affects what policy makers do, and that flawed measurements can distort decisions and the inferences drawn about what policies are effective.

What major chapters are included in the report’s structure?

The report is organized around classical GDP issues, quality of life, and sustainable development and the environment, appearing both in the short narrative and in the substantial arguments sections.

Sep 18, 2026

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