Simon Anholt, TED talker, researcher and independent policy advisor who's helped more than fifty countries engage more productively with the rest of the world says the only remaining Superpower is International Public Opinion.
This man helps national, regional and city governments earn better reputations, not by advertising or PR campaigns but by helping them change the way they behave.
His latest project The Good Country Index is the first to measure how much each country actually contributes to the planet and to mankind.
The results will delight and disappoint.
The 'goodest' part of the world appears to be Western Europe which has nine of the top ten countries with I'm delighted to say little New Zealand on the other side of the world
taking fifth position.
Simon's obviously been reading this blog.
I'm also delighted we are 'on the other side of the world' but that's another story.
Iraq, Libya and Vietnam are the countries that contribute least to the global good and Kenya is the 'goodest' African country in
twenty sixth place.
India ranked 81st, well ahead of China 107th.
The US will be amazed and disappointed to find themselves twenty first on The Good Country Index and Begorrah, Ireland will be delighted to find themselves on top of the world...
Well done NZ for being up in the first five. And Ireland for being first. But most of all well done all of us and our opinions for being the most important Superpower. I think that's courtesy of the internet.
ReplyDeleteWe're #21 does not make a satisfying chant. Maybe it'd look good on a T shirt? Kinda embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteAlso Ireland is the biggest money laundring of USA corperations.Microsoft laundring money by claming off shore corperations.Hundreds are also laundering there profits so they do not contribute to common good.Irleand is a leach for big cotperations.Do good Ireland is good for big mafia corperations.Just turn your head.
ReplyDeleteIreland is still allowing women to die of treatable pregnancy complications. It is a third-world country when it comes to women's health.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the authors of the Good Country Index didn't look too closely at the internal workings of any particular country. Money laundering and women's health probably had nothing to do with the criteria they were applying.
DeleteIt's a complex, confused and contradictory world we live in Irene.
I'm sure you've noticed...