Descriptions of Inequality : the Swedish Approach to Welfare Research

Already in the 1950s it became clear that, in spite of its widespread use, the per capita gross national product is an insufficient measure of the well-being of citizens. Thus, in 1954, an expert group within the United Nations suggested that one should not rely on monetary measures only - the measurement of well-being should be based upon several different components - together making up the level of living. Partly influenced by the UN expert group, Johansson made level of living, seen as a set of components, the basic concept in the first Swedish level of living survey conducted in 1968.