How Happy is the Economy?

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The U.S. recession is over! (Technically speaking by one measure.) That’s because the nation’s gross domestic product is back in positive territory. But for the 10 percent of Americans who are out looking for work, it sure doesn’t feel like much of an economic recovery. Should GDP be the bar by which we judge economic health? And what about measuring a nation’s economic prowess by Big Mac sales? Many have argued that the mark of economic progress, or the triumph of American capitalism depending on your vantage, is when a nation serves up McDonald’s. By that argument, what does it say about a nation when its golden arches disappear?

The Limits of GDP

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The recession in the U.S. is technically over. Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, grew at a rate of 3.5% in the last three months ending in September. But there’s a growing cadre of economists and other economy-watchers who say GDP has outlived its usefulness as a gauge of economic health. The World’s Jason Margolis has more. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Global Economy podcast
• Global economic conditions: interactive map at Moody’s Economy.com