[AlexM]

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For the austrians here, what statistics should we be using to measure the health of an economy?

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Percentage of income spent above "sustenance" level, measured at the 10th, 30th, 50th, 70th and 90th percentiles. Figure out a base cost of how a cheap, well balanced diet per month (probably around $30-$50) and any overage qualifies as non-sustenance. Rent for a single bedroom in a rural area; enough electricity for cooking and hot water but not for air conditioning; etc. I imagine a person could easily live healthily on around $300 a month (probably less, but that's reasonable), so go with that.

Note that medical care counts as a luxury for this.

Mind you, I just made this up off the top of my head. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]