❝ The United States ranks 27th in the world for its investments in education and health care as measurements of its commitment to economic growth, according to the first-ever scientific study ranking countries for their levels of human capital… In contrast, China’s ranking of 44th in 2016 represents an increase from its 1990 ranking of 69th.

❝ “The decline of human capital in the United States was one of the biggest surprises in our study,” said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. “Our findings show the association between investments in education and health and improved human capital and GDP – which policymakers here in the US ignore at their own peril. As the world economy grows increasingly dependent on digital technology, from agriculture to manufacturing to the service industry, human capital grows increasingly important for stimulating local and national economies…”

❝ “Clearly, China is on an upward trajectory, while the US, without more strategic investments, especially in education, risks falling behind even further,” Murray said.

I’m surprised that someone whose expertise is in education metrics…is surprised. I left structured education institutions decades ago. Curiosity, interest in society and progress, all combine within my lifestyle to keep me in touch with life in changing societies on this small ball of mud called Earth.

Decline in the character and culture of the United States has been visible enough to anyone willing to look critically since the days of McCarthyism, crushing the trade union movement [including buying a number of misleaders], assumption of the mantle of leading imperial power from the Brits while they dug out from the direct impact of World War 2 – all led rather logically, consistently, to the powerful ignoring most of the needs of the American working class. It was sufficient to provide scraps from a table groaning under so much wealth that maintaining power with two plastic political parties as game pieces was more like playing checkers than chess.