GDP is a flawed measure of prosperity. Alternatives are on the way

PremiumLydia DePillisNew York Times·26 May, 2026 10:06 PM8 mins to readThe United Nations has introduced a dashboard of 31 metrics to complement GDP. Photo / Matt Chase, The New York TimesThe United Nations has a new plan for weighing economic gains alongside health and environmental progress. But consensus is elusive.It’s no secret that gross domestic product, the number that serves as a measure for economic progress around the world, is hardly a barometer of human flourishing.

It registers the