Many governments think that economic progress is their most important goal. Some people, however, think that other types of progress are equally important for a country. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Many today have made the argument that governments are overly focused on economic development to the detriment of more valuable areas of

progress

. In my opinion, though economic

progress

is often the catalyst for different forms of growth, the other areas are at least equally as important. Supporters of economic

progress

point out its importance for individuals and societies generally. A thriving economy allows the average citizen to increase their quality of life in various ways. Individuals who are provided good jobs and lucrative opportunities are able to afford better healthcare, own a home potentially, purchase luxuries, and take holidays

for instance

. In the aggregate, all these minor additions combine to ground a satisfied and happy life, though they are naturally not absolute guarantees. The clearest evidence of the value of

this

approach is that voters in democratic nations like the United States typically base their decisions primarily on economic factors.

However

, economics is the basis for other areas of

progress

.

This

relates to education, standards of living, infrastructure, and, most importantly in the 21st century, the environment. In past centuries,

for example

, individuals could be forgiven for considering economics to be the most important duty of governments. Today, the possibility that the Earth will face cataclysmic changes in the

next

century has dramatically shifted that calculus. Most researchers agree that overpopulation and the manufacturing and consumption of consumer goods are greatly exacerbating climate change and may lead to seismic disruptions for all life on Earth.

Therefore

, simply prioritizing the economic causes of a degrading environment would be short-sighted. In conclusion, though economics is the basic foundation of modern civil societies, governments today should not neglect equally crucial aspects

such

as the environment. The economy means enacting other reforms, not an end in itself.