http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&ctype=l&strail=false&nselm=h&met_y=ny_gnp_pcap_pp_cd&scale_y=lin&ind_y=false&rdim=country&idim=country:ARG:BGD:BRA:CAN:CHN:EGY:DEU:IND:JPN:ISR:KOR:MEX:MAR:RUS:ZAF:SWE:GBR:USA:AUS:CZE:HUN:GRC:EST:TUR:ESP&tdim=true&tstart=315532800000&tunit=Y&tlen=29&hl=en&dl=en&uniSize=0.035&iconSize=1

I went looking for it as a result of something still_here mentioned re: the relative merits of capitalism and soviet communism thread in the 'How do you define yourself politically?'.

Basically, I sometimes wonder what the world would look like if the whole world coverged on an average living standard. What would that look like? What's the closest equivalent country to a world average country?

MASSIVELY theoretical, I admit, but it doesn't stop me wondering.

As far as I can tell, two really unequal societies (South Africa and Brazil) come close. Also close: Kazakhstan, Serbia, Iran.

But none of those are the kinds of places many people could aspire to as an example of 'world average living' of ~$12,000pa.

Other countries that come closest (slightly above) are Central/South American countries like Mexico, Chile and Argentina. Some of the former Eastern Bloc countries like Belarus and Bulgaria are close to the world figure. As is Turkey.

So, yeah... not quite sure what my point is here. Apart from asking whether the world could live dandily and more in harmony if we were all living a Bulgarian or Chilean-type lifestyle? Or something.

There are loads of gaping holes in the assumptions anyway. Please point out those holes and tell me why I'm coming out with such utter mince.