The standard of living is mainly equated with such a concept as the level of well-being of citizens. This is measured, as a rule, by GDP per capita. In reality, it is impossible to equate the standard of living of the population with material wealth. The capital, property and wealth of a citizen, of course, have a certain significance. But they are not the only factor.
In determining the standard of living, one must be guided by intangible indicators. For example, the index of human development is of great importance in the calculations. It includes both the level of literacy of the population in the country and the satisfaction of citizens with their work and place in life. Life expectancy and health are also very important. A rich, but sick person is unlikely to be happy. You can live in full material support, but at the same time be constantly exposed to various unhealthy factors. This includes stress.
The standard of living in a country like America is in fourth place in the world. The first was safely occupied by calm and wealthy Norway. In this country, not only a fairly high level of income, but also excellent medicine and relatively few stress factors. The standard of living in Russia is at 66. This is also due to low incomes in the country, where more than half of the population lives below the poverty line, as well as dissatisfaction with politics, social climate and other factors. The standard of living can be compared with the famous Maslow pyramid. First, the person must satisfy the need for security, eliminate hunger and find housing. And only then he begins to begin to realize his higher needs. In economically developed countries, the cost of self-education, travel and entertainment is much higher than the cost of food and clothing.
As for Russia, here most of the income is still spent on food. This suggests that people simply satisfy the needs that they can. Others, higher, are not available to them. The standard of living can be assessed very simply. It’s enough to find out how people relax. In poor countries, bars and pubs are often places to spend time. Rest in front of the TV also does not characterize the country very positively.
In developed countries, citizens find time to do those things that they are really interested in. They can choose their own profession to their liking and at the same time not be afraid to remain without earnings. In low-income countries, even a good education does not guarantee a successful career.
Estimating the income gap of different groups of the population of one country, the so-called Lorentz curve is usually used. If the society has income equality, then the curve becomes straight. The sharper this line, the more preconditions for dissatisfaction in the country.
Today, it is extremely unprofitable for states to have a wide income gap between different groups of the population. However, absolute equality also will not bring anything good. A slight instability makes a person strive for the best. However, in most countries, it is noted that 10% of the population accounts for 90% of the country's funds. Moreover, the standard of living of citizens does not affect this indicator at all. It’s just that in one country there are fewer people living below the poverty line, and in another - more.
So, in Russia, about 45% of the population receives only a tenth of all funds in the country. This causes discontent. Such a state measure as progressive taxation is unlikely to somehow change the situation. The same can be said of inheritance tax. All fees in the first place will hit precisely the poorest part of the population.