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George Selgin questions criticism of GDP as a measure of economic performance.
He explains that GDP, while imperfect, quantifies the total value of a nation's output and does not embody any moral imperative. Selgin also underscores that no economist regards GDP as the only indicator of well-being, emphasizing its role as just one measure among many.
Selgin has previously examined historical GDP trends, noting that the gap between U.S. actual and potential real GDP persisted until World War II in his analysis of the recovery from 1933 to 1937 here. He has also highlighted the impact of Hoover-era interventions and Great Britain's gold standard exit on the severity of the U.S. depression period here. These topics reflect his ongoing focus on quantitative measures and policy drivers in assessing economic performance.