STANDARD OF LIVING. In economics, the term used to designate the degree of comfort or enjoyment derived from the use of material goods which each social class regards as es sential to tolerable existence. Those have a 'high standard of living' who demand control over a large and varied quantity of consumption goods; those whose wants are few and tastes in expensive have a low standard of living.' The terms are usually used without moral connota tions, injurious and degrading modes of con sumption entering into a 'high' standard of liv ing, as well as consumption of goods which ex ercise a refining influence. In some sociological studies, however, the test of a high standard of living is its moral influence. Students of the housing problem (q.v.) regard the development of a higher standard with respect to house room as an advance in the standard of life. although such a development may result in checking ex penditure in other directions. In a developing society like that of the United States, the grada tions of standards of living are as numerous as those of social classes. in a rough way it may be said that the professional and business classes have a higher standard of living than artisans; and the standard of the latter is higher than that of the laborer. Comparing societies as wholes, the American standard of living is higher than the European, which in turn is higher than the Asiatic. While preserving a certain fixity within relatively brief periods of time, the standard of living of classes or of nations tends to rise o• fall as a result of general eco nomic conditions. Throughout the Western world standards of living have been rising for the past hundred years, although the standards of isolated classes have fallen.
In recent discussion much emphasis has been laid upon the influence of the standard of living upon wages. if a social class has a high stand ard, each individual in it will exert himself to the utmost to maintain the same control over goods as his fellows. A rising standard thus acts as a spur to those whose individual wants would demand no great degree of exertion. To raise the stand ard of backward races or classes is therefore re garded as a prerequisite to industrial improve ment. In the second place, a high standard, as suming that it consists in the consumption of goods which improve the physical and mental condition of the laborer—e.g. good food, clothing, housing, a thorough education and technical training for children—tends in the long run to in crease industrial efficiency. Thus the native American workman, owing to his high standard of life, is capable of more effective work than underfed and ignorant immigrants. Thirdly, it is difficult for an employer to beat down wages of laborers whose standard is high. Thus a greater share in the social dividend may be di verted to labor. Fourthly. men whose standard is high refuse to marry until they have a fair prospect of bringing up their children in a way in keeping with class standards. Hence the sup ply of labor is kept from exceeding the demand for it and wages are kept from falling to a sub sistence level. See WAGES; POLITICAL ECONOMY.