System of Social Indicators for the Federal Republic of Germany: Income and Income Distribution

The system of social indicators for the Federal Republic of Germany - developed in its original version as part of the SPES project under the direction of Wolfgang Zapf - provides quantitative information on levels, distributions and changes in quality of life, social progress and social change in Germany from 1950 to 2013, i.e. over a period of more than sixty years. With the approximately 400 objective and subjective indicators that the indicator system comprises in total, it claims to measure welfare and quality of life in Germany in a differentiated way across various areas of life and to observe them over time. In addition to the indicators for 13 areas of life, including income, education and health, a selection of cross-cutting global welfare measures were also included in the dashboard, i.e. general welfare indicators such as life satisfaction, social isolation or the Human Development Index. Based on available data from official statistics and survey data, time series were compiled for all indicators, ideally with annual values from 1950 to 2013. Around 90 of the indicators were marked as "key indicators" in order to highlight central dimensions of welfare and quality of life across the various areas of life. The further development and expansion, regular maintenance and updating as well as the provision of the data of the system of social indicators for the Federal Republic of Germany have been among the tasks of the Center for Social Indicator Research, which is based at GESIS, since 1987. For a detailed description of the system of social indicators for the Federal Republic of Germany, see the study description under "Other documents".<br>The data on the area of life ´Income and Income Distribution´ is composed as follows:

Level and growth: Net national income (net national product) per inhabitant in constant prices (in euros), growth of the net national product per inhabitant, ratio of household income in old/new federal states (SOEP). Inequality in the income dimension: concentration of net income (EVS), concentration of net income (SOEP), share of income of the poorest 20% of the population, share of income of the richest 10% of the population. Poverty in the income dimension: Poverty rate for relative poverty - overall/West/East specific 40% poverty threshold (EVS), poverty rate for relative poverty - overall/West/East specific 40% poverty threshold (SOEP), poverty rate for relative poverty - overall /West/East specific 50% poverty threshold (EVS), poverty rate for relative poverty - overall/West/East specific 60% poverty threshold (SOEP), poverty rate for relative poverty - overall/West/East specific 60% poverty threshold (EVS), Poverty Gap Ratio. Performance adequacy of income: multiple of factor income (EVS), multiple of labor income (EVS), multiple of labor income (SOEP). Assessment of income: satisfaction with household income (SOEP), concern about one´s own economic situation, importance of income. Poverty in the consumption dimension: poverty rate for consumption poverty - 50% line (EVS), poverty rate for consumption poverty - 60% line (EVS). Inequality in the consumption dimension: Concentration of consumer spending (EVS).