An article in the Sunday, October 9, New York Times pointed out, as many others have, that China is expected to surpass the U.S. as the world’s largest economy by 2016. The article challenges readers to redefine what it means to be first in the world and has deep resonance for those of us who dedicate ourselves to social justice, both inside and outside of Kaiser Permanente. (Union Coalition Education Director Janet Coffman pointed me to the piece, and I thank her for doing so. I would have gotten to it, but she must have had her morning espresso before I did.)

Much is spoken and written in the media world and in the world of politics about this impending change in U.S. status. Most of this rhetoric makes it seem there is something wrong with us, something wrong with our leaders—or just that “something is wrong.” These warnings come in shrill and scary language and images. I don’t like this kind of rhetoric. It makes people fearful. It makes people turn against one another, looking for fault in each other. It is the kind of atmosphere of fear that can make people vote against their interests.

The Times article shows that this dominant rhetoric in our political culture does little to illuminate what is behind China’s growth or the U.S. decline.

“When China passes us, it will remain for the most part a very poor country racked with social problems. Recent census data shows that since 1999, median American incomes have fallen by 7%, while the top 1% showed gains, and almost one in four children live in poverty.”

All this is true as both economies continue to grow, through ups and downs, at different rates. But huge and intractable social inequities have been created in the midst of this growth.

It’s about equality

Growth is not a very in-depth metric.

A better metric than gross domestic product, the traditional measure of the economy, might be: what do we want to be best at?

For the last 40 years, the political economy of the U.S. has not benefited the majority. This is the tragic truth. We are told that the way out of this downward spiral is growth. The airwaves are filled with debates about growth through taxes and public regulation of wealth vs. unregulated growth of private capital.

Our future may not hold anything better, unless we raise our voices and identify clear goals, such as:

• Better quality of life
• Improved educational performance
• Creation of modern infrastructure that creates long-term environmental protection
• Strengthening and protection of a social safety net
• High quality, affordable health care available to all
• Support for rich cultural resources
•  Creation of prosperity that is truly shared

These goals should not be seen as ideals; they should be seen as the definition of a successful society and its government. Growth is not a metric that is particularly precise or specific.

As the Times article points out:

“A country that overemphasizes GDP growth and market performance is likely to focus policies on the big drivers of those – corporations and financial institutions – even when, as during the recent past, there has been little correlation between the performance of big businesses or elites and that of most people.”

We who are dedicated to a social mission must help define the debate. What do we want to be best at?

In my view this is the path to bringing people together.

Who is number one? Once in a while it’s fine to be first. But how you play the game is what’s important over the long haul.