PREFACE: Whose century is it, anyway?

The Wealthiest

CHAPTER 1: Where has the affluent society gone?

Members of the country club

Who gets the bigger paycheck?

What price glory?

Do you own your own home (Is that the real test?)

Who's worth the most?

Who owes the most?

Who pays the most taxes?

Where are the filthy rich?

Who's been left behind?

CHAPTER 2: The balance sheet

The big macro

Hey, big spender

How bad is our debt, really?

A precarious balancing act

Panic in the streets! Inflation

Big business

The market

Credit report

The winner

The Smartest

CHAPTER 1: The best schools

Can you buy quality?

Where does it all go?

What are you getting?

Who studies hardest?

What the tests show

How much is enough?

Who's been left behind?

CHAPTER 2: Stepping into the knowledge society

Brainpower

Inventing the new world

Computers

Telecommunication

CHAPTER 3: Culture-high and low

Audiovisual imperialism

The word

Arts for art's sake

The Winner

The Healthiest

CHAPTER 1: What kills you?

What are your chances?

The heart of the matter

The geography of cancer

AIDS toll

Final exit

Who's wasted?

Who's smoking?

Who's drinking?

What's cooking?

Killer skyline

CHAPTER 2: What health-care system works?

Rating the system

Who lives?

Who dies?

Who will take care of you?

How much does your care cost?

The druggiest

The cutting edge

Screwups

And who pays?

The Winner

The Busiest

CHAPTER 1: Is labor working?

Making it!

The faithful and diligent

The suits

The old blue collar

The new blue collar

And who's still down on the farm?

On the job or on the dole

Malcontents

CHAPTER 2: The universal office

Why they call it "travail"

Office tech

Office politics

The Freest

CHAPTER 1: The political life

By the people

Who's in charge?

Monarchs, dictators, and scandals

How the center holds

Parliaments of whores?

What makes Johnny run?

Permanent government

Order or Disorder

CHAPTER 2: Freedom's just another word

Rights

Religion

Ethnicity

Sexual equality

CHAPTER 3: Defense-safe or sorry?

What has it cost?

Body count

Engagements

Nukes

Arms sales

Other methods

The Winner

The Best Lovers

CHAPTER 1: Who lives with whom?

Between marriage and divorce

Going it alone

The family

CHAPTER 2: Sex who does what to whom?

Preferences and proclivities

Safe sex

Teens-who's just saying no?

CHAPTER 3: The fetal position

The contraceptive societies

Birthing

Flashpoint: abortion

The Best Home

CHAPTER 1: Clean space

City life

Getting there

The countryside

Eco-crisis

The pollution machine

What's being done?

CHAPTER 2: Safe streets

Police blotter

Criminal element

Police

Guns

Drugs

Punishment

CHAPTER 3: The pursuit of happiness

Free time

Time off

Travel

Sports

The winner

SOURCES

GLOSSARY & ABBREVIATIONS

INDEX