--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you compare individuals, rather than…" description: "\"When you compare individuals, rather than countries, you find that education improves both income and the quality of life.\" — Abhijit Banerjee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/abhijit-banerjee-6074_education_when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than_2761222.jpg" --- # When you compare individuals, rather than countries, you… ![“When you compare individuals, rather than countries, you find that education improves both income and the quality of life.” quote by Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/abhijit-banerjee-6074_education_when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than_2761222.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/abhijit-banerjee-6074_education_when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than_2761222.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/abhijit-banerjee-6074_education_when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than_2761222.jpg) > “When you compare individuals, rather than countries, you find that education improves both income and the quality of life.” [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comparing individuals shows education boosts income and life quality more reliably than comparing nations. **In simple terms:** Education improves income and life quality. Key Takeaway Invest in education for development. Themes education income quality of life Mood optimistic analytical Type academic policy-oriented When to use this quote - Government programs - NGO initiatives - personal skill building Key Concepts economics development studies public policy Questions to Reflect On - How does education affect socioeconomic mobility? - What policies complement educational investment? A Different Perspective Education alone may not solve systemic inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-life/) [Quality of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [Educating all of our children must be one of our most urgent priorities. We all know that education, more than anything else, improves our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/educating-all-of-our-children-must-be-one-of-our-most-urgent/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [There is a growing evidence that arts education improves student learning and thereby produces better citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-skorton/there-is-a-growing-evidence-that-arts-education-improves-student/) David J. Skorton > [Counsel and conversation is a good second education, that improves all the virtue and corrects all the vice of the former, and of nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hyde-1st-earl-of-clarendon/counsel-and-conversation-is-a-good-second-education-that-improves-all/) [Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hyde-1st-earl-of-clarendon/) > [If a country puts its entire focus on making sure that the education system improves, then that's the kind of progress that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-making-sure-that-the-education/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [As you know in this committee, we have all of HUD, and HUD is responsible for so many programs that determine the quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/as-you-know-in-this-committee-we-have-all-of-hud-and-hud-is/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [The reason I exercise is for the quality of life I enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-h-cooper/the-reason-i-exercise-is-for-the-quality-of-life-i-enjoy/) [Kenneth H. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-h-cooper/) > [...quality of life lies in knowledge, in culture. Values are what constitute true quality of life, the supreme quality of life, even above food,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fidel-castro/quality-of-life-lies-in-knowledge-in-culture-values-are-what/) [Fidel Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fidel-castro/) > [On the quality of life: #1. Realize that each human being has a built-in capacity for recuperation and repair. #2. Recognize that the quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/on-the-quality-of-life-1-realize-that-each-human-being-has-a-built-in/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Bike-friendly cities provide some of the best quality of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeynep-tufekci/bike-friendly-cities-provide-some-of-the-best-quality-of-life/) [Zeynep Tufekci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeynep-tufekci/) > [The path to solid, supportive, healthy relationships, self-respect, and a quality life starts with the usually painful decision to do the Right Thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/the-path-to-solid-supportive-healthy-relationships-self-respect-and-a/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [When I was growing up, we used to play basketball in a park that was never shoveled when it snowed. The basketball rims were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deforest-soaries/when-i-was-growing-up-we-used-to-play-basketball-in-a-park-that-was/) [DeForest Soaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deforest-soaries/) > [“Fitness training not only strengthens you, but also promotes a wholesome quality of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/fitness-training-not-only-strengthens-you-but-also-promotes-a/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [The quality of life depends on the quality of your judgment about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-fennis/the-quality-of-life-depends-on-the-quality-of-your-judgment-about-it/) [Alexander Fennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-fennis/) > [There's a side to reality TV that is part education, as well. I've seen that since doing "MasterChef Junior," in terms of the effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/there-s-a-side-to-reality-tv-that-is-part-education-as-well-i-ve-seen/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [I don't have to have the biggest house or the biggest car or the longest mink, but quality of life is really glamorous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-don-t-have-to-have-the-biggest-house-or-the-biggest-car-or-the/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) ## More by Abhijit Banerjee > [We will remember UPA 2, if at all, it seems, as that period when things went mysteriously wrong - for the bribe-taking, buck-passing, foot-dragging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/we-will-remember-upa-2-if-at-all-it-seems-as-that-period-when-things/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [The problem of getting from home to the metro, BRT or bus stop makes many people take their cars to work. Why not start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/the-problem-of-getting-from-home-to-the-metro-brt-or-bus-stop-makes/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [In the development business doing something for both women and the environment is the equivalent of holding a royal flush in poker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/in-the-development-business-doing-something-for-both-women-and-the/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [One big mistake that we made in Delhi is that we made it a low-rise city which means that rich people have nice green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/one-big-mistake-that-we-made-in-delhi-is-that-we-made-it-a-low-rise/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [Celebrate the excitement of trying build something new and wonderful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/celebrate-the-excitement-of-trying-build-something-new-and-wonderful/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [One advantage of not being in power is that we can dream of reshaping the world exactly as we please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/one-advantage-of-not-being-in-power-is-that-we-can-dream-of-reshaping/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [I have always found it difficult to wrap my head around population policies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/i-have-always-found-it-difficult-to-wrap-my-head-around-population/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [If democracy as we know it has to survive the elites have to regain their credibility. And they have to start by admitting that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/if-democracy-as-we-know-it-has-to-survive-the-elites-have-to-regain/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [Even Milton Friedman - doyen of radical free market thought - was willing to consider some government intervention into primary education on the grounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/even-milton-friedman-doyen-of-radical-free-market-thought-was-willing/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [I was very lucky to be born into a very academic family. I was well-read, well-trained in mathematics. I had lots of advantages to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/i-was-very-lucky-to-be-born-into-a-very-academic-family-i-was-well/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [It is possible that Modi sees his life as evidence that hard physical work can triumph over every disadvantage, but if so, most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/it-is-possible-that-modi-sees-his-life-as-evidence-that-hard-physical/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [Insurance is important for protecting the health of people and Ujjwala is quite useful to low-income women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/insurance-is-important-for-protecting-the-health-of-people-and/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [Mamata Banerjee and Narendra Modi, the ultimate didi and dada of Indian politics, should really commiserate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/mamata-banerjee-and-narendra-modi-the-ultimate-didi-and-dada-of/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [Celebrate creativity and confidence in the face of adversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/celebrate-creativity-and-confidence-in-the-face-of-adversity/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [Anyone who has a child knows the importance of not over-playing your hand. He was up all night playing some game on his smartphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/anyone-who-has-a-child-knows-the-importance-of-not-over-playing-your/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) [Explore all 100 Abhijit Banerjee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. Otherwise the world would be full of millionaires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/in-school-you-are-taught-to-obey-and-not-to-think-straight-for-your/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) Ioannes Amos Commenius > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) H.D. (Hilda Doolittle > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. If something interested me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-only-began-to-enjoy-studying-after-i-got-through-the-educational/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/) [Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/) > [English teachers tend to put more thought in the books than the author did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/english-teachers-tend-to-put-more-thought-in-the-books-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) [Browse all 37,666 Education quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you compare individuals, rather than countries, you find that education improves both income and the quality of life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abhijit Banerjee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than-countries-you-find-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Education" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than-countries-you-find-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/abhijit-banerjee-6074_education_when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than_2761222.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/abhijit-banerjee-6074_education_when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than_2761222.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ab/abhijit-banerjee-6074_education_when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than_2761222.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you compare individuals, rather than countries, you find that education improves both income and the…” — Abhijit Banerjee", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abhijit Banerjee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you compare individuals, rather than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than-countries-you-find-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than-countries-you-find-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```