prospérité

Prospérité is a French noun meaning the condition of being prosperous; it denotes flourishing, success, or well-being at individual, social, or national level. In economic discourse, it often refers to sustained growth, rising incomes, and improved living standards, but it can also encompass health, education, safety, and environmental sustainability in a broader sense.

Derived from the adjective prospère, itself from Latin prosperus "advantageous" or Latin prosperitas "prosperity", the noun prospérité took shape in Middle French and entered modern usage to express a favorable or thriving condition.

Prospérité is commonly discussed in relation to indicators such as GDP per capita, Human Development Index, employment rates, poverty levels, life expectancy, education access, and governance quality. Policy contexts in France and international organizations address prosperity within frameworks of inclusive growth, social protection, and sustainable development.

Scholars note that prosperity is not automatically equitable; high aggregate prosperity can mask inequality or environmental degradation. Alternatives like "prospérité durable" or "prospérité sans croissance" reflect concerns about long-term viability and ecological limits.

Historically, the concept has been central to liberal and welfare-state debates about the purposes of the economy and the state’s role in promoting well-being.