WCQ
Wang Civilisation QuotientDefinition
The 'Wang Civilisation Quotient' was created by pianist, mathematician and procrastinator Fanxi Wang in 1971 as a quantitative measure of civilisation of various countries or areas. In its simplest form, the WCQ is given by the equation: It is therefore equivalent to the number of pianos per head of population. Interestingly, it is highly inelastic with regard to population, which suggests that the majority of pianos are underutilised, and that piano growth only occurs as a result of deliberate investment. Wang invented the quotient as a quick-and-dirty reckoner of civilisation, based on the idea that a more civilised country would have more pianos. She used it, in combination with changes in GDP, to examine the rate at which economic growth lead to greater civilisation.
Criticism
The WCQ has, over the years, been criticised on several grounds: 'Accuracy' Many have criticised the WCQ for its narrow view of "civilisation", believing that the focus on piano ignores many other measures of civilisation, e.g. guitars, coffee machines or cocktail parties. 'Cultural Imperialism' The WCQ is held by some to be an imperialist measure, equating "pianos" with "civilisation", causing a serious distortion in readings of civilised countries without a piano culture, such as India. 'Efficacy' Some believe the WCQ to be difficult to measure, given that piano ownership is not often reported in censuses, and that other measures, like government spending would be more appropriate
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