This study compared capitalist and socialist countries

in measures of the physical quality of life (PQL), taking into account

the level of economic development. The World Bank was the

principal source of statistical data for 123 countries (97 per cent of the

world's population). PQL variables included:

1) indicators of health, health services, and nutrition (infant mortality rate, child death rate,

life expectancy, population per physician, population per nursing

person, and daily per capita calorie supply);

2) measures of education (adult literacy rate, enrollment in secondary education, and enrollment

in higher education); and

3) a composite PQL index.

Capitalist countries fell across the entire range of economic development

(measured by gross national product per capita), while the socialist

countries appeared at the low-income, lower-middle-income, and

upper-middle-income levels. All PQL measures improved as economic

development increased. In 28 of 30 comparisons between

countries at similar levels of economic development, socialist countries

showed more favorable PQL outcomes. (Am J Public Health 1986; 76:661-666.)

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1646771/pdf/amjph00269-0055.pdf