“It may not feel like it, but 2012 has been the greatest year in the history of the world.”

Britain’s The Spectator magazine recently balanced this chip on its shoulder. When you consider the case they make, you may find it hard to knock it off.

They remind us that never in history has there been less hunger in the world. Never has there been less disease. Never has there been more prosperity.

Although natural disasters take their toll, they kill fewer people each year. This is because prosperity brings better housing to third world people. Housing that stands up to cyclones and typhoons. And prosperity brings better flood control and better warnings for them. Along with better rescue operations.

Yes, we have wars still. But they are small compared with those of previous times. And today’s more accurate weapons kill fewer civilians. While today’s gear prevents more deaths among soldiers. There have been fewer war deaths in the last ten years than any ten years in the last century.

Death rates from many cancers keep falling. Because doctors detect and treat them earlier. And because more people have doctors. More people have access to decent hospitals.