Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (French: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, OCDE) is an international economic organisation of 34 countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade. It is a forum of countries describing themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy, providing a platform to compare policy experiences, seeking answers to common problems, identify good practices and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members.

In 1948, the OECD originated as the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC), led by Robert Marjolin of France, to help administer the Marshall Plan (which was rejected by the Soviet Union and its satellite states). This would be achieved by allocating American financial aid and implementing economic programs for the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. (Similar reconstruction aid was sent to the war-torn Republic of China and post-war Korea, but not under the name "Marshall Plan"; the American recovery program in Europe was the most successful one.)

Marshall Plan

The Marshall Plan (officially the European Recovery Program, ERP) was an American initiative to aid Western Europe, in which the United States gave $13 billion (approximately $130 billion in current dollar value as of August 2015) in economic support to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War II. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948. The goals of the United States were to rebuild war-devastated regions, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, make Europe prosperous again, and prevent the spread of communism. The Marshall Plan required a lessening of interstate barriers, a dropping of many regulations, and encouraged an increase in productivity, labour union membership, as well as the adoption of modern business procedures.

The Marshall Plan aid was divided amongst the participant states roughly on a per capita basis. A larger amount was given to the major industrial powers, as the prevailing opinion was that their resuscitation was essential for general European revival. Somewhat more aid per capita was also directed towards the Allied nations, with less for those that had been part of the Axis or remained neutral. The largest recipient of Marshall Plan money was the United Kingdom (receiving about 26% of the total), followed by France (18%) and West Germany (11%). Some 18 European countries received Plan benefits. Although offered participation, the Soviet Union refused Plan benefits, and also blocked benefits to Eastern Bloc countries, such as East Germany and Poland. The United States provided similar aid programs in Asia, but they were not called "Marshall Plan".

Better Life

"Better Life" is a song co-written and recorded by Australian country music artist Keith Urban. It was released in July 2005 as the fourth single from Urban's album Be Here. It became his seventh number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and spent six weeks at that position. The song also went to number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was written by Urban and Richard Marx.

Content

The mid-to-uptempo song is driven by a chugging banjo part set against a distinctive drum pattern. The message of an optimistic future prevailing over current struggles pervades the lyrics, summarized by the chorus. Urban's electric guitar playing further decorates the song, especially in its outro.

Music video

The music video for "Better Life" directed by Chris Hicky portrayed Urban and his band playing the song in a Los Angeles culvert, intercut with scenes of a struggling young pair of lovers having their ups and downs, and finally ending up in the culvert to watch Urban. In April 2006 Urban won the CMT Music Awards Video of the Year for it. Urban closed that awards show with a live performance of the song, featuring a long interpolation of Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising" and backing vocals from a large choir consisting of displaced persons from the previous summer's Hurricane Katrina.