The impact of economic factors on the standard of living and social protection policy in Georgia

Every era has its challenges. Historically, powerful states and empires have attempted to use neighboring or subordinate countries to realize their interests. In the modern world, developing countries primarily evolve through the recommendations and financial assistance of developed countries and international organizations. The globalization process contributes to the strengthening of global economic cooperation and the growth of universal economic well-being. Georgia's economy has been growing convincingly in recent years. The statistical data look good, but it is interesting how this economic development, represented in numbers, has impacted individual households and whether the population has felt the effects of GDP growth. After the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia's economy regained stability. In many cases, economic growth is expressed by a double-digit indicator. The country concluded 2023 with positive results and managed to maintain its image as one of the leading countries in the region. According to the forecasts of various international organizations, Georgia will have the fastest progress in the area in the future as well. However, the fact that economic benefits do not reach the population equally is still a problem. The wealthy continue to benefit from economic growth, while the poor struggle to move up to the middle class. The benefits of economic growth are not tangible, and a large part of the population cannot truly benefit from them. Therefore, economic growth will never bring results if the standard of living is not improved. The primary role in redistributing national income to the socially vulnerable segments of the population belongs to the state. This paper examines and analyzes the main directions of Georgia's social protection system and presents recommendations for its improvement.