Here is a short list of the most emblematic ones I can think about right now, there are many more but it would require more digging. And I’ll try to avoid the most subjective ones, I would include things like minimal wage and paid holidays, but I know some will speak against them, and I don’t want to start that debate right now.
Scientific research : the whole “space conquest” (Sputnik, Apollo mission, …), CERN, DARPA fallouts (like the Internet), …
Universal healthcare. Countries like France spend less per person (and a lower share in GDP) in healthcare than the USA, and yet we have a higher life expectancy, and no one is denied treatment because of money issue.
The whole French civilian nuclear power program, which worked fast, with no significant accident, and delivers us cheap, clean, reliable electricity.
The French train network, especially TGV (high-speed train) which carries millions of passenger a year between the main French city, with high speed, safety, reliability and reasonable cost.
Eradication of smallpox (but you already spoke of vaccination).
Literacy campaigns in Latin America (Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador).
Mision Milagro (joint operation of Cuba and Venezuela that treated sight-related issues of more than one million of third world (mostly latam) inhabitants, for many of them allowing them to recover sight).
Here is a short list of the most emblematic ones I can think about right now, there are many more but it would require more digging. And I’ll try to avoid the most subjective ones, I would include things like minimal wage and paid holidays, but I know some will speak against them, and I don’t want to start that debate right now.
Scientific research : the whole “space conquest” (Sputnik, Apollo mission, …), CERN, DARPA fallouts (like the Internet), …
Universal healthcare. Countries like France spend less per person (and a lower share in GDP) in healthcare than the USA, and yet we have a higher life expectancy, and no one is denied treatment because of money issue.
The whole French civilian nuclear power program, which worked fast, with no significant accident, and delivers us cheap, clean, reliable electricity.
The French train network, especially TGV (high-speed train) which carries millions of passenger a year between the main French city, with high speed, safety, reliability and reasonable cost.
Eradication of smallpox (but you already spoke of vaccination).
Literacy campaigns in Latin America (Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador).
Mision Milagro (joint operation of Cuba and Venezuela that treated sight-related issues of more than one million of third world (mostly latam) inhabitants, for many of them allowing them to recover sight).