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| Happiness and inequality Lepenies, Philipp |
| Haupttitel | Happiness and inequality |
| Titelzusatz | insights into a difficult relationship – and possible political implications |
| Autor | Lepenies, Philipp |
| Seitenzahl | 29 S. |
| Schriftenreihe | Working Paper Series / desiguALdades.net ; 30 |
| URL des Originaldokuments | URL >> |
| Fachbereich/Einrichtung | desiguALdades.net |
| Erscheinungsjahr | 2012 |
| Dokumente | pdf-Datei
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| Freie Schlagwörter | Inequality; Happiness; Happiness Economics; Political Economy |
| DDC | 330 Wirtschaft 320 Politik |
| Dokumententyp/-Sammlungen | Monographie/Text |
| Medientyp/Format | Text |
| Abstract | This paper explores the relationship between happiness and inequality. It does so firstly through an analysis of how "classical" authors of political economy and philosophy have linked these two issues. Secondly, major findings of "happiness economics" are discussed in the context of new insights about how happiness is influenced by inequality. This paper also addresses whether these findings provide any substantial arguments for combatting inequality on the grounds of promoting "happiness". It will be seen that although some empirical research shows that the prevalent levels of inequality influence happiness in society, the main argument in favor of tackling inequality for the sake of happiness is normative. In this interpretation, happiness is closely related to John Stuart Mill's neo-Aristotelian idea of "self-fulfillment" and less so to the neo-Benthamite notion of "hedonic pleasure". In the wake of an ever greater emphasis on analyzing people’s "subjective well-being" within national statistics, this has political implications as it calls for the importance of allowing free and broad discussions on the "fairness" of the prevailing political systems as an important prerequisite to promote happiness – and combat inequality. |
| Inhalt | Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Happiness and Inequality in Political Economy 3 2.1. The Invisible Hand and the Equally-Distributed Propensity to Happiness: Adam Smith 3 2.2. The Path of Progress towards Equality and Happiness: Condorcet 8 2.3. The Oscillation of Happiness: The Pessimism of Malthus and Townsend 8 2.4. Utilitarianism – Providing for the Greatest Happiness While Incarcerating the Poor: Bentham 10 2.5. The Flourishing of Life: Mill’s Idea of Happiness 12 2.6. The Legacy of Utilitarianism: Welfare Economics 13 2.7. John Kenneth Galbraith: Obsolete Economics and the Irrelevance of Inequality 15 3. Enter Happiness Economics 17 3.1. Richer but not Happier: The Easterlin Paradox 17 3.2. What is Happiness? 18 3.3. The “Hedonic Treadmill” and Set-Point Theory: Why More is Not Better 19 3.4. Enter Inequality: Why Comparing Us with Others Makes Us Unhappy – The Rat Race 20 3.5. Reasons for Tackling Inequality 21 3.6. It Ain’t Necessarily So 22 3.7. Why Foster Happiness by Tackling Inequality Nonetheless: A Question of Fairness 23 4. Conclusion 24 5. Bibliography 26 |
| Sprache | Englisch |
| Rechte | Nutzungsbedingungen |
| Zugriffstatistik | |
| Statische URL | http://edocs.fu-berlin.de/docs/receive/FUDOCS_document_000000014242 |
| contacto@desigualdades.net | |
| Erstellt am | 22.08.2012 - 09:25:55 |
| Letzte Änderung | 15.03.2013 - 17:38:28 |
