Subjective Well-being Capabilities: Bridging the Gap between the Capability Approach and Subjective Well-Being Research

Martin Binder

Papers on Economics and Evolution from Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography

Abstract: As a result of the disenchantment with traditional income-based measures of welfare, alternative welfare measures have gained increasing attention in recent years. Two of the most prominent measures of well-being come from subjective well-being research and the (objective) capability approach. Despite their promising features, both approaches have a number of weaknesses when considered on their own. This paper sets out to examine to what extent a fusion between both approaches can overcome the weaknesses of both individual approaches. It uses features of the capability framework to enrich what is basically a subjective well-being perspective. Key drawbacks of normative subjective well-being views can be overcome by focussing welfare assessments on "Subjective Well-being Capabilities" (SWC), i.e. focussing on the substantive opportunities of individuals to pursue and achieve happiness.

Keywords: subjective well-being; capability approach; policy-making; normative economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 31 pages
Date: 2013-04-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hpe and nep-ltv
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Journal Article: Subjective Well-Being Capabilities: Bridging the Gap Between the Capability Approach and Subjective Well-Being Research (2014)
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