Bentham or Aristotle in the Development Process? An Empirical Investigation of Capabilities and Subjective Well-being

Carol Graham and Milena Nikolova

No 8722, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Life evaluations and emotional states are distinct subjective well-being (SWB) components. We explore the relationship between opportunities and SWB dimensions, distinguishing between actual capabilities and means (education, employment, and income) and perceived opportunities (autonomy and health perceptions and belief in hard work). We find a link between capabilities and SWB (particularly, life evaluations), which varies across world regions. Capabilities can also be associated with stress and anger and seem to matter the least for the happiest respondents. We also explore the determinants of the least studied well-being dimension: eudaimonia, or life purpose, which is an underlying objective of the development process.

Keywords: freedoms; well-being; variance decompositions; capabilities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I31 I39 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 49 pages
Date: 2014-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hap
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Published - published in: World Development , 2015, 68, 163 - 179

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Journal Article: Bentham or Aristotle in the Development Process? An Empirical Investigation of Capabilities and Subjective Well-Being (2015)
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