Happiness Is Absolute, Universal, Ultimate, Unidimensional, Cardinally Measurable and Interpersonally Comparable: A Basis for the Environmentally Responsible Happy Nation Index

Yew-Kwang Ng ()

No 16-11, Monash Economics Working Papers from Monash University, Department of Economics

Abstract: Though the various improvements and different measures of many aspects related to well being proposed by the Sarkozy Report will be very useful, an overall national success indicator to supplement/replace the traditional focus on GDP is needed. As an ultimate indicator, it has to be happiness-based. This paper argues that happiness is absolute, universal, ultimate and unidimensional and is also cardinally measurable and interpersonally comparable, though existing indices are largely non-comparable. The happy nation index takes both the average net happiness and average lifespan into account. Since there is the future and there are other nations, a more appropriate national success indicator from a long-term and global perspective is to also take negative account of the external benefits/costs (perhaps starting with greenhouse gases) conferred/imposed on the future and on other nations. An environmentally responsible happy nation index may then be constructed.

Keywords: Environmentally responsible happy nation index; happiness; interpersonal comparison; measurability; national success indicators. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 20 pages
Date: 2011-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hap
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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