Capabilities for the Miserable; Happiness for the Satisfied

Edwards, José; Pellé, Sophie

doi:10.2139/ssrn.1772751

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Capabilities for the Miserable; Happiness for the Satisfied

Center for the History of Political Economy (CHOPE) at Duke University Working Paper No. 2011-05

Duke Department of Economics Research Paper

40 Pages Posted: 1 Mar 2011

See all articles by José Edwards

Sophie Pellé

Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne

Date Written: January 4, 2011

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to explain the process of diversification of normative economics by presenting the work of two authors: Tibor Scitovsky [1910-2002] and Amartya Sen [1933-]. While these two authors first contributed to traditional welfare analysis from within, they were subsequently involved in the development of two different, and even opposed, programs: the economics of happiness and the capability approach. They focused on different concepts of well-being: the 'joy' of satisfied consumers for Scitovsky, and the 'capabilities' of deprived individuals for Sen. In imposing new theoretical frameworks, applications, as well as new concepts of well-being, which are measureable, the capability approach and the economics of happiness represent two major attempts to renew normative economic analysis.

Keywords: Capabilities, Happiness, Tibor Scitovsky, Amartya Sen, Welfare Economics

JEL Classification: B20, B31, I30

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Edwards, José and Pellé, Sophie, Capabilities for the Miserable; Happiness for the Satisfied (January 4, 2011). Center for the History of Political Economy (CHOPE) at Duke University Working Paper No. 2011-05, Duke Department of Economics Research Paper, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1772751 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1772751