2008
DOI: 10.1017/s0266267108001788
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Why Economists Should Be Unhappy With the Economics of Happiness

Abstract: The economics of happiness is an influential research programme, the aim of which is to change welfare economics radically. In this paper I set out to show that its foundations are unreliable. I shall maintain two basic theses: (a) the economics of happiness shows inconsistencies with the first person standpoint, contrary claims on the part of the economists of happiness notwithstanding, and (b) happiness is a dubious concept if it is understood as the goal of welfare policies. These two theses are closely rel… Show more

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Cited by 63 publications
(22 citation statements)
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“… Our approach is in the wake of the literature that interrogates the implications of happiness studies for welfare economics (Adler and Posner ; Barrotta ; Burchardt ; Frey and Stutzer ; Hausman ; Nussbaum ; Schokkaert ). In these studies there is some echo of the earlier debate about subjective welfarism initiated by Sen (). …”
mentioning
confidence: 99%
“… Our approach is in the wake of the literature that interrogates the implications of happiness studies for welfare economics (Adler and Posner ; Barrotta ; Burchardt ; Frey and Stutzer ; Hausman ; Nussbaum ; Schokkaert ). In these studies there is some echo of the earlier debate about subjective welfarism initiated by Sen (). …”
mentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Despite the notable exception of Frey's (2008) approach, which relies on Deci's and Ryan's findings about people's expectations for relatedness, competence and autonomy, happiness research is scarcely concerned with autonomy, a chief reason why we should be unhappy with happiness economics (Barrotta 2008). Keynes's perspective on happiness and economics is here shown to offer valid theoretical contributions to the debate.…”
Section: Keynes's Legacy For Happiness Economicsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Happiness economics has been growing expansively, but has also encountered much criticism (e.g. Barrotta, 2008;Fleurbaey & Blanchet, 2013;Hausman, 2010;Stewart, 2014;Sugden, 2008). 1 This narrative so far is based on pragmatic reasons: Happiness made place for preference-satisfactionism -or preferentism -as a central conception of welfare in economics because happiness was not considered measurable, while preference-satisfaction could be operationalized to some extent; only to shift back when happiness became considered measurable again.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%