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Amartya Sens Capability-Approach: ein neues Konzept der deutschen Armuts- und Reichtumsberichterstattung

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  • Christian Arndt
  • Jürgen Volkert

Abstract

The capability approach of Amartya Sen, who received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1998, has recently been announced as a new conceptual framework of the German Federal Government's official Poverty and Wealth Reports. Hence, we will discuss the suitability of Sen's approach to reach the goals of these reports. Moreover, we will briefly explain the main determinants of capabilities in this context. In taking our indicator set that is based on the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) 2004 as an example, we can describe empirical features of these determinants and draw some consequences for social policy. Sen's capability approach highlights the harmonious interplay between ethical theories of justice, economics, and social science as well as empirical applications. Therefore, it seems to be promising to combine Sen's capability approach with German "Lebenslagen-approaches" that are very similar. This combination enables a deeper analysis of political and social participation and includes German approaches into international debates. Further steps will make it possible to formulate capabilities more precisely. Im zweiten Armuts- und Reichtumsbericht wurde der Ansatz der Verwirklichungschancen ("Capabilities") des Ökonomie-Nobelpreisträgers Amartya Sen als neue konzeptionelle Grundlage angekündigt. Wir erörtern knapp, inwiefern Sens ethisch fundierter Ansatz eine zielführende Konzeption für die deutsche Armuts- und Reichtumsberichterstattung darstellt und skizzieren wesentliche Bestimmungsgründe der Verwirklichungschancen. Am Beispiel eines eigenen Indikatorenkonzepts auf der Grundlage der aktuellen Welle 2004 des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels (SOEP) beleuchten wir diese Bestimmungsgründe sowie einige wesentliche sozialpolitische Schlussfolgerungen mit empirischen deskriptiven Ergebnissen. Ein besonderer Vorzug des Konzepts gegenüber bisherigen Methoden ist das stimmige Zusammenspiel ethischer Gerechtigkeitspositionen mit wirtschafts- und sozialwissenschaftlichen Ansätzen sowie empirischen Konkretisierungen. Auf dieser Grundlage können Ausgrenzung und Privilegierung gesellschaftlicher Gruppen geeignet erfasst und notwendige Aspekte des Gender Mainstreaming im Kontext von Armut und Reichtum berücksichtigt werden. Die Weite des Konzepts kann zur Versachlichung der Diskussion beitragen sowie für sozialpolitische Maßnahmen wichtige Zusammenhänge zwischen finanziellen und nichtfinanziellen Beeinträchtigungen und Privilegien erhellen.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Arndt & Jürgen Volkert, 2006. "Amartya Sens Capability-Approach: ein neues Konzept der deutschen Armuts- und Reichtumsberichterstattung," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 75(1), pages 7-29.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwvjh:75-1-2
    DOI: 10.3790/vjh.75.1.7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ingrid Robeyns, 2005. "The Capability Approach: a theoretical survey," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 93-117.
    2. Sudhir Anand & Amartya Sen, 2000. "The Income Component of the Human Development Index," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(1), pages 83-106.
    3. Amartya Sen, 1997. "Inequality, Unemployment and Contemporary Europe," STICERD - Development Economics Papers - From 2008 this series has been superseded by Economic Organisation and Public Policy Discussion Papers 07, Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines, LSE.
    4. Sen, Amartya, 1999. "Commodities and Capabilities," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195650389, Decembrie.
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    1. Christian Arndt & Juergen Volkert, 2009. "Poverty and Wealth Reporting of the German Government: Approach, Lessons and Critique," IAW Discussion Papers 51, Institut für Angewandte Wirtschaftsforschung (IAW).
    2. Jürgen Volkert & Friedrich Schneider, 2011. "The Application of the Capability Approach to High-Income OECD Countries: A Preliminary Survey," CESifo Working Paper Series 3364, CESifo.
    3. Olejniczak, Michael, 2012. "Long-term Unemployment and the Capability Approach – The Case of the German Labor Market," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 23(2), pages 140-157.
    4. Volkert Jürgen, 2009. "Unternehmen als Agenten der Armutsüberwindung und Entwicklung. Ihr Beitrag aus Sicht von Ordoliberalismus und Capability-Ansatz / Corporate potentials to fight poverty and foster human development. Or," ORDO. Jahrbuch für die Ordnung von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, De Gruyter, vol. 60(1), pages 389-414, January.
    5. Lenger Alexander & Goldschmidt Nils, 2011. "Ordnungsökonomik als angewandte Wissenschaft. Zur notwendigen Zusammenführung von Theorie und Praxis / Constitutional Economics as an Applied Social Science. About the Essential Combination of Theory ," ORDO. Jahrbuch für die Ordnung von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, De Gruyter, vol. 62(1), pages 343-364, January.
    6. Leßmann, Ortrud, 2012. "Indikatoren im Capability-Ansatz und der Bezug zur Nachhaltigkeit: Welchen Beitrag kann der CA leisten?," UFZ Discussion Papers 16/2012, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    7. Hillringhaus, Tilman & Peichl, Andreas, 2010. "Die Messung von Armut unter Berücksichtigung regional divergierender Lebenshaltungskosten und öffentlicher Leistungen," IZA Discussion Papers 5344, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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