The author raises doubts about a sense of "catching up" and an idolatry of HDP´s growth. His argumentation is based on the longitudinal international research of the link "economics-happiness" at the frontier between economics and psychology. The rationality of economic science "more is better" is bounded by environmental and relational externalities: it is just what a "theory of happiness" argues against a "joyless economy". The family-household is an old istitution esp. loosing in a competition with the market economy. The article stresses a role of "relational goods" explaining why more is sometimes less. The loss of happiness in market democracies (R.Lane) is the reason for a crisis of economic paradigm; it has a chance to be healed by a switch from the principle of imperial equivalence to a reciprocity (economy of communion). Implications for economic policies based on a "science of happiness" reverse the link "economics-happiness" making from HDP growth a by-product of our effort for happiness.
Download Info
To download:
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the
proper application to
view it first. Information about this may be contained
in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read
the IDEAS help
page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS
site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version under "Related research" (further below) or search for a different version of it.
Publisher Info
Article provided by University of Economics, Prague in its journal Politická ekonomie.
Order Information: Postal: Redakce Politické ekonomie, Vysoká škola ekonomická, nám. W. Churchilla 4, 130 67 Praha 3 Email: Web: http://www.vse.cz/polek/
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Vaclav Subrta).
Find related papers by JEL classification: A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values B40 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Economic Methodology - - - General D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General