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Constructing Well-Being and Poverty Dimensions on Political Grounds

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco Burchi

    (Department “Sustainable Economic and Social Development”)

  • Pasquale Muro

    (Roma Tre University)

  • Eszter Kollar

    (Goethe University Frankfurt)

Abstract

The paper addresses the problem of justifying ethically sound dimensions of poverty or well-being for use in a multidimensional framework. We combine Sen’s capability approach and Rawls’ method of political constructivism and argue that the constitution and its interpretative practice can serve as an ethically suitable informational basis for selecting dimensions, under certain conditions. We illustrate our Constitutional Approach by deriving a set of well-being dimensions from an analysis of the Italian Constitution. We argue that this method is both an improvement on those used in the existing literature from the ethical point of view, and has a strong potential for providing the ethical basis of a conception of well-being for the public affairs of a pluralist society. In the final part, we elaborate on the implications for measuring well-being based on data, by ranking Italian regions in terms of well-being, and pointing out the differences in results produced by different methods.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Burchi & Pasquale Muro & Eszter Kollar, 2018. "Constructing Well-Being and Poverty Dimensions on Political Grounds," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(2), pages 441-462, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:137:y:2018:i:2:d:10.1007_s11205-017-1618-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-017-1618-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Francesco Burchi & Nicole Rippin & Claudio E. Montenegro, 2018. "From income poverty to multidimensional poverty—an international comparison," One Pager Arabic 400, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    2. Francesco Burchi & Chiara Gnesi, 2016. "A Review of the Literature on Well-Being in Italy: A Human Development Perspective," Forum for Social Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(2-3), pages 170-192, August.
    3. Tania Burchardt & Polly Vizard, 2011. "'Operationalizing' the Capability Approach as a Basis for Equality and Human Rights Monitoring in Twenty-first-century Britain," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(1), pages 91-119.
    4. Amartya Sen, 2004. "Capabilities, Lists, And Public Reason: Continuing The Conversation," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(3), pages 77-80.
    5. Caterina Ruggeri Laderchi & Ruhi Saith & Frances Stewart, 2003. "Does it Matter that we do not Agree on the Definition of Poverty? A Comparison of Four Approaches," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 243-274.
    6. Qizilbash, Mozaffar, 1998. "The Concept of Well-Being," Economics and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(1), pages 51-73, April.
    7. Ingrid Robeyns, 2005. "Selecting Capabilities for Quality of Life Measurement," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 74(1), pages 191-215, October.
    8. Francesco Burchi & Pasquale De Muro, 2016. "Measuring Human Development in a High-Income Country: A Conceptual Framework for Well-Being Indicators," Forum for Social Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(2-3), pages 120-138, August.
    9. Sabina Alkire, 2013. "Choosing Dimensions: The Capability Approach and Multidimensional Poverty," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Nanak Kakwani & Jacques Silber (ed.), The Many Dimensions of Poverty, chapter 6, pages 89-119, Palgrave Macmillan.
    10. Polly Vizard, 2007. "Specifying and Justifying a Basic Capability Set: Should the International Human Rights Framework be given a more Direct Role?," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(3), pages 225-250.
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Burchi & Nicole Rippin & Claudio E. Montenegro, 2018. "From income poverty to multidimensional poverty—an international comparison," One Pager Arabic 400, International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth.
    2. Burchi, Francesco & Malerba, Daniele & Rippin, Nicole & Montenegro, Claudio E., 2019. "Comparing global trends in multidimensional and income poverty and assessing horizontal inequalities," IDOS Discussion Papers 2/2019, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    3. Burchi, Francesco & De Muro, Pasquale & Kollar, Eszter, 2018. "How to identify national dimensions of poverty? The constitutional approach," Briefing Papers 5/2018, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    4. Lucio Esposito & Enrica Chiappero‐Martinetti, 2019. "Eliciting, Applying And Exploring Multidimensional Welfare Weights: Evidence From The Field," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 65(S1), pages 204-227, November.
    5. Francesco Burchi & Chiara Gnesi, 2016. "A Review of the Literature on Well-Being in Italy: A Human Development Perspective," Forum for Social Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(2-3), pages 170-192, August.
    6. Mero-Figueroa, Marina & Galdeano-Gómez, Emilio & Piedra-Muñoz, Laura & Obaco, Moisés, 2020. "Measuring well-being: A Buen Vivir (living well) indicator for Ecuador," MPRA Paper 119912, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Eirini Leriou, 2023. "Understanding and Measuring Child Well-being in the Region of Attica, Greece: Round Five," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(4), pages 1395-1451, August.
    8. Marina Mero-Figueroa & Emilio Galdeano-Gómez & Laura Piedra-Muñoz & Moisés Obaco, 2020. "Measuring Well-Being: A Buen Vivir (Living Well) Indicator for Ecuador," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 152(1), pages 265-287, November.

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