Inequality, subjective well-being and social exclusion Tania Burchardt London School of Economics
Inequality of what? Income –or resources? –not a final outcome
Inequality of what? Income –or resources? –not a final outcome Opportunity –... to consume? what else? –limited by what?
Inequality of what? Income –or resources? –not a final outcome Opportunity –... to consume? what else? –limited by what? Capabilities –valued beings and doings –bigger capability set = fuller agency –wide scope of potential constraints Inescapably normative
Subjective well-being Money does make you happy
Subjective well-being Money does make you happy But so does love (for a while...)
Subjective well-being Money does make you happy But so does love (for a while...) Many characteristics matter –income –age, marital status –economic activity (self-employment, u/e) –peer group
Subjective well-being Money does make you happy But so does love (for a while...) Many dimensions matter Inequalities matter Dynamics matter Agency matters
And social exclusion...? Consumption plus other dimensions Dynamics (immediate and lifetime) Agency (needs to be nurtured and constrained) Alerts us to exclusionary closure Addresses the features which make inequality matter
So what? Coherent normative judgements: second generation joined up government?
So what? Coherent normative judgements: second generation joined up government? Agency: positive and negative
So what? Coherent normative judgements: second generation joined up government? Agency: positive and negative Dynamics: prevention, protection, promotion and propulsion
So what? Coherent normative judgements: second generation joined up government? Agency: positive and negative Dynamics: prevention, protection, promotion and propulsion, Social exclusion audits