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The Relevance of Happiness: Choosing Between Development Paths in Latin America

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Handbook of Happiness Research in Latin America

Part of the book series: International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life ((IHQL))

Abstract

This chapter argues for a happiness conception of well-being. It states that the dominant income-based conception of well-being is very limited and it neglects relevant aspects in people’s experience of being well. The subjective well-being (happiness) approach is explained and its relevance in the development debate is shown. The debate about the procurement of development is not just about instruments and strategies but, fundamentally, about what the final goals in a society are. The paper states that a developed society is one where citizens are satisfied with their lives. An illustration from the Latin American region is used to show the relevance of measuring happiness and incorporating it as final aim.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    It could also be that income allows people to give market value to those commodities that are of value to their life.

  2. 2.

    The information from the Gallup Poll was provided by the Inter-American Development Bank as part of the background work made by the author in the project ‘Measuring Quality of Life in Latin America’. The author expresses his gratitude to both the Gallup Corporation and the Inter-American Development Bank.

  3. 3.

    See Rojas (2012b) for an in-depth study of subjective well-being in Latin America.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. FLACSO-México and UPAEP, Mexico City, Mexico

    Mariano Rojas

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  1. Mariano Rojas
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Correspondence to Mariano Rojas .

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  1. FLACSO-Mexico & UPAEP, Mexico City, Mexico

    Mariano Rojas

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Rojas, M. (2016). The Relevance of Happiness: Choosing Between Development Paths in Latin America. In: Rojas, M. (eds) Handbook of Happiness Research in Latin America. International Handbooks of Quality-of-Life. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7203-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7203-7_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-017-7202-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-7203-7

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