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Needs, Incommensurability and Well-being

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  • Mozaffar Qizilbash

Abstract

Some have argued for the priority of needs in moral and development theory, on the grounds that people have conflicting and incommensurable values and conceptions of the good. In this paper, I concentrate on one version of this view, that due to John Rawls. Rawls' view is that a person's advantage should be evaluated in terms of certain primary goods which are citizens' needs. I outline a variation on James Griffin's account of well-being, which involves certain values that make any human life better—prudential values. I argue that such values are commensurable, and that the account is consistent with pluralism. The discussion supports and helps us to understand various criticisms of Rawls. It also suggests that one argument for the priority of needs in development theory is invalid.

Suggested Citation

  • Mozaffar Qizilbash, 1997. "Needs, Incommensurability and Well-being," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(3), pages 261-276.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:revpoe:v:9:y:1997:i:3:p:261-276
    DOI: 10.1080/751245295
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gasper, D.R., 1996. "Needs and basic needs : a clarification of meanings, levels and different streams of work," ISS Working Papers - General Series 18952, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ulrich Witt & Christian Schubert, 2008. "Constitutional interests in the face of innovations: how much do we need to know about risk preferences?," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 203-225, September.
    2. Qizilbash, Mozaffar, 1997. "Pluralism and well-being indices," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(12), pages 2009-2026, December.
    3. Alkire, Sabina, 2002. "Dimensions of Human Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 181-205, February.
    4. Mozaffar Qizilbash, 2002. "Development, Common Foes and Shared Values," Review of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(4), pages 463-480.
    5. Ying Liang & Peigang Wang, 2014. "Influence of Prudential Value on the Subjective Well-Being of Chinese Urban–Rural Residents," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(3), pages 1249-1267, September.

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