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Measuring wellbeing in theory and practice

Author

Listed:
  • Stephanie Gorecki

    (Treasury, Government of Australia)

  • David Gruen

    (Treasury, Government of Australia)

  • Shane Johnson

    (Treasury, Government of Australia)

Abstract

There has been a recent resurgence of interest in the concept of progress and how it is measured. This paper explores the role that concepts of wellbeing and sustainability play in informing a framework for public policy analysis with a particular focus on the Australian Treasury. Treasury's policy objective, set out in its mission statement, is to improve the wellbeing of the Australian people. As such, sustainable social progress or improving wellbeing, and how it is measured, are of central concern to the work of the Treasury.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephanie Gorecki & David Gruen & Shane Johnson, 2011. "Measuring wellbeing in theory and practice," Treasury Working Papers 2011-02, The Treasury, Australian Government, revised Sep 2011.
    • Handle: RePEc:tsy:wpaper:wpaper_tsy_wp_2011_2
    as

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    File URL: http://www.treasury.gov.au/~/media/Treasury/Publications%20and%20Media/Publications/2011/Working%20paper%202011%2002/Downloads/Tsy_WorkingPaper_11_2.ashx
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    2. Anand, Sudhir & Sen, Amartya, 2000. "Human Development and Economic Sustainability," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(12), pages 2029-2049, December.
    3. Kenneth Arrow & Partha Dasgupta & Lawrence Goulder & Gretchen Daily & Paul Ehrlich & Geoffrey Heal & Simon Levin & Karl-Göran Mäler & Stephen Schneider & David Starrett & Brian Walker, 2004. "Are We Consuming Too Much?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 18(3), pages 147-172, Summer.
    4. Australian Treasury, 2002. "Sustainable development - to what end?," Economic Roundup, The Treasury, Australian Government, issue 4, pages 27-36, October.
    5. Angus Maddison, 2004. "Quantifying and interpreting world development: macromeasurement before and after Colin Clark," Australian Economic History Review, Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 44(1), pages 1-34, March.
    6. Priscilla Altili & Annalisa Cicerchia & Pietro Zoppoli, "undated". "Contents and Measures of Sustainable Progress:the Performance of Italy in a Selection of Synthetic Indices," Working Papers 1, Department of the Treasury, Ministry of the Economy and of Finance.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Christine Carmody, 2012. "Considering future generations - sustainability in theory and practice," Economic Roundup, The Treasury, Australian Government, issue 3, pages 65-91, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    wellbeing; economic welfare; economic sustainability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • Q31 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Demand and Supply; Prices

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