Showing papers by "Amartya Sen published in 1993"
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors address issues of defining and measuring the quality of life and discuss recent developments in the philosophical definition of well-being and link them to practical issues such as the delivery of health care, and the assessment of women's quality-of-life.
Abstract: This book addresses issues of defining and measuring the quality of life. Recent developments in the philosophical definition of well-being are discussed and linked to practical issues such as the delivery of health care, and the assessment of women's quality of life. Leading philosophers and economists have contributed to this volume to consider the problems the subject raises. This volume reflects the growing need for interdisciplinary work as economists become more sensitive to the importance of facing fundamental philosophical questions and of the importance of linking their theoretical enquiries to an understanding of complex practical problems. Contributors: E. Allardt, J. Annas, C. Bliss, S. Bok, D. Brock, G. A. Cohen, R. Erikson, W. Gaertner, J. Griffin, S. Hurley, C. M. Korsgaard, L. Kruger, M. C. Nussbaum, O. O'Neill, S. Osmani, D. Parfit, H. Putnam, R. A. Putnam, J. Roemer, T. Scanlon, P. Seabright, A. Sen, C. Taylor, M. Valdes, B. M. S. van Praag, M. Walzer, B.-C. Ysander
3,336 citations
TL;DR: In this article, Arrow's general possibility theorem is extended without demanding any internal consistency of social choice or any notion of "social rationality." And the standard results have to be reexamined in this light.
Abstract: Internal consistency of choice has been a central concept in economics, decision theory, and social choice. This idea is essentially confused. We cannot determine whether a choice function is consistent without referring to something external to choice (e.g., objectives, values). The standard results have to be reexamined in this light. Kenneth J. Arrow's general possibility theorem is extended in this paper without demanding any internal consistency of social choice or any notion of 'social rationality.' Copyright 1993 by The Econometric Society.
660 citations
01 Oct 1993
TL;DR: In this article, the authors distinguish between different aspects of freedom, involving in particular substantive opportunities, and process considerations, such as decisional autonomy and immunity from encroachments, and examine the competitive market mechanism in the context of each of them.
Abstract: in terms of utility-based Pareto optimality), rather than by accomplishments in promoting individual freedom. It is natural to suspect that there must be some links between welfareachievements and freedom-achievements (and also between failures in the respective areas), but we have to examine and scrutinize those links. We need to explore different aspects of individual freedom and their links, if any, with the nature of competitive market equilibria. The paper distinguishes between different aspects of freedom, involving in particular (i) substantive opportunities, and (ii) process considerations, such as decisional autonomy and immunity from encroachments. The competitive market mechanism is examined in the context of each of these considerations. In some respects the freedom-based approaches are more ancient than that of 'economic efficiency' (defined as efficiency in the space of utilities), but it is the latter that has by now become the standard procedure in economic theory for assessing what the market does or does not accomplish. This shift in
305 citations
TL;DR: Mortality data can be used to analyze economic performance and can illuminate critical aspects of the economic organization of society.
Abstract: National economic performance can reflect the health of the nation and the well-being of its citizens. National economics should encompass the economics and life and death. Mortality statistics or other health measures such as famines reduced life expectancies and higher female mortality can be used to gauge the economic health economic deprivation of a country. Analysis of mortality data can be useful in economic evaluations of social arrangements and public policy. Economic explanations of famine may be inadequately based on measures of food production and availability or income and purchasing power. A more complete understanding of famine is possible through analysis of the acquisition and distribution of food and the entitlement within different groups within society. Policy should be directed to the economic processes that affect a groups ability to procure food. The Bangladesh famine in 1974 could not have been predicted on the basis of food supply per capita because this measure was high in 1974. It was the floods and their destructive impact on rice production that left workers without the means to secure food. Panic led to hoarding which drove the prices up. US aid was delayed over political posturing. A similar example is given for the famine in Bengal in 1943 when the purchasing power of rural laborers real wages declined. The Ethiopian famine in 1973 was the result of a drought in Wollo province which did not substantially reduce national food production. Prevention of famine is possible by growing more food providing incentives to increase investment in agriculture diversification of production expansion of manufacturing investment in health care and education and increasing the purchasing power of the most famine-affected groups. Public employment programs could be directed to famine-affected groups as occurred in Maharashtra during the droughts of 1972-73. India after independence has been successful thus far in averting famine through this means. The approach relies in part on the market but also on politics. Chinas lack of political will allow their famine to continue for 3 years. Conflicts and wars affect famines. Famines can be averted only through luck in a dictatorship. A democracy more effectively guarantees attention to famine prevention. Famine reflects the failure in some economic and political structures.
177 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The idea that there is no need for business ethics is quite widespread among practitioners of economics, though it is more often taken for granted implicitly rather than asserted explicitly as discussed by the authors, and it may be mistaken.
Abstract: I begin not with the need for business ethics, but at the other end—the idea many people have that there is no need for such ethics. That conviction is quite widespread among practitioners of economics, though it is more often taken for granted implicitly rather than asserted explicitly. We must understand better what the conviction rests on and why it may be mistaken.
131 citations
TL;DR: The idea that there is no need for business ethics is quite widespread among practitioners of economics, though it is more often taken for granted implicitly rather than asserted explicitly as discussed by the authors, and it may be mistaken.
Abstract: I begin not with the need for business ethics, but at the other end—the idea many people have that there is no need for such ethics. That conviction is quite widespread among practitioners of economics, though it is more often taken for granted implicitly rather than asserted explicitly. We must understand better what the conviction rests on and why it may be mistaken.
126 citations
01 Jan 1993
TL;DR: In this article, leading philosophers and economists examine recent developments in the philosophical definition of well-being and link them to practical issues such as the delivery of health care and the assessment of women's quality of life.
Abstract: This work addresses issues of defining and measuring the quality of life. Leading philosophers and economists examine recent developments in the philosophical definition of well-being and link them to practical issues such as the delivery of health care and the assessment of women's quality of life. The volume reflects the growing need for interdisciplinary work as economists become more aware of fundamental philosophical questions and philosophers of the importance of linking theoretical enquiries to an understanding of complex practical problems.
42 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The idea of a secular India, tolerant of different religions (and of people who believe in none), which had been taken for granted since independence, has been severely damaged by extremist Hindu political groups as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: When, some months ago, 'The Idea of India' was agreed on as the title of my Nehru Lecture at Cambridge,l I had not imagined that the subject would be as topical as it, alas, has become since the terrible events of recent months The idea of a secular India, tolerant of different religions (and of people who believe in none), which had been taken for granted since independence, has been severely damaged by extremist Hindu political groups The present round of events began on December 6 with the destruction of a sixteenth-century mosque-the Babri Masjid-in the northem city of Ayodhya, by politically organised mobs of activist Hindus, who want to build a temple to Rama on that very spot That outrageous event has been followed by communal violence and riots across the country, in which around two thousand people or more have perished-both Hindus and Muslims, but Muslim victims have far outnumbered Hindus Some of the worst incidents have taken place in Bombay In what is usually thought to be the premier city of India, a relatively small but thoroughly organised group of extremist Hindus went repeatedly on the rampage; the police frequently failed to protect Muslims under attack, and were often far more violent in dispersing Muslim mobs -than Hindu ones It took quite some time for the nationwide condemnation that followed those events to move the government of India to take a tougher stand on law and order, and even now the determination of the government is far from clear But on February 25 it did manage to prevent a huge and dangerous Hindu political demonstration in New Delhi, which could have easily brought communal riots to the nation's capital Stopping the demonstration unfortunately involved suspending the civil right of free assembly But in view of the highly provocative nature of the planned demonstration (for which Hindu activists had converged from across the country), and in view of the fact that the confrontation was managed by the police with no loss of life, the
39 citations
TL;DR: Nolan's [1993] present "critique", like his two previous "critiques" of my work [Nolan, 1991; Nolan and Sender, 1992], draw liberally on misconstruction of what I have said as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Nolan's [1993] present ‘critique’, like his two previous ‘critiques’ of my work [Nolan, 1991; Nolan and Sender, 1992], draw liberally on misconstruction of what I have said. The distortions cover a vast field, including the concept of entitlements, the nature of famines in general (and of the Chinese famine in particular), the roles of food production, transport, and wars, and so on. In my reply I have tried to identify the misrepresentations in some detail. What Nolan calls ‘Sen's approach’ is his own creation, and the criticisms that Nolan makes of that approach should be addressed by its author, to wit, Nolan. I have tried to spell out the respects in which the analyses I have presented on famines differ from the views, conjectures and slogans cheerfully attributed to me by Peter Nolan.
32 citations
TL;DR: Different criteria for measuring economic regress show varying results as discussed by the authors, such as parametric variations in the focal variable (such as real income, gross domestic product - GDP - or mortality rates), time stretch (long-run decline or persistent short-run crises such as famines), relativity (absolute decline as distinct from relative setbacks), and unit of aggregation, such as broad regions, countries, classes, genders, and income groups).
Abstract: Different criteria for measuring economic regress show varying results. Alternative procedures involve parametric variations in the focal variable (such as real income, gross domestic product - GDP - or mortality rates), time stretch (long-run decline or persistent short-run crises such as famines), relativity (absolute decline as distinct from relative setbacks), and unit of aggregation (such as broad regions, countries, classes, genders, and income groups). For example, over the long term, absolute GDP per capita has declined in several countries, but mortality rates of children under age five have improved for each. Regress in under-five mortality can be assessed in relative terms (such as comparison with half the median improvement). There is some evidence of growing divergence in the space of these mortalities. The paper uses some of these perspectives to analyze the nature of economic regress, to identify some experiences in that direction, to comment on their causal antecedents, and to indicate the necessity for going beyond the intercountry picture (despite the usefulness of that picture). The need to supplement detailed economic diagnoses (such as a shortage of investment) with broader investigations of the political economy of civil wars and military governments, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, emerges as one of the imperatives in this field.
TL;DR: The first Baffi Lecture at the Bank of Italy was given by the former Governor of Italy, Carlo Ciampi as mentioned in this paper, who described the man as "an extraordinary combination of penetrating logic, erudition and moral strength".
Abstract: I feel deeply honored and privileged to have the opportunity of giving the first Baffi Lecture at the Bank of Italy. Paolo Baffi was not only a distinguished banker and financial expert, he was also a remarkable economist and a visionary social thinker. He had outstanding technical expertise in many different fields, but combined his intellectual eminence with a profound sense of values. As Governor Ciampi put it at the general meeting of the Bank of Italy last May, Paolo Baffi represented “an extraordinary combination of penetrating logic, erudition and moral strength … [he was] not only a gifted student of economics, he had a deep-seated commitment to act for the common good.”1 In remembering Baffi today, we must keep in mind both his intellectual contributions and his general evaluative concerns.
TL;DR: Darwinian analysis of evolutionary progress provides an explanation of how evolution works, a notion of what is progress, and explanation of the way evolution brings about progress as mentioned in this paper, and the aim of this discussion is to probe items 2 and 3 and their application to selection and survival of institutions and behavior as well as species.
Abstract: Darwinian analysis of evolutionary progress provide 1) an explanation of how evolution works; 2) a notion of what is progress; and 3) an explanation of the way evolution brings about progress. The aim of this discussion is to probe items 2 and 3 and their application to selection and survival of institutions and behavior as well as species. Progress was viewed by Darwin as the movement toward the production of more beautiful and wonderful animals based on characteristics and features or genetic excellence rather than quality of life (an Aristotelian focus). Judgment is involved in evaluating quality of species or genotypes and quality of life. It is more germane from an environmentalist perspective to understand species selection in terms of human reasoning rather than the Darwinian "survival of the fittest" if the objective is to value all species. The criterion of fitness in evolution is ambiguous because survival is also dependent on the environment which might be more or less suitable and there are interdependencies in the competition for survival. "Why should success in reproduction and survival be the yardstick of achievement" and "Fitter than what?" Reproductive success can be 1) measured over time and 2) across alternative possibilities. Julian Huxley proposed the criterion of mechanical efficiency to identify progress over time; however a species that may survive better than another in a more "rigorous" environment might not do as well in a "less rigorous" one. Alternative possibilities is also problematic. Valuing a characteristic because it is relevant to survival may exclude characteristics valued for other reasons. Buddha as a reasoning man sought enlightenment and found misery and death; killing animals was deemed undesirable yet the natural order is species devouring species. Natural selection is also "careless of the single life" beyond reproduction. The eugenics movement advanced his ideas but neglected to recognize autonomy and freedom in preference to selective breeding. genetic manipulation vs. inactivity and spontaneity became the choices rather than adjusting the world to suit our needs. This dichotomy is limiting in a world that has "remediable deprivations." Darwin is needed only in moderation.
TL;DR: The idea of a tolerant India, tolerant of different religions (and of people who believe in none), which had been taken for granted since independence, has been severely damaged by extremist Hindu political groups as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: When, some months ago, 'The Idea of India' was agreed on as the title of my Nehru Lecture at Cambridge,l I had not imagined that the subject would be as topical as it, alas, has become since the terrible events of recent months. The idea of a secular India, tolerant of different religions (and of people who believe in none), which had been taken for granted since independence, has been severely damaged by extremist Hindu political groups. The present round of events began on December 6 with the destruction of a sixteenth-century mosque-the Babri Masjid-in the northem city of Ayodhya, by politically organised mobs of activist Hindus, who want to build a temple to Rama on that very spot. That outrageous event has been followed by communal violence and riots across the country, in which around two thousand people or more have perished-both Hindus and Muslims, but Muslim victims have far outnumbered Hindus. Some of the worst incidents have taken place in Bombay. In what is usually thought to be the premier city of India, a relatively small but thoroughly organised group of extremist Hindus went repeatedly on the rampage; the police frequently failed to protect Muslims under attack, and were often far more violent in dispersing Muslim mobs -than Hindu ones. It took quite some time for the nationwide condemnation that followed those events to move the government of India to take a tougher stand on law and order, and even now the determination of the government is far from clear. But on February 25 it did manage to prevent a huge and dangerous Hindu political demonstration in New Delhi, which could have easily brought communal riots to the nation's capital. Stopping the demonstration unfortunately involved suspending the civil right of free assembly. But in view of the highly provocative nature of the planned demonstration (for which Hindu activists had converged from across the country), and in view of the fact that the confrontation was managed by the police with no loss of life, the
Journal Article•
Posted Content•
[...]
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors address issues of defining and measuring the quality of life and discuss recent developments in the philosophical definition of well-being and link them to practical issues such as the delivery of health care, and the assessment of women's quality-of-life.
Abstract: This book addresses issues of defining and measuring the quality of life. Recent developments in the philosophical definition of well-being are discussed and linked to practical issues such as the delivery of health care, and the assessment of women's quality of life. Leading philosophers and economists have contributed to this volume to consider the problems the subject raises. This volume reflects the growing need for interdisciplinary work as economists become more sensitive to the importance of facing fundamental philosophical questions and of the importance of linking their theoretical enquiries to an understanding of complex practical problems.