Perspectives from the Happiness Literature and the Role of New Instruments for Policy Analysis

This discussion paper led to a publication in <A HREF="https://apps.webofknowledge.com/full_record.do?product=UA&search_mode=GeneralSearch&qid=1&SID=X2NBDLnsMJR3Goz6AkG&page=1&doc=7">'CESIFO ECONOMIC STUDIES'</A>, 2007, 53(1), 42-68.<P> After having been ignored for a long time by economists, happiness is becoming an object of serious research in 21st century economics. In Section 2 we sketch the present status of happiness economics. In Section 3 we consider the practical applicability of happiness economics, retaining the assumption of ordinal individual utilities. In Section 4 we introduce a cardinal utility concept, which seems to us the natural consequence of the happiness economics methodology. In Section 5 we sketch how this approach can lead to a normative approach to policy problems that is admissible from a positivist point of view. Section 6 concludes.