Amartya Sen and the theory of capabilities: contributions to the comparative analysis of well-being from a critique of utilitarianism

Abstract

This study presents a theoretical analysis of Sen’s capability approach and a formalization of its fundamental elements, with the purpose of assessing and identifying its contributions to the analytical structure of welfare economics as a socially oriented
field directed toward praxis. In particular, it examines the approach’s contributions to the comparative problem that arises when evaluating welfare across individuals, a task that requires the consideration of fundamental ethical-philosophical concepts and cohe rent economic postulates. The analysis begins with a critical reflection on the utilitarian approach adopted by the traditional paradigm of welfare economics — and on its constitutive elements and derives the problem of making interpersonal welfare comparisons. Finally, the study identifies three contributions of Sen’s approach to the comparative problem: the expansion of the informational basis of welfare, the development of the concept of basic capabilities through the definition of thresholds, and the provision of a theoretical foundation for constructing multidimensional welfare indices.