“Happiness and Wealth”

Prof. Dominique Méda sharing information at the conference

The content of the conference was presented by Prof. Dominique Méda, Director of the Interdisciplinary Institute of Research in Social Sciences (IRISSO), President of the Veblen Institute, and a Professor of Sociology at Paris Dauphine University - PSL.

Prof. Dominique Méda is the author of about twenty publications, alone or in collaboration with other authors, specializing in the topics of labor, employment, social policy and ecological regeneration.

Nowadays, every country wants to increase their national income per capita. Many people believe that when there is an increase in per capita income, the happiness index will rise. National income and gross domestic product quickly come to be seen as symbols and equivalents of happiness and progress.

According to Prof. Dominique Méda, these concepts have been criticized. Gross domestic product per capita considers the production of wealth and services as the major criteria of happiness, but they just miss many other aspects of happiness; in particular, the overemphasis on income affects natural heritage, the earth and social cohesion.

Thus, Prof. Dominique Méda believes that it is time for us to change the indicators. It is not necessary to achieve high income by any means, but there should be a balance between development and protection of nature and source of life...