Ebook: The political economy of human happiness: how voters' choices determine the quality of life

Acknowledgments; Introduction; The Plan of the Book; A Preview of Findings and Conclusions; 1 The Democratic Pursuit of Happiness; The Birth of Modern Ideologies; James Madison and the Conservative Impulse; Jefferson, Paine, and the Dawn of the Left; A Revolution Deferred; 2 Market Democracy; Civilization, Surplus, and Social Class; Liberal Democracy and the Market Society; The Democratic Class Struggle; The Welfare State; Social Rights and Market Regulation; Conclusion; 3 Citizens or Market Participants?; In Defense of the Market; The Grand Argument for the Market Economy.;"This book is devoted to applying the data, methods, and theories of contemporary social science to the question of how political outcomes in democratic societies determine the quality of life that citizens experience. Benjamin Radcliff seeks to provide an objective answer to the perennial debate between Left and Right over what public policies best contribute to human beings leading positive and rewarding lives. The book thus offers an empirical answer to this perpetual question, relying on the same canons of reason and evidence required of any other issue amenable to study through social-scientific means. The analysis focuses on the consequences of three specific political issues: the welfare state and the general size of government, labor organization, and state efforts to protect workers and consumers through economic regulation. The results indicate that in each instance, the program of the Left best contributes to citizens leading more satisfying lives, and, critically, that the benefits of greater happiness accrue to everyone in society, rich and poor alike"--