Lesson 4: Does wealth equal wellbeing

Learning Intentions (What you need to know and be able to do)!•Examine and compare different concepts of human wellbeing •Identifying and evaluate different ways of measuring wellbeing, for

example, per capita income or the UN Human Development Index, and applying them to investigate spatial variations in human wellbeing and comparing the results from different measures

Make a list of 10 indicators that you think would give an accurate measure of a teenager’s happiness in their country of residence.

Multiple component index!

A combination of many indicators will create a more accurate picture of the level of wellbeing in a particular place.

Human Development Index (HDI)

These measures do not recognise some of the greatest environmental, social and humanitarian challenges of the twenty-first century, such as pollution or stress levels.

Criticism of the HDI

Happy Planet Index

Gross National Happiness