Social Value in Public Policy

This book considers the role of social value in the making and implementation of public policy taking into account how concepts such as subjective well-being (SWB) can be used to measure the expected impact of enacted policies. It argues that there is no evidence that markets have contributed to greater well-being and that moments of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic represent an opportunity to re-orientate policymaking and policy implementation away from those which favour markets and towards those which place subjective well-being at their core. Following this premise the author explores the elements that should be considered in a future society that prioritises social value.