Podcast: What Would an Economy Based on Wellbeing Look Like?

In last week’s episode Upstream explored the theme of economic inequality and looked at how neoliberal policies have impacted many communities, including Frome. This week’s episode asks the following question: How can towns and communities around the world begin to make wellbeing and happiness the ultimate goal of their economy?

Upstream takes a look at a number of different examples — from the municipal to the national scale — of communities that are already answering this question. From Bristol’s Happy City Index, to Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness development philosophy, there are many inspiring and informative examples of communities that are successfully redefining what the goal of their economic system is.

How could communities like Frome begin to adopt wellbeing strategies that help further the initiatives that were discussed in episode one and bridge the divides discussed in episode two? There’s no simple solution, but this episode explores some of the possibilities and presents some strategies that could provide answers to this most important of questions.

This is the third in a 3-part documentary series by Upstream exploring the intersections of new economics, class division, and wellbeing. You can listen to the first episode here: How Residents of Frome, UK Took Governance and the Local Economy into their Own Hands, and the second episode here: A view of Global Economic Inequalities from the English Town of Frome.

 

A View of Global Economic Inequalities from the English Town of Frome

Upstream is an interview and documentary series that invites you to unlearn everything you thought you knew about economics. Weaving together interviews, field-recordings, rich sound-design, and great music, each episode of Upstream will take you on a journey exploring a theme or story within the broad world of economics. So tune in, because the revolution will be podcasted.

For more from Upstream, subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher Radio. You can also follow Upstream on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get daily updates.

Header art by Bethan Mure.

This post was originally published by Shareable.

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