Extrinsic Goals Benefit Capitalism but Not Well-being. Rethinking the Economy's Goal for a Healthier Future

Overview

Journal Health Promot Int

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Public Health

Date 2024 Sep 25

PMID 39322425

Authors

Robert J Noonan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The dramatic rise in non-communicable diseases around the world but notably in high-income countries like the UK is a manifestation of a global economic system-capitalism-that prioritizes wealth over health. A decade ago, the former WHO Director-General, Margaret Chan highlighted how 'efforts to prevent non-communicable diseases go against the business interests of powerful economic operators' [United Nations. (2013) Take Action for the Sustainable Development Goals. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/ (last accessed 16 February 2024)]. While there is a growing literature on how politics and economics influence population health-for better or worse-less attention has been given to exploring how economic systems like capitalism influence people's psychological well-being. To fill this gap, the following article examines how the continued pursuit of economic growth under capitalism (neoliberal free-market forms especially) impacts well-being through challenging basic psychological needs for security, autonomy, competence and relatedness. In doing so, I hope to shed important light on the sources and possible solutions to our growing health and social problems, and stimulate a conversation on how to achieve a healthier future for us all.

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