William Davies Books
William Davies is a British sociologist, political economist, and writer. He is a professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, and his research focuses on the intersection of economics, psychology, and politics.
Known for: The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being
Books by William Davies
The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being
In this incisive work, political economist William Davies explores how the modern pursuit of happiness has been transformed into an instrument of social control and economic management. He traces the history of the 'science of happiness' from Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarian philosophy to contemporary corporate and governmental practices that commodify well-being. The book critically examines how psychological metrics and behavioral economics have been used to shape public policy and workplace culture, revealing the political and ethical implications of treating happiness as a measurable product.
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Historical Foundations
To comprehend the current obsession with measuring happiness, one must start with utilitarianism. Jeremy Bentham, writing in the late eighteenth century, proposed that the goal of society should be the greatest happiness of the greatest number. His innovation lay in thinking that pleasure and pain c...
From The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being
The Rise of Behavioral Measurement
The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw psychology and economics draw ever closer, each seeking to render human behavior predictable and controllable. Psychologists such as Wilhelm Wundt and later the behaviorists viewed emotions not as inner mysteries but as observable reactions, measurabl...
From The Happiness Industry: How the Government and Big Business Sold Us Well-Being
About William Davies
William Davies is a British sociologist, political economist, and writer. He is a professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, and his research focuses on the intersection of economics, psychology, and politics. Davies is known for his critical analyses of neoliberalism and the influence of behavi...
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William Davies is a British sociologist, political economist, and writer. He is a professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, and his research focuses on the intersection of economics, psychology, and politics. Davies is known for his critical analyses of neoliberalism and the influence of behavi...
William Davies is a British sociologist, political economist, and writer. He is a professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, and his research focuses on the intersection of economics, psychology, and politics. Davies is known for his critical analyses of neoliberalism and the influence of behavioral science on governance and business.
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William Davies is a British sociologist, political economist, and writer. He is a professor at Goldsmiths, University of London, and his research focuses on the intersection of economics, psychology, and politics.
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