เศรษฐศาสตร์ว่าด้วยความทุกข์
Abstract
The presumption in economics of utility (or happiness) maximization of a typical individual under the budget constraint provides a motivation for the author to review literature on the subject of economics and happiness. The author then offers an alternative approach for looking at the issue. Following the Bhuddist teaching which focuses on explaining human’s suffering or misery the author looks at the major economic problems for Thailand that cause misery which are poverty, inflation and unemployment. By using the data during 1983-2007, the study finds that economic growth seems to have contributed to reducing poverty and there appears to be a trade-off between inflation rate and unemployment rate as found in the estimated Phillips curve. The author offers several observations on the inflation targeting framework used by the Bank of Thailand since 2000 and cautions against the use of increase in interest rates to fight inflation regardless of its cause. By doing so, the monetary authority may cause a slowdown in economic activity and increase unemployment. This will likely cause more misery to Thai workers than inflation because Thailand does not have as good a system of welfare and social
security as in developed countries.
References
1. ธนาคารแห่งประเทศไทย รายงานแนวโน้มเงินเฟ้อ รายไตรมาส, พ.ศ. 2543 – 2550.
2. ปราณี ทินกร (2536) “การเติบโต การกระจายรายได้ และความยากจนในประเทศไทย” วารสารสมาคมเศรษฐศาสตร์ ปีที่ 3 ฉบับที่ 11, หน้า 44-49.
3. ปราณี ทินกร (2545) “ความเหลื่อมล้ำของการกระจายรายได้ในช่วงสี่ทศวรรษของการพัฒนาประเทศ : 2504-2544” บทความเสนอในการสัมมนาวิชาการประจำปีคณะเศรษฐศาสตร์
4. มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ และตีพิมพ์ในวารสารเศรษฐศาสตร์ธรรมศาสตร์ ปีที่ 20 ฉบับที่ 2-3 มิถุนายน-กันยายน, หน้า 141-208.
5. ปราณี ทินกร (2550) นโยบายการคลังเพื่อสังคมและสุขภาวะ : มาตรการเพื่อคนยากจนและด้อยโอกาส จัดพิมพ์และเผยแพร่โดย มูลนิธิสาธารณสุขแห่งชาติ
6. พุทธทาสภิกขุ คู่มือมนุษย์ฉบับสมบูรณ์ สำนักพิมพ์สุขภาพใจ พิมพ์ครั้งที่ 4 2547.
7. เมธี ครองแก้ว และปราณี ทินกร (2528) “สภาวะความยากจนและการกระจายรายได้ในประเทศไทย ปี 2518/19 และ 2524” วารสารเศรษฐศาสตร์ธรรมศาสตร์ ปีที่ 3 ฉบับที่ 4, หน้า 55-99.
8. รังสรรค์ ธนะพรพันธุ์ (2543) “Inflation Targeting” คอลัมน์ “เศรษฐทรรศน์เจ้าพระยา” ผู้จัดการรายเดือน ฉบับเดือนมีนาคม.
9. เรือนธรรม (เรียบเรียง) คลายทุกข์ด้วยวิถีแห่งพุทธ สำนักพิมพ์ร่วมด้วยช่วยกัน 2550.
10. เรือนธรรม (เรียบเรียง) ทางสายกลาง วิถีพุทธสู่การดับทุกข์ วาระ 90 ปี ปัญญานันทภิขุ สำนักพิมพ์ร่วมด้วยช่วยกัน พิมพ์ครั้งที่ 4 2550.
11. Akerlof, G., W. Dickens, and G. Perry (1996) The Macroeconomics of Low Inflation. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity.
12. Asher, M.A., Defina, R.H., and Thanawala, K. (1993) “The Misery Index: Only Part of the Story” Challenge, March-April.
13. Barro, R. (1997). Determinants of Economic Growth, Cambridge, MIT Press.
14. Bernanke, B.S. (2003). “A Perspective on Inflation Targeting.” Remarks by Governor Ben S. Bernanke at the Annual Washington Policy Conference of the National Association of
15. Business Economists, Washington, D.C. March 25, 2003.
16. Berg, C. and Lars, J. (1998). “Pioneering Price Level Targeting: The Swedish Experience 1931-1937.” SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Economics and Finance No.290 December.
17. Bhanthumnavin, K. (2002). “The Phillips Curve in Thailand.” Paper presented at the Gorman Workshop Series, Department of Economics, University of Oxford. (Online at www.ecomod.net/conferences/ecomod2002/papers/bhantumnavin.pdf).
18. Blanchflower, D.G. and Oswald, A.J. (2004). “Money, sex and happiness: An crupirical study.” Scanelinavian Journal of Economics : 106(3), 303-415.
19. Borooah, Vani K. (2006). “How much happiness is there in the world? A Cross-country study.” Applied Economics Letters; 2006, 13, p.483-488.
20. Bruni, L. and Porta, P.L. (editors, 2007). Handbook on the Economics of Happiness. Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, U.K., and Northampton, MA. USA.
21. Bruno, M. and W. Easterly (1996). “Inflation and Growth: In Search of a Stable Relationship.” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review, 78(3): 139-46.
22. Clark, A.E. Oswald (1994). “Unhappiness and Unemployment.” Economic Journal, 104(424), May, 648-59.
23. Di Tella, R., MacCulloch, R.J. and Oswald, A.J. (2001). “Peferences over Inflation and Unemployment: Evidence from Suverys of Happliness.” American Economic Review, Vol.91, No.1, March, 335-341.
24. Dolan, P., Peasgood, T and White, M. (2008). “Do we really know what makes us happy? A review of the economic literature on the factor associated with subjective well-being.” Journal of Economic Psychology, 29 (2008), 94-122.
25. Dynan, K.E. and Ravina, E. (2007). “Increasing Income Inequality, External Habits, and Self-Reported Happiness.” American Economic Review, Vol.97, Issue 2, May, 226-231.
26. Easterlin, R.A. (1974). “Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? Some Empirical Evidence” in P.A. David and M.W. Reder (eds.), Nations and Households in Economic Growth: Essays in Honor of Moses Abramovitz, New York and London, Academic Press, 89-125.
27. Easterlin, R.A. (1987). Birth and Fortune: The Impact of Numbers on Personal Welfare second edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
28. Easterlin, R.A. (1995). “Will Raising the Incomes of All Increase the Happiness of All?” Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 27, 35-47.
29. Easterlin, R.A. (2001). “Income and Happiness: Towards a Unified Theory.” Economic Journal, Vol.111, No.473, July, 465-484.
30. Easterlin, R.A. (editor, 2002). Happiness in Economics. Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, U.K., and Northampton, MA. USA.
31. Easterlin, R.A. (2003). “Explaining Happiness.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol.100, No.19, Sep, 11176-11183.
32. Easterlin, R.A. (2006). “Life cycle happiness and its sources: Intersection of psychology, economics, and demograply.” Journal of Economic Psychology 27. (2006), 463-482.
33. Fischer, S. (1993) “The Role of Macroeconomics Factors in Growth” Journal of Monetary Economics 32:485-512.
34. Friedman, B.M. (2002). “The Use and Meaning of Words in Central Banking: Inflation Targeting, Credibility and Transparency” National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 8972.
35. Friedman, B.M. (2004). “Why the Federal Reserve Should Not Adopt Inflation Targeting” International Finance 7:1, 129-136.
36. Frey, B.S. and Stutzer, A. (2000). “Happiness, Economy and Institution.” Economic Journal, Vol.110, No.466, Oct., 918-938.
37. Frey, B.S. and Stutzer, A. (2002). “What Can Economists Learn from Happiness Research?” Journal of Economic Literature, Vol.40, No.2, June, 402-435.
38. Frey, B.S. and Stutzer, A. (2002). Happiness and Economics. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford.
39. Frey, R.T. Macroeconomics: Theories and Policies (eighth edition) Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
40. Graham, C. (2005). “The Economics of Happiness: Insights on globalization from a novel approach” World Economics, Vol.6, No.3, July-September.
41. Graham, C. and Pettinato, S. (2002). “Happiness and Hardshep; Opportunity and Insecurity in New Market Economics.” The Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.
42. IMF (2006). “Inflation Targeting and the IMF” Report prepared by Monetary and Financial Systems Department, Policy and Development Review Department and Research Department.
43. Krongkaew, M., Tinakorn, P and Supachalasai, S. (1992) “Rural Poverty in Thailand: Policy Issues and Responses.” Asian Development Review, Vol.10, No.1, 199-225.
44. Lane, R.E. (2000). The Loss of Happiness in Market Democracies. Yale University Press, New Haven and London.
45. Malinov, M.J. and Sommers, P.M. (1997). “A New Line on the Phillips Curve.” Social Science Quarterly 78(3): 740-746.
46. Morawetz, D., Atia, E., Bin-Nun, G., Felous, L., Gariplerden, Y., Soustiel, S., Tombros, G. and Zarfaty, Y. (1977), “Income Distribution and Self-Rated Happiness: Some Empirical Evidence.” Economic Journal, Vol.87, No.347, Sep., 511-522.
47. Nordhaus, W. (1989). “Alternative Approach to the Political Business Cycle.” Brookings Papers on Economic Activity Vol.1989, No.2.
48. Ovaska, T., and Takashima, R. (2006). “Economic Policy and the Level of Self-Perceived Well-Being: An International Comparison.” Journal of Socio-Economics 35, 308-325.
49. Peturson, T.G. (2004). “Formulation of Inflation Targeting Around the World” Monetary Bulletin 2004/1, 57-84.
50. Phillips, A.W. (1958). “The Relation between Unemployment and the Rate of Change of Money Wages in the United Kingdom, 1861-1957” Economica, November, 285-299.
51. Sabater, E.R., Krongkaew, M. and Tinakorn, P. (1985). “Thailand Poverty Review” Research Report Prepared for the World Bank’s Country Program Department, East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, Washington, D.C.
52. Stiglitz, J.E. (1998a). “Central Banking in a Democratic Society.” De Economist 146, No.2, 199-226.
53. Stiglitz, J.E. (1998b). “More Instruments and Broader Goals: Moving Toward the Post-Washington Consensus.” UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research, WIDER Annual Lectures 2.
54. Sussangkarn, C., Tinakorn, P. and Chongpeerapien (1988). “The Tax Structure in Thailand and Its Distributional Implication.” TDRI Research report presented at the 1988 TDRI Year- End Conference.
55. Tang, C.F. (2007). “Is the Phillips Curve Stable for Malaysia? New Empirical Evidence.” Malaysian Journal of Economic Studies, December.
56. Temin, , P. (1989). Lessons from the Great Depression (The Lionel Robbins Lectures for 1989). The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, and London.
57. Tinakorn, P. (1995). “Industrialization and Welfare: How Poverty and Income Distribution are Affected.” In Medhi Krongkaew (ed.) Thailand’s Industrialization and Its Consequence, St. Martin Press, 1995.
58. Tinakorn, P. (2006). “Indicators and Analysis of Vulnerability to Currency Crisis” Research Report under the Project EADN Regional Project on Indicators and Analysis of Vulnerabilities to Economic Crises, publishied in Klein, L.R. and S. Tayyeb (eds.) Recent Financial Crises: Analysis, Challenges and Implications. Edward Elgar Publishing Inc., 69-117.
2. ปราณี ทินกร (2536) “การเติบโต การกระจายรายได้ และความยากจนในประเทศไทย” วารสารสมาคมเศรษฐศาสตร์ ปีที่ 3 ฉบับที่ 11, หน้า 44-49.
3. ปราณี ทินกร (2545) “ความเหลื่อมล้ำของการกระจายรายได้ในช่วงสี่ทศวรรษของการพัฒนาประเทศ : 2504-2544” บทความเสนอในการสัมมนาวิชาการประจำปีคณะเศรษฐศาสตร์
4. มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ และตีพิมพ์ในวารสารเศรษฐศาสตร์ธรรมศาสตร์ ปีที่ 20 ฉบับที่ 2-3 มิถุนายน-กันยายน, หน้า 141-208.
5. ปราณี ทินกร (2550) นโยบายการคลังเพื่อสังคมและสุขภาวะ : มาตรการเพื่อคนยากจนและด้อยโอกาส จัดพิมพ์และเผยแพร่โดย มูลนิธิสาธารณสุขแห่งชาติ
6. พุทธทาสภิกขุ คู่มือมนุษย์ฉบับสมบูรณ์ สำนักพิมพ์สุขภาพใจ พิมพ์ครั้งที่ 4 2547.
7. เมธี ครองแก้ว และปราณี ทินกร (2528) “สภาวะความยากจนและการกระจายรายได้ในประเทศไทย ปี 2518/19 และ 2524” วารสารเศรษฐศาสตร์ธรรมศาสตร์ ปีที่ 3 ฉบับที่ 4, หน้า 55-99.
8. รังสรรค์ ธนะพรพันธุ์ (2543) “Inflation Targeting” คอลัมน์ “เศรษฐทรรศน์เจ้าพระยา” ผู้จัดการรายเดือน ฉบับเดือนมีนาคม.
9. เรือนธรรม (เรียบเรียง) คลายทุกข์ด้วยวิถีแห่งพุทธ สำนักพิมพ์ร่วมด้วยช่วยกัน 2550.
10. เรือนธรรม (เรียบเรียง) ทางสายกลาง วิถีพุทธสู่การดับทุกข์ วาระ 90 ปี ปัญญานันทภิขุ สำนักพิมพ์ร่วมด้วยช่วยกัน พิมพ์ครั้งที่ 4 2550.
11. Akerlof, G., W. Dickens, and G. Perry (1996) The Macroeconomics of Low Inflation. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity.
12. Asher, M.A., Defina, R.H., and Thanawala, K. (1993) “The Misery Index: Only Part of the Story” Challenge, March-April.
13. Barro, R. (1997). Determinants of Economic Growth, Cambridge, MIT Press.
14. Bernanke, B.S. (2003). “A Perspective on Inflation Targeting.” Remarks by Governor Ben S. Bernanke at the Annual Washington Policy Conference of the National Association of
15. Business Economists, Washington, D.C. March 25, 2003.
16. Berg, C. and Lars, J. (1998). “Pioneering Price Level Targeting: The Swedish Experience 1931-1937.” SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Economics and Finance No.290 December.
17. Bhanthumnavin, K. (2002). “The Phillips Curve in Thailand.” Paper presented at the Gorman Workshop Series, Department of Economics, University of Oxford. (Online at www.ecomod.net/conferences/ecomod2002/papers/bhantumnavin.pdf).
18. Blanchflower, D.G. and Oswald, A.J. (2004). “Money, sex and happiness: An crupirical study.” Scanelinavian Journal of Economics : 106(3), 303-415.
19. Borooah, Vani K. (2006). “How much happiness is there in the world? A Cross-country study.” Applied Economics Letters; 2006, 13, p.483-488.
20. Bruni, L. and Porta, P.L. (editors, 2007). Handbook on the Economics of Happiness. Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, U.K., and Northampton, MA. USA.
21. Bruno, M. and W. Easterly (1996). “Inflation and Growth: In Search of a Stable Relationship.” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review, 78(3): 139-46.
22. Clark, A.E. Oswald (1994). “Unhappiness and Unemployment.” Economic Journal, 104(424), May, 648-59.
23. Di Tella, R., MacCulloch, R.J. and Oswald, A.J. (2001). “Peferences over Inflation and Unemployment: Evidence from Suverys of Happliness.” American Economic Review, Vol.91, No.1, March, 335-341.
24. Dolan, P., Peasgood, T and White, M. (2008). “Do we really know what makes us happy? A review of the economic literature on the factor associated with subjective well-being.” Journal of Economic Psychology, 29 (2008), 94-122.
25. Dynan, K.E. and Ravina, E. (2007). “Increasing Income Inequality, External Habits, and Self-Reported Happiness.” American Economic Review, Vol.97, Issue 2, May, 226-231.
26. Easterlin, R.A. (1974). “Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? Some Empirical Evidence” in P.A. David and M.W. Reder (eds.), Nations and Households in Economic Growth: Essays in Honor of Moses Abramovitz, New York and London, Academic Press, 89-125.
27. Easterlin, R.A. (1987). Birth and Fortune: The Impact of Numbers on Personal Welfare second edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
28. Easterlin, R.A. (1995). “Will Raising the Incomes of All Increase the Happiness of All?” Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 27, 35-47.
29. Easterlin, R.A. (2001). “Income and Happiness: Towards a Unified Theory.” Economic Journal, Vol.111, No.473, July, 465-484.
30. Easterlin, R.A. (editor, 2002). Happiness in Economics. Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, U.K., and Northampton, MA. USA.
31. Easterlin, R.A. (2003). “Explaining Happiness.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol.100, No.19, Sep, 11176-11183.
32. Easterlin, R.A. (2006). “Life cycle happiness and its sources: Intersection of psychology, economics, and demograply.” Journal of Economic Psychology 27. (2006), 463-482.
33. Fischer, S. (1993) “The Role of Macroeconomics Factors in Growth” Journal of Monetary Economics 32:485-512.
34. Friedman, B.M. (2002). “The Use and Meaning of Words in Central Banking: Inflation Targeting, Credibility and Transparency” National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 8972.
35. Friedman, B.M. (2004). “Why the Federal Reserve Should Not Adopt Inflation Targeting” International Finance 7:1, 129-136.
36. Frey, B.S. and Stutzer, A. (2000). “Happiness, Economy and Institution.” Economic Journal, Vol.110, No.466, Oct., 918-938.
37. Frey, B.S. and Stutzer, A. (2002). “What Can Economists Learn from Happiness Research?” Journal of Economic Literature, Vol.40, No.2, June, 402-435.
38. Frey, B.S. and Stutzer, A. (2002). Happiness and Economics. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford.
39. Frey, R.T. Macroeconomics: Theories and Policies (eighth edition) Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
40. Graham, C. (2005). “The Economics of Happiness: Insights on globalization from a novel approach” World Economics, Vol.6, No.3, July-September.
41. Graham, C. and Pettinato, S. (2002). “Happiness and Hardshep; Opportunity and Insecurity in New Market Economics.” The Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C.
42. IMF (2006). “Inflation Targeting and the IMF” Report prepared by Monetary and Financial Systems Department, Policy and Development Review Department and Research Department.
43. Krongkaew, M., Tinakorn, P and Supachalasai, S. (1992) “Rural Poverty in Thailand: Policy Issues and Responses.” Asian Development Review, Vol.10, No.1, 199-225.
44. Lane, R.E. (2000). The Loss of Happiness in Market Democracies. Yale University Press, New Haven and London.
45. Malinov, M.J. and Sommers, P.M. (1997). “A New Line on the Phillips Curve.” Social Science Quarterly 78(3): 740-746.
46. Morawetz, D., Atia, E., Bin-Nun, G., Felous, L., Gariplerden, Y., Soustiel, S., Tombros, G. and Zarfaty, Y. (1977), “Income Distribution and Self-Rated Happiness: Some Empirical Evidence.” Economic Journal, Vol.87, No.347, Sep., 511-522.
47. Nordhaus, W. (1989). “Alternative Approach to the Political Business Cycle.” Brookings Papers on Economic Activity Vol.1989, No.2.
48. Ovaska, T., and Takashima, R. (2006). “Economic Policy and the Level of Self-Perceived Well-Being: An International Comparison.” Journal of Socio-Economics 35, 308-325.
49. Peturson, T.G. (2004). “Formulation of Inflation Targeting Around the World” Monetary Bulletin 2004/1, 57-84.
50. Phillips, A.W. (1958). “The Relation between Unemployment and the Rate of Change of Money Wages in the United Kingdom, 1861-1957” Economica, November, 285-299.
51. Sabater, E.R., Krongkaew, M. and Tinakorn, P. (1985). “Thailand Poverty Review” Research Report Prepared for the World Bank’s Country Program Department, East Asia and Pacific Regional Office, Washington, D.C.
52. Stiglitz, J.E. (1998a). “Central Banking in a Democratic Society.” De Economist 146, No.2, 199-226.
53. Stiglitz, J.E. (1998b). “More Instruments and Broader Goals: Moving Toward the Post-Washington Consensus.” UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research, WIDER Annual Lectures 2.
54. Sussangkarn, C., Tinakorn, P. and Chongpeerapien (1988). “The Tax Structure in Thailand and Its Distributional Implication.” TDRI Research report presented at the 1988 TDRI Year- End Conference.
55. Tang, C.F. (2007). “Is the Phillips Curve Stable for Malaysia? New Empirical Evidence.” Malaysian Journal of Economic Studies, December.
56. Temin, , P. (1989). Lessons from the Great Depression (The Lionel Robbins Lectures for 1989). The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, and London.
57. Tinakorn, P. (1995). “Industrialization and Welfare: How Poverty and Income Distribution are Affected.” In Medhi Krongkaew (ed.) Thailand’s Industrialization and Its Consequence, St. Martin Press, 1995.
58. Tinakorn, P. (2006). “Indicators and Analysis of Vulnerability to Currency Crisis” Research Report under the Project EADN Regional Project on Indicators and Analysis of Vulnerabilities to Economic Crises, publishied in Klein, L.R. and S. Tayyeb (eds.) Recent Financial Crises: Analysis, Challenges and Implications. Edward Elgar Publishing Inc., 69-117.
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2018-07-25
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ทินกร ป. (2018). เศรษฐศาสตร์ว่าด้วยความทุกข์. Thailand and The World Economy, 26(4), 103–178. Retrieved from https://so05.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/TER/article/view/136602
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