Abstract :
Economistswithafewexceptionshaveautomaticallyassumedthattheimportant
measureofwell-beingisincome.Incontrast,economichistorianshavebroadenedthe
measureofwell-beingwithparticularinterestinmortality,morbidity,nutrition,
educationandleisure.Whenonetakesthisbroaderviewofthestandardofliving,there
appearstobeastrongtrendtowardmoreequalityinthedistributionofwell-beingsince
theindustrialrevolution.
Gini coefficientscalculatedforthedistributionsoflifespanandeducational
attainmenthavedeclineddramaticallysincethemid-nineteenthcenturyfortheUnited
States.Mortalityandeducationaldifferentialshavealsodeclined.Inequalityofleisure
time andconsumption,thoughnotasconsistentlymeasured,alsoshowtrendstoward
equalityoverthetwentiethcentury.
Thesetrendstowardequalityinwell-beingasmeasuredbyindicatorsotherthan
incomeandwealthseemtobegeneratedbyprovisionofpublicgoods,natural
boundariestolifespan,educationalattainmentandleisure,andbythegrowthinmean
per capitaincome.Thedivergenttrendsinthedistributionsofincomeandtheother
measuresofwell-beingcautionagainstrelianceonthedistributionofincometo
interpret trendsininequality
