In particular they argue their MEW shows that maximizing economic growth is still a reasonable policy, but it is not that claim which I wish to consider here. I want instead to discuss some of the issues of quantifying values or quality of life. A few examples will make this clear.
Wages paid are very similar and jobs performed are virtually identical.
Yet leisure time has far different value to the employees in Birmingham from what it has to the employees in Portland. Portland employees generally refuse to work any overtime at all. People have a desire to use their weekends in Portland in ways that the people of Birmingham do not seem as concerned about. The value of leisure time, if quantified, would have to reflect a difference in Birmingham and Portland, even though the same money paid to workers in Birmingham and workers in Portland buys roughly the same products and services. The same would be true of any particular weekend in either city.