Well-being is a concept central to this explanation of the Kerala phenomena.  A dictionary defines well-being as "a good or satisfactory condition of existence; a state characterized by health, happiness, and prosperity; welfare". In the low income Indian context of this analysis, the higher income implied in the words prosperity and welfare must be set aside. Following the lead of two authorities (Dodds, Ger) we exclude income from our definition of well-being.

The other contents of the dictionary definition of well-being remain intact. Within this restricted study, however, we have a need for specific and widely accepted measurements. We find such measurements in infant mortality rate, life expectancy, educational attainment, and total fertility rate.

Our operational definition within this analysis (securely within the dictionary definition exclusive of income) is a the package of closely associated measures of human behaviours: infant mortality rate, life expectancy, educational attainment, and total fertility rate. This definition is also framed by our understanding of human behavior as a part of human sustainability.

(Directory)  March 20, 2000