Advancing a Capability Approach to Work as a Central Dimension of Human Development

Abstract

Based on Capability Approach, this article proposes a framework centred around work capability which refers to a set of working activities that are feasible for an individual to achieve. In this framework, work capability is a fundamental freedom because work is both a means for survival and an end in itself. However, employees’ work capability reduces when they sell labour power for wages. This loss is a deficit in human development but is ignored in the current evaluation of human development. The article suggests adding work capability in measuring human development. In this framework, work capability is operationalized with work opportunity (freedom in getting a job) and work autonomy (freedom in the labour process). The article emphasizes that work capability directly and indirectly contributes to human development. The importance of work capability in shaping human development raises the emergent need for solutions for enhancing people’s work capability.

Keywords:

• work capability
• human development
• capability approach
• work autonomy
• work opportunity
• intrinsic freedom

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dai Duc Duong

Dai Duc Duong is Lecturer of Political Economy at Faculty of Political Science, Foreign Trade University, Hanoi, Vietnam. His research focuses on human development, work capability, labour process, alienation of labour, inequality, poverty, rural livelihoods. His recent article is Human development and alienation in the context of economic crisis in Vietnam (Capital&Class, 2017).

Anh Van Pham

Anh Van Pham ([email protected]) is Lecturer of Laws at Faculty of Social Sciences, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi, Vietnam. Her main research has been on consumer protection, business law, international law. Her MA thesis at School of Laws, University of Missouri-Kansas City is Future for Product safety standards in ASEAN (2017).