This chapter aims at presenting the recent historical evolution of some of the theoretical concepts which underpinned the debate over the need to go ‘beyond GDP’. We primarily focus on the approaches of multidimensionality and basic needs, utilitarianism and subjective well-being, and capabilities. We also present the methodological debate on aggregation, since the need to aggregate measures of the different domains of well-being is a constant issue which has never found a satisfactory answer on either the opportunity to aggregate or the best method to be used. Two sections are then dedicated specifically to the measurement of inequalities and sustainability, fundamental elements of well-being and development posing measurement problems which are addressed in a number of ways. In particular, the issue of sustainability, which originally only considered the respect of ecological boundaries, raises formidable problems when extended to social aspects. Such problems are still in need of satisfactory solutions and therefore remain among the research issues lying ahead.

本章旨在介绍一些理论概念的最新历史演变，这些概念支撑了关于“超越GDP”的争论。我们主要关注多维性和基本需求、功利主义和主观幸福感以及能力的方法。我们还提出了关于汇总的方法论辩论，因为需要汇总不同福利领域的衡量标准是一个长期存在的问题，无论是在汇总的机会上还是在使用的最佳方法上都没有找到令人满意的答案。然后，有两个部分专门讨论不平等和可持续性的衡量，福利和发展的基本要素提出了衡量问题，这些问题以多种方式加以解决。特别是，可持续性问题，最初只考虑生态边界的问题，当扩展到社会方面时，会产生令人生畏的问题。这些问题仍然需要令人满意的解决办法，因此仍然是摆在面前的研究问题之一。