Human Capital and Human Flourishing

Abstract

Human capital is a central concept in the field of political economy. Human flourishing is an even more central possibility at the heart of studies of the human condition more generally. Human beings can be assets in a way. They can embody human capital with a prospect of generating a favorable return on investment. When might that be good for the people involved? When might being human capital contribute in a positive way to human flourishing? When might the relationship be vicious rather than virtuous, so that being human capital opens doors to exploitation rather than to flourishing?