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Paternalism Attitudes and the Happiness Value of Fundamental Freedoms

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  • Kai A. Konrad
  • Sven A. Simon

Abstract

The Governmental Paternalism Index is a new empirical index that measures individuals´ attitudes toward governmental regulation and prescriptions that aim at preventing potentially self-harming behavior. Our results indicate considerable heterogeneity in how individuals support, or object to, such governmental prescriptions. We design and use this new index in a survey on life satisfaction during the Covid-19 pandemic to assess how restrictions of personal freedoms a¤ect life satisfaction, and how the attitudes toward governmental paternalism a¤ect this relationship. Our results indicate that losses in life satisfaction in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic are mainly attributed to restrictions in personal freedom and to a negative outlook on societal change, and that individuals´ value in the Governmental Paternalism Index is a major determinant of the size of this e¤ect.

Suggested Citation

  • Kai A. Konrad & Sven A. Simon, 2021. "Paternalism Attitudes and the Happiness Value of Fundamental Freedoms," Working Papers tax-mpg-rps-2021-04, Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance.
    • Handle: RePEc:mpi:wpaper:tax-mpg-rps-2021-04
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    governmental regulation; Governmental Paternalism Index; self-harming behavior; life satisfaction; civil liberties;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H12 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Crisis Management
    • C90 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - General
    • K38 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Human Rights Law; Gender Law; Animal Rights Law

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