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Lebenszufriedenheit und ihre Verteilung in Deutschland: Eine Bestandsaufnahme

Author

Listed:
  • Gabriel Felbermayr
  • Michele Battisti
  • Jan-Philipp Suchta

Abstract

In Deutschland wird eine Debatte über die Dynamik der wirtschaftlichen Ungleichheit, über ihre Folgen und über die Frage, wie die Ungleichheit – so sie für zu hoch befunden wird – abgesenkt werden soll, geführt. Dabei steht meist die Einkommensungleichheit im Mittelpunkt. Diese ist gut definiert, sie lässt sich messen, und sie ist der zentrale Treiber hinter der Vermögensungleichheit. Dennoch verkürzt der Blick auf das Einkommen allein die Pers­pektive. Der Beitrag analysiert, wie die Lebenszufriedenheit in Deutschland verteilt ist. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Lebenszufriedenheit seit 2005 in den meisten soziodemographischen Gruppen angestiegen und dass die Ungleichverteilung der Lebenszufriedenheit seit 2005 sehr deutlich gesunken ist. Der Rückgang der Erwerbslosigkeit ist sowohl auf individueller als auch auf allgemeiner Ebene der wichtigste Treiber dieser Dynamik.

Suggested Citation

  • Gabriel Felbermayr & Michele Battisti & Jan-Philipp Suchta, 2017. "Lebenszufriedenheit und ihre Verteilung in Deutschland: Eine Bestandsaufnahme," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 70(09), pages 19-30, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ifosdt:v:70:y:2017:i:09:p:19-30
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Gabriel Felbermayr & Michele Battisti & Sybille Lehwald, 2016. "Einkommensungleichheit in Deutschland, Teil 1: Gibt es eine Trendumkehr?," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 69(13), pages 28-37, July.
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    2. Christopher Arnold & Beate Muschalla, 2025. "Differential Life Satisfaction in a German Representative Sample," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(1), pages 1-14, January.
    3. Ronnie Schöb, 2017. "Ungleichheit und Zufriedenheit – Anmerkungen zur Ungleichheitsdebatte," ifo Dresden berichtet, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 24(04), pages 32-35, August.
    4. Lisa Windsteiger & Michael Ahlheim & Kai A. Konrad, 2022. "Curtailment of Civil Liberties and Subjective Life Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 2157-2170, June.
    5. Michael Ahlheim & Stefan Bruckmeyer & Kai A. Konrad & Lisa Windsteiger, 2020. "Verlorenes Glück — Zufriedenheitsverluste in der Corona-Krise [Lost Happiness — Loss of Life Satisfaction in the Corona Crisis]," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 100(8), pages 586-590, August.

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    JEL classification:

    • C44 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Operations Research; Statistical Decision Theory
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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