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Paternalism attitudes and the happiness value of fundamental freedoms

Author

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  • Kai A. Konrad

    (Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance)

  • Sven A. Simon

    (Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance)

Abstract

Governmental regulations and prohibitions may effectively reduce self-harming behavior, but might also restrict personal freedom rights. This paper investigates into individuals’ preferences for the trade-off between being protected from taking self-harming actions by the state, and the desire to be free to choose. We introduce the Paternalism Preference Index to measure this preference. Our results indicate considerable heterogeneity in how individuals support, or object to, such governmental prescriptions. More importantly, we show the importance of the paternalism preference in a survey on life satisfaction during the Covid-19 pandemic. We find a reversed relationship between the preference for paternalistic state interventions and the valuation of personal freedoms. Individuals who prefer to have a larger choice set at the expense of committing potentially self-harming actions derive a higher value from personal freedoms in terms of life satisfaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Kai A. Konrad & Sven A. Simon, 2025. "Paternalism attitudes and the happiness value of fundamental freedoms," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 23-56, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ecogov:v:26:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10101-024-00322-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10101-024-00322-y
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Paternalism preferences; Paternalism Preference Index; Governmental regulation; 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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