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Money, Trust and Happiness in Transition Countries: Evidence from Time Series

Author

Listed:
  • Stefano Bartolini

    (University of Siena)

  • Małgorzata Mikucka

    (Université catholique de Louvain
    National University Higher School of Economics - Laboratory for Comparative Social Research)

  • Francesco Sarracino

    (National University Higher School of Economics - Laboratory for Comparative Social Research
    Institut national de la statistique et des ètudes èconomiques du Grand-Duchè du Luxembourg (STATEC)
    GESIS Leibniz Institute for Social Sciences)

Abstract

Trends of subjective well-being (SWB) in transition countries are peculiar: they show substantial changes that are more strongly correlated with the trends of GDP than in other developed countries. This paper examines the role of the trends of GDP and of social trust in predicting the trends of well-being. We find that the strength of the relationship between social trust and SWB over the medium-term is comparable to that of GDP. We conclude that in the medium-term, even in countries where material concerns strongly affect well-being, social trust is a powerful predictor of the trends of SWB. However, in the short run the relationship between social trust and SWB does not hold and GDP stands out as the only significant correlate of SWB.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefano Bartolini & Małgorzata Mikucka & Francesco Sarracino, 2017. "Money, Trust and Happiness in Transition Countries: Evidence from Time Series," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 130(1), pages 87-106, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:130:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-015-1130-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-015-1130-3
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    2. Giacomo Degli Antoni & Chiara Franco, 2022. "The effect of technological behaviour and beliefs on subjective well-being: the role of technological infrastructure," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 553-590, April.
    3. Ekaterina Skoglund, 2017. "The happiness gap between transition and non-transition countries," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 357-357, May.
    4. Christoph Glatz & Anja Eder, 2020. "Patterns of Trust and Subjective Well-Being Across Europe: New Insights from Repeated Cross-Sectional Analyses Based on the European Social Survey 2002–2016," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 148(2), pages 417-439, April.
    5. Nikolova, Milena, 2016. "Minding the happiness gap: Political institutions and perceived quality of life in transition," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 45(S), pages 129-148.
    6. Lewczuk Anna, 2018. "Empowerment Rights and Happiness Gap in Post-socialist Countries," Central European Economic Journal, Sciendo, vol. 5(52), pages 270-295, January.
    7. Haiyang Lu & Peishan Tong & Rong Zhu, 2020. "Longitudinal Evidence on Social Trust and Happiness in China: Causal Effects and Mechanisms," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(5), pages 1841-1858, June.
    8. Francesco Sarracino & Małgorzata Mikucka, 2019. "Consume More, Work Longer, and Be Unhappy: Possible Social Roots of Economic Crisis?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 14(1), pages 59-84, March.
    9. Michal Brzezinski, 2019. "Diagnosing Unhappiness Dynamics: Evidence from Poland and Russia," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(7), pages 2291-2327, October.
    10. Mikucka, Malgorzata & Sarracino, Francesco & Dubrow, Joshua K., 2017. "When Does Economic Growth Improve Life Satisfaction? Multilevel Analysis of the Roles of Social Trust and Income Inequality in 46 Countries, 1981–2012," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 447-459.
    11. Huiyu Zhang & Ying Dai & Huimei Liu, 2021. "English Proficiency and Happiness: The Mediation of Income Satisfaction and Leisure Satisfaction and the Moderation of the National Economy," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, October.
    12. Nie, Peng & Wang, Lu & Dragone, Davide & Lu, Haiyang & Sousa-Poza, Alfonso & Ziebarth, Nicolas R., 2022. "“The better you feel, the harder you fall”: Health perception biases and mental health among Chinese adults during the COVID-19 pandemic," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    13. Jiří Večerník & Martina Mysíková, 2014. "(Un)happy transition? Subjective Well-being in European Countries in 1991-2008 and Beyond," WIFO Working Papers 467, WIFO.
    14. Yok-Yong Lee & Kim-Leng Goh, 2023. "The Happiness-Economic Well-Being Nexus: New Insights From Global Panel Data," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, October.
    15. Vanessa Sha Fan & Renuka Mahadevan, 2019. "The Role of Social Capital and Remote Chinese Villagers’ Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(3), pages 1109-1128, June.
    16. Jiří Večerník, 2012. "Subjektivní indikátory blahobytu: přístupy, měření a data [Subjective Indicators of Well-Being: Approaches, Measurements and Data]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2012(3), pages 291-308.
    17. Francesco Sarracino & Marcin Piekałkiewicz, 2021. "The Role of Income and Social Capital for Europeans’ Well-Being During the 2008 Economic Crisis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1583-1610, April.
    18. Jiří Večerník, 2014. "Subjektivní blahobyt v České republice a střední Evropě: makro- a mikro-determinanty [Subjective Well-Being in the Czech Republic and Central Europe: Macro- and Micro-Determinants]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2014(2), pages 249-269.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Easterlin paradox; Economic growth; Subjective well-being; Happiness; Life satisfaction; Social capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • D60 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - General
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • P27 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Performance and Prospects

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