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Well-Being and the Democratic State: How the Public Sector Promotes Human Happiness

Author

Listed:
  • Alexander Pacek

    (Texas A&M University)

  • Benjamin Radcliff

    (University of Notre Dame)

  • Mark Brockway

    (University of Notre Dame)

Abstract

While a growing literature within the study of subjective well-being demonstrates the impact of socio-political factors on subjective well-being, scholars have conspicuously failed to consider the role of the size and scope of government as determinants of well-being. In this study, we examine the size of the public sector as a determinant of cross-national variation in life satisfaction across the industrial democracies. At the individual-level, we find that public employees are happier and exhibit greater life satisfaction than otherwise similar others. At the aggregate level, the data strongly suggest that the subjective well-being varies positively with the size of the public sector. The implications for the study of life satisfaction are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexander Pacek & Benjamin Radcliff & Mark Brockway, 2019. "Well-Being and the Democratic State: How the Public Sector Promotes Human Happiness," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(3), pages 1147-1159, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:143:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-018-2017-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-018-2017-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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