Arbeitspapier

Are more equal societies happier? Subjective well-being, income inequality, and redistribution

Using four waves of the European Social Survey, we analyze the association of income inequality and redistribution with subjective well-being. Our results provide evidence that people in Europe are negatively affected by income inequality, while reduction of inequality has a positive effect on well-being. Since we simultaneously estimate the effects of inequality and its reduction, our results indicate that not only the perceived income inequality what influences subjective well-being, but also the process, the extent of redistribution, what lead to that state. These impacts are different in Eastern and Western Europe. Inequality aversion and the positive effect of redistribution seem to be stronger also for less affluent members of the societies and left-wing oriented individuals.

Language
Englisch
ISBN
978-615-5243-76-9

Bibliographic citation
Series: IEHAS Discussion Papers ; No. MT-DP - 2013/20

Classification
Wirtschaft
Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
General Welfare; Well-Being
Subject
subjective well-being
satisfaction
income inequality
redistribution

Event
Geistige Schöpfung
(who)
Hajdu, Tamás
Hajdu, Gábor
Event
Veröffentlichung
(who)
Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies
(where)
Budapest
(when)
2013

Handle
Last update
20.09.2024, 8:22 AM CEST

Data provider

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Object type

  • Arbeitspapier

Associated

  • Hajdu, Tamás
  • Hajdu, Gábor
  • Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies

Time of origin

  • 2013

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