The Good Life, Affluence, and Self-reported Happiness: Introducing Life Index and Debunking Two Popular Myths

被引：26

作者：

Delhey, Jan ^{[1
]}

Steckermeier, Leonie C. ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] Univ Magdeburg, D-39106 Magdeburg, Germany

来源：

WORLD DEVELOPMENT | 2016年 / 88卷

关键词：

Good Life Index; quality of life; happiness; capabilities; affluence; de-growth; QUALITY-OF-LIFE; WELL; INCOME; INEQUALITY; PERSPECTIVE; PEOPLE; WEALTH; HEALTH; POLICY; HAPPY;

D O I：

10.1016/j.worlddev.2016.07.007

中图分类号：

F0 [经济学]; F1 [世界各国经济概况、经济史、经济地理]; C [社会科学总论];

学科分类号：

0201 ; 020105 ; 03 ; 0303 ;

摘要：

This paper examines two highly controversial questions about human well-being in the richer part of the world. First, is people's quality of life (still) enhanced by national prosperity? Many scholars doubt this, in particular advocates of de-growth. The second question concerns the relationship between the good life and self-reported happiness: Do people chiefly report being happy and satisfied for reasons embodied in achieving a good life? For addressing these issues we draw on a novel quality of life approach, the 'elements of the good life' as sketched out by Skidelsky and Skidelsky in 2013. This approach focuses on life results in seven domains: health, security, friendship, respect, leisure, personality, and harmony with nature. Our article refines the original concept and suggests a way to measure the well-being of individuals with the help of the Good Life Index. By analyzing data for 30 European countries from the most recent European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) within a multilevel framework, we can show that Europeans' life-quality is better in wealthier societies, and that Europeans are authentically happy. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

引用

页码：50 / 66

页数：17

共 73 条

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