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Which Inequality Makes People Dissatisfied with Their Lives? Evidence of the Link Between Life Satisfaction and Inequalities

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  • Laura Ravazzini

    (University of Neuchatel
    University of Lausanne)

  • Florian Chávez-Juárez

    (Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE)
    CONACYT-Institución de comisión-Dirección de Institución de comisión)

Abstract

This paper aims at establishing a clear link between different types of inequality and life satisfaction in Europe. We analyse the relationship between life satisfaction and both income inequality and inequality of opportunity using seven waves of the European Social Survey. The results show that in Europe both income inequality and inequality of opportunity reduce people’s life satisfaction. Our main results suggest that all socio-economic groups are dissatisfied with income inequality, whereas primarily low socio-economic individuals worry about inequality of opportunity. We find that expected mobility is very important in explaining the link between inequality and life satisfaction for all socio-economic groups in Europe. We advance the hypothesis that life satisfaction is conditioned by a mix of normative arguments against inequality and by the fear/possibility to lose/gain a good social position. This result complements findings on the mediating role of social mobility in the relationship with subjective well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Ravazzini & Florian Chávez-Juárez, 2018. "Which Inequality Makes People Dissatisfied with Their Lives? Evidence of the Link Between Life Satisfaction and Inequalities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(3), pages 1119-1143, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:137:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-017-1623-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-017-1623-3
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    2. Tomasz Kwarciński & Paweł Ulman & Julia Wdowin, 2024. "Measuring Subjective Well-being Capability: A Multi-Country Empirical Analysis in Europe," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 19(5), pages 2555-2593, October.
    3. Teresa Maria García-Muñoz & Juliette Milgram-Baleix & Omar Odeh-Odeh, 2019. "Inequality and Life Satisfaction in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: The Role of Opportunity," Societies, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-25, May.
    4. Georg Kanitsar, 2022. "The Inequality-Trust Nexus Revisited: At What Level of Aggregation Does Income Inequality Matter for Social Trust?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 171-195, August.
    5. Long Yang & Haiyang Lu & Meng Li, 2023. "Multidimensional Inequality and Subjective Well-Being in China: A Generalized Ordered Logit Model Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 165(3), pages 1021-1052, February.
    6. Ahhyun Cho & Harris Hyun-soo Kim, 2024. "Perceived Unfairness Moderates the Association Between Relative Deprivation and Subjective Well-Being: Findings from an East Asian Country," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 19(5), pages 2417-2446, October.

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