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Structural Changes in Economic Growth and Well-Being: The Case of Italy’s Parabola

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  • Maurizio Pugno

    (University of Cassino)

  • Francesco Sarracino

    (Institut National de la Statistique et des études économiques du Grand-Duché du Luxembourg (STATEC))

Abstract

The controversies on the relationship (called ‘gradient’) between the time trend of GDP and of subjective well-being oppose those who claim that the gradient is positive, to those who argue that it is nil. The possible existence of significant changes of the two trends and of the gradient within the same country is a challenge to both views. By focusing on the case of Italy, we show that the long-run trends of GDP and of well-being turned from increasing to decreasing, and that the gradient exhibits a rise through two structural breaks. This evidence is consistent with the ‘loss aversion’ hypothesis. From this macro-analysis we further go into micro-analysis to explain why subjective well-being declined so steeply. We find that the erosion of trust in others, the increase of financial dissatisfaction, worsened health, and greater importance of income contribute to the decline of subjective well-being. As far as we know, this is the first attempt to test the role of loss aversion in the long run using both macro- and micro-economic approaches.

Suggested Citation

  • Maurizio Pugno & Francesco Sarracino, 2021. "Structural Changes in Economic Growth and Well-Being: The Case of Italy’s Parabola," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 801-838, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:158:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-021-02714-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-021-02714-7
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Structural breaks; Life satisfaction; Economic growth; Loss aversion; GDP per capita;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O52 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Europe

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