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

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_640E13FF86ED
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Which Inequality Makes People Dissatisfied with Their Lives? Evidence of the Link Between Life Satisfaction and Inequalities
Journal
Social Indicators Research
Author(s)
Ravazzini Laura, Chávez-Juárez Florian
ISSN
0303-8300
ISSN-L
1573-0921
Publication state
Published
Issued date
10/04/2017
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Pages
1-25
Language
english
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.
Keywords
Subjective well-being, Income inequality, Inequality of opportunity
Create date
29/11/2017 11:28
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:20
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