Does economic development and democracy translate to happiness? a global perspective

This paper explores the relatively intriguing area of research on the “economics of happiness”. The present study was designed to determine the effects of economic development and democratic freedom on happiness. A cross-sectional econometric analysis is employed to examine the impact of the econom...

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Main Authors: V. Rasiah, R. Ratneswary, Thuraisingam, Ambikai S., Jambulingam, Manimekalai, Habibullah, Muzafar Shah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American-Eurasian Network for Scientific Information 2013
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/30839/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/30839/1/Does%20economic%20development%20and%20democracy%20translate%20to%20happiness.pdf
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author V. Rasiah, R. Ratneswary
Thuraisingam, Ambikai S.
Jambulingam, Manimekalai
Habibullah, Muzafar Shah
author_facet V. Rasiah, R. Ratneswary
Thuraisingam, Ambikai S.
Jambulingam, Manimekalai
Habibullah, Muzafar Shah
author_sort V. Rasiah, R. Ratneswary
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This paper explores the relatively intriguing area of research on the “economics of happiness”. The present study was designed to determine the effects of economic development and democratic freedom on happiness. A cross-sectional econometric analysis is employed to examine the impact of the economic variables of income and democracy on happiness across thirty eight countries in 2011. Democracy and economic development were found to contribute positively to happiness. The findings also indicate a bi-directional relationship between happiness and its dual determinants of income and democratic freedom. It was found that countries reporting higher levels of well-being tend to enjoy higher incomes and seem to choose democracy over other political overtures. Institutions of democracy were found to enhance economic development and this relationship is bi-directional. The study concludes with an examination of policy implications of the findings.
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spelling upm-308392018-09-21T01:09:24Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/30839/ Does economic development and democracy translate to happiness? a global perspective V. Rasiah, R. Ratneswary Thuraisingam, Ambikai S. Jambulingam, Manimekalai Habibullah, Muzafar Shah This paper explores the relatively intriguing area of research on the “economics of happiness”. The present study was designed to determine the effects of economic development and democratic freedom on happiness. A cross-sectional econometric analysis is employed to examine the impact of the economic variables of income and democracy on happiness across thirty eight countries in 2011. Democracy and economic development were found to contribute positively to happiness. The findings also indicate a bi-directional relationship between happiness and its dual determinants of income and democratic freedom. It was found that countries reporting higher levels of well-being tend to enjoy higher incomes and seem to choose democracy over other political overtures. Institutions of democracy were found to enhance economic development and this relationship is bi-directional. The study concludes with an examination of policy implications of the findings. American-Eurasian Network for Scientific Information 2013 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/30839/1/Does%20economic%20development%20and%20democracy%20translate%20to%20happiness.pdf V. Rasiah, R. Ratneswary and Thuraisingam, Ambikai S. and Jambulingam, Manimekalai and Habibullah, Muzafar Shah (2013) Does economic development and democracy translate to happiness? a global perspective. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 7 (8). pp. 545-553. ISSN 1991-8178 http://ajbasweb.com/old/ajbas_June_2013.html
spellingShingle V. Rasiah, R. Ratneswary
Thuraisingam, Ambikai S.
Jambulingam, Manimekalai
Habibullah, Muzafar Shah
Does economic development and democracy translate to happiness? a global perspective
title Does economic development and democracy translate to happiness? a global perspective
title_full Does economic development and democracy translate to happiness? a global perspective
title_fullStr Does economic development and democracy translate to happiness? a global perspective
title_full_unstemmed Does economic development and democracy translate to happiness? a global perspective
title_short Does economic development and democracy translate to happiness? a global perspective
title_sort does economic development and democracy translate to happiness? a global perspective
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/30839/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/30839/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/30839/1/Does%20economic%20development%20and%20democracy%20translate%20to%20happiness.pdf