Unhappy Development

Arampatzi, Efstratia; Burger, Martijn; Ianchovichina, Elena; Röhricht, Tina; Veenhoven, Ruut

Unhappy Development

Autores

Editor

World Bank, Washington, DC

Descripción

Despite progress in economic and social development in the 2000s, there was an increasing dissatisfaction with life among the population of many developing Arab countries. At the end of the decade, these countries ranked among the least happy economies in the world—a situation that fits the so-called “unhappy development” paradox. The paradox is defined as declining levels of happiness at a time of moderate-to-rapid economic development. This paper empirically tests the strength of association of a range of objective and subjective factors with life evaluation in the Middle East and North Africa region in the years immediately preceding the Arab Spring uprisings (2009–10). The findings suggest a significant, negative association between life satisfaction levels in the region during this period and each of the main perceived reasons for the 2011 uprisings—dissatisfaction with the standard of living, poor labor market conditions, and corruption.

Palabras clave

SANITATION, LIVING STANDARDS, JOBS, EMPLOYMENT, UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, WORKFORCE, ECONOMIC GROWTH, OLD AGE, POLITICAL ACTION, ELEMENTARY EDUCATION, INFORMAL SECTOR, PUBLIC EDUCATION, ECONOMIC JUSTICE, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, PERSONAL HEALTH, GOOD GOVERNANCE, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, PUBLIC SERVICES, PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, INDIVIDUAL CHOICES, HEALTH CARE, YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, JOB, DEPRESSION, EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS, POLICY DISCUSSIONS, DEVELOPMENT GOALS, ADULT POPULATION, PERSISTENT UNEMPLOYMENT, JOB INSECURITY, NATIONAL LEVEL, SOCIAL SCIENCES, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, PAID MATERNITY, DRIVERS, MATERNAL MORTALITY, INEQUITIES, KNOWLEDGE, LABOR MARKET, SOCIAL CONDITIONS, OWNERSHIP STRUCTURES, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, LIFE, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, EXOGENOUS VARIABLES, WORKER, PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS, DEMOCRACY, LIMITED JOB OPPORTUNITIES, UNEMPLOYED, MIGRATION, MODERNIZATION, JOB MARKET, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, SERVICE PROVISION, MARRIAGE, LABOR, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, RULE OF LAW, MORTALITY, EARNINGS GROWTH, POLITICAL SUPPORT, RESPECT, PROGRESS, UNEMPLOYMENT, MIGRANT, REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS, WORKERS, LABOR MARKET CONDITIONS, POLICIES, DOMESTIC MARKETS, JOB STATUS, BASIC NEEDS, POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER, CROSS-SECTIONAL DATA, POLICY MAKERS, LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL POLICY, PERSONAL FREEDOM, WORKSHOP, EMPLOYMENT STATUS, EMPLOYMENT GROWTH, PRIVATE SECTOR, COUNTRY-SPECIFIC FACTORS, QUALITY SERVICES, BULLETIN, POLICY, QUALITY OF LIFE, CITIZENS, CHILD MORTALITY, PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, LEVEL OF EDUCATION, DRINKING WATER, NATURAL RESOURCE, HUMAN NEEDS, NUMBER OF CHILDREN, ECONOMIC PROGRESS, EMPLOYEE, SOCIAL UNREST, POLICY IMPLICATIONS, YOUNG PEOPLE, SOCIAL UPHEAVAL, POPULATION, MARITAL STATUS, HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT, POLITICAL SCIENTISTS, STUDENTS, LIVING CONDITIONS, POLICY RESEARCH, FOREIGN POLICY, WOMEN, YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT, LABOR MARKETS, MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS, POLITICAL INSTABILITY, FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT POLICY, EMPLOYEES