Happiness and the Quality of Government

26 Pages Posted: 9 Mar 2020 Last revised: 4 May 2023

See all articles by John F. Helliwell

John F. Helliwell

University of British Columbia (UBC) - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Haifang Huang

University of Alberta

Shun Wang

KDI School of Public Policy and Management

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Date Written: March 2020

Abstract

This chapter uses happiness data to assess the quality of government. Our happiness data are drawn from the Gallup World Poll, starting in 2005 and extending to 2017 or 2018. In our analysis of the panel of more than 150 countries and generally over 1,500 national-level observations, we show that government delivery quality is significantly correlated with national happiness, but democratic quality is not. We also analyze other quality of government indicators. Confidence in government is correlated with happiness, however forms of democracy and government spending seem not. We further discuss three channels (including peace and conflict, trust, and inequality) whereby quality of government and happiness are linked. We finally summarize what has been learned about how government policies could be formed to improve citizens’ happiness.

Suggested Citation

Helliwell, John F. and Huang, Haifang and Wang, Shun, Happiness and the Quality of Government (March 2020). NBER Working Paper No. w26840, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3550989

John F. Helliwell (Contact Author)

University of British Columbia (UBC) - Department of Economics ( email )

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Haifang Huang

University of Alberta

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Canada

Shun Wang

KDI School of Public Policy and Management ( email )

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Seoul, 130-868
Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

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