The Economics of Happiness in Transition Economies

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K01559
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 07040:Economic policy-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: HIWATARI Masato 北海道大学, 経済学研究院, 准教授 (50547172)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 主観的幸福度 / 移行経済学 / 移民 / 自由貿易 / 民主主義 / 権威主義

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that shape subjective well-being and subjective perceptions of political economy in the transition economies of the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe. The factors were intended to be empirically tested not only on economic factors but also on social trust. The primary data used were micro data from a large three-wave survey conducted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank in about 30 countries in transition economies. The results revealed that although social trust and recent economic changes (migration and changes in the trade environment) have a significant impact on people's perceptions, there is also intra-regional heterogeneity.

Free Research Field

中央アジア経済，開発経済学，移行経済論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

旧ソ連・中東欧の市場移行国を対象とした移行経済学の分野においては、人々の生活実感やSWBといった観点からの研究は端緒についたばかりであり，社会的信頼や地域内の異質性といった新たな要素をもたらした研究となった。研究期間を通して，研究成果の現地への還元を積極的に進めてきた。特に，ウズベキスタンにおいては，学術会議やセミナー，その他の政府関係の会議において度々報告しており，研究代表者は「ウズベキスタン共和国独立30周年記念勲章」を授与されるに至っている。