TY - JOUR
T1 - Bigger or better? The effect of public spending on happiness in Africa
AU - Fambeu, Ariel Herbert
AU - Mbondo, Georges Dieudonné
AU - Yomi, Patricia Tchawa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 African Development Bank.
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - The aim of this paper is to assess the effect of government spending on happiness in 39 African countries from 2006 to 2018. The neoclassical view predicts a positive effect, while public choice theory predicts the opposite. The results obtained using the Generalized Method of Moment reveal that public spending has no direct effect on happiness in Africa. However, public spending positively affects happiness in the poorest countries of Africa. Furthermore, governments can improve the happiness of African populations through public spending coupled with democratic regimes and the control of inflation.
AB - The aim of this paper is to assess the effect of government spending on happiness in 39 African countries from 2006 to 2018. The neoclassical view predicts a positive effect, while public choice theory predicts the opposite. The results obtained using the Generalized Method of Moment reveal that public spending has no direct effect on happiness in Africa. However, public spending positively affects happiness in the poorest countries of Africa. Furthermore, governments can improve the happiness of African populations through public spending coupled with democratic regimes and the control of inflation.
KW - Africa
KW - happiness
KW - public spending
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85139410958&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1467-8268.12669
DO - 10.1111/1467-8268.12669
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85139410958
SN - 1017-6772
VL - 34
SP - 487
EP - 499
JO - African Development Review
JF - African Development Review
IS - 4
ER -
