The impact of citizens satisfaction with national-level institutions and conditions on their subjective wellbeing: evidence from 137 countries

Abstract

This study develops and tests a model of subjective indicators of national wellbeing that can be applied across countries worldwide. Using data from over 160,000 respondents in 137 countries from the 2019 Gallup World Poll, we examine how citizens' satisfaction with national institutions and various environments (physical, political, economic, and social) affects their subjective wellbeing. Based on bottom-up spillover theory, we hypothesize that satisfaction with concrete country conditions affects overall life satisfaction and affective wellbeing. Results from Bayesian multilevel modeling support our hypotheses and show significant positive relationships between citizens' satisfaction with national institutions, political, economic, and social environments and their subjective well-being. Satisfaction with the physical environment showed no significant effect in the full model but was significant when analyzed separately. This research provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the factors that influence national wellbeing in different global contexts and offers fresh insights for policymakers and researchers in assessing and improving quality of life at the national level.