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Correlational findings

Study Veenhoven (1984): study ZZ EU 9 1975

Public
15+ aged, general public, EU 9 member states, Western Europe, 1975
Sample
Respondents
N = 12996
Non Response
Assessment
Interview: face-to-face
Structured interview

Correlate

Authors's Label
Liberal democracy
Our Classification
Related specification variables
Operationalization
Degree to which the political reality in the various countries matched the ideal of a parliamentary democracy, based on the following indicators:
1.  the constitutional status of the
    regime;
2.  separation between legislative and
    executive powers;
3.  freedom of press;
4.  freedom of opposition;
5.  free elections;
6.  representativeness of the regime;
7.  absence of bans on any political
    party;
8.  existence of a multi party system;
9.  actual interest articulation by
    political parties;
10. actual interest integration in the
    parliament;
11. legislative influence of the
    parliament;
12. dominance of the political leader
    in the country;
13. relative dominance of the biggest
    party;
14. possibilities of opposition and
    coalitions;
15. absence of restrictions for
    minority groups.
Data drawn from Bertand (1981:162).

Observed Relation with Happiness

Happiness Measure Statistics Elaboration / Remarks O-HV-*-sq-vt-3-a r = +.67 p < .05                   M happiness    Rate of liberal
                                 democracy
Great Britain        1.95             39.5
France               1.89             35.5
W-Germany            1.89             37.5
Italy                1.61             39.5
Belgium              2.27             42.5
The Netherlands      2.22             43.5
Luxembourg           2.03             43.5
Denmark              2.54             43.5 Ireland              1.88             40.5