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Subjective and Objective Indicators of Racial Progress

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  • Betsey Stevenson
  • Justin Wolfers
Abstract
Progress in closing differences in many objective outcomes for blacks relative to whites has slowed, and even worsened, over the past three decades. However, over this period the racial gap in well-being has shrunk. In the early 1970s data revealed much lower levels of subjective well-being among blacks relative to whites. Investigating various measures of well-being, we find that the well-being of blacks has increased both absolutely and relative to that of whites. While a racial gap in well-being remains, two-fifths of the gap has closed and these gains have occurred despite little progress in closing other racial gaps such as those in income, employment, and education. Much of the current racial gap in well-being can be explained by differences in the objective conditions of the lives of black and white Americans. Thus making further progress will likely require progress in closing racial gaps in objective circumstances.

Suggested Citation

  • Betsey Stevenson & Justin Wolfers, 2013. "Subjective and Objective Indicators of Racial Progress," NBER Working Papers 18916, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:18916
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    Cited by:

    1. Jason L. Cummings, 2020. "Assessing U.S. Racial and Gender Differences in Happiness, 1972–2016: An Intersectional Approach," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 709-732, February.
    2. Owen, Ann & Phillips, Anne, 2013. "Education, income, and the distribution of happiness," MPRA Paper 49387, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Abel Brodeur & Sarah Flèche, 2019. "Neighbors' Income, Public Goods, and Well‐Being," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 65(2), pages 217-238, June.
    4. Noelia Somarriba Arechavala & Pilar Zarzosa Espina & Ana Teresa López Pastor, 2022. "The Importance of the Neighbourhood Environment and Social Capital for Happiness in a Vulnerable District: The Case of the Pajarillos District in Spain," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 1941-1965, June.
    5. Arne Risa Hole & Anita Ratcliffe, 2020. "The Impact of the London Bombings on the Well‐Being of Adolescent Muslims," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 122(4), pages 1606-1639, October.
    6. David G. Blanchflower & Andrew J. Oswald, 2019. "Unhappiness and Pain in Modern America: A Review Essay, and Further Evidence, on Carol Graham's Happiness for All?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 57(2), pages 385-402, June.
    7. Arne Risa Hole & Anita Ratcliffe, 2015. "The impact of the London bombings on the wellbeing of young Muslims," Working Papers 2015002, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    8. Peltzman, Sam, 2023. "The socio political demography of happiness," Working Papers 331, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State.
    9. Vivekinan Ashok & Ilyana Kuziemko & Ebonya Washington, 2015. "Support for Redistribution in an Age of Rising Inequality: New Stylized Facts and Some Tentative Explanations," NBER Working Papers 21529, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Bruce T. Elmslie & Edinaldo Tebaldi, 2014. "The determinants of marital happiness," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(28), pages 3452-3462, October.
    11. Anthony R. Bardo & Jason L. Cummings, 2023. "Life, Longevity, and the Pursuit of Happiness: The Role of Disability in Shaping Racial and Sex Disparities in Living a Long and Happy Life," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(4), pages 1-26, August.
    12. Sean C. Hill, 2017. "Toward Conceptualizing Race and Racial Identity Development Within an Attractor Landscape," SAGE Open, , vol. 7(3), pages 21582440177, July.
    13. Ann L. Owen & Anne Phillips, 2016. "How Does the Life Satisfaction of the Poor, Least Educated, and Least Satisfied Change as Average Life Satisfaction Increases?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(6), pages 2389-2406, December.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D6 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • J7 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination
    • K0 - Law and Economics - - General
    • K31 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Labor Law
    • N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy

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