It is commonly assumed that better living standards will boost subjective well-being. The post-apartheid South African government subscribes to this idea; its social policies aim to provide "a better life for all". Since the coming of democracy in 1994, the state has built over 3 million houses and supplied electricity and clean water to…

Who are the satisfied South Africans 10 years into democracy? How do material factors contribute to their life satisfaction? These are the questions addressed in this paper. Earlier South African research has consistently found a close positive relationship between life satisfaction and material standards of living in the apartheid and…

Change and persistent problems in the quality of life of open-country families (n=317) in four eastern Kentucky counties (Harlan, Perry, Whitley, and Wolfe) were examined via comparison of data derived from surveys of household heads in 1961 and 1973. The 1961 survey provided data on occupations, income, level of living, and opinions re: the…