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This paper asks how income distribution affects individual well-being and tries to explore the idea that this relation depends on the degree of mobility and uncertainty in the economy. It mostly concentrates on the relation between satisfaction and reference income (defined as the income of one's professional peers), and hinges on the micro-econometric analysis of household survey data (mostly panel), including subjective attitudinal questions. Using over one million observations, it uncovers a divide between old -low mobility- European countries versus new European post-Transition countries and the United States. Whereas jealousy is dominant in the former, ambition is even stronger in the latter.

This paper studies the interaction between labor market integration, the evolution of "work values" and entrepreneurial capital inside minority communities. A simple model of labor market segmentation with ethnic capital and endogenous transmission of cultural values inside the minority group is presented. It emphasizes the role of entrepreneurial capital as an important driver of labor market integration and as a promoter of meritocratic work values inside the community. The case of South European and North African second generation immigrants in France is then empirically studied as an example, contrasting strongly how the differential economic and cultural integration in the labor market correlates with the differential level of entrepreneurial capital of the two communities. -- Social capital ; ethnic segmentation ; work values ; labor discrimination

This paper argues that the socialist episode in East Germany, which constituted a radical experiment in gender equality in the labor market and other instances, has left persistent tracks on gender norms. We focus on one of the most resilient and pervasive gender gaps in modern societies: mathematics. Using the German division as a natural experiment, we show that the underperformance of girls in math is sharply reduced in the regions of the former GDR, in contrast with those of the former FRG. We show that this East-West difference is due to girls' attitudes, confidence and competitiveness in math, and not to other confounding factors, such as the difference in economic conditions or teaching styles across the former political border. We also provide illustrative evidence that the gender gap in math is smaller in European countries that used to be part of the Soviet bloc, as opposed to the rest of Europe. The lesson is twofold: (1) a large part of the pervasive gender gap in math is due to social stereotypes; (2) institutions can durably modify these stereotypes.

AbstractThis paper looks at the reaction of Russian firsm to the shock of liberalization. Firms are exposed to two kinds of shocks. A supply affects their profitability. A demand shock reflects the new expression of consumers and the opening of the country to foreign competition. Econometric tests show that firms adapt to these changes. They react by adjusting their output. They are not able to change their production techniques for lack of fresh capital. Employment is more stable that output: it is preserved by the adjustment of real wages. Therefore, firms with a low share of material inputs are relatively better off.

Résumé Cet article met en lumière les objectifs essentiels de la privatisation en Europe centrale et orientale, la manière dont les différents pays ont arbitré entre ces der­niers ainsi que les fondements théoriques de leurs choix. Il décrit la stratégie adoptée par la Pologne, la Russie et la République tchèque comme étant domi­nées respectivement par le souci de la restructuration des entreprises, de la dépo­litisation de l'économie et de l'émergence des institutions indispensables au marché.

This volume, arising from a PSE-CEPREMAP-DIMeco conference, includes contributions by the some of the best-known researchers in happiness economics and development economics, including Richard Easterlin, who gave his name to the 'Easterlin paradox' that GDP growth does not improve happiness over the long run. Many chapters underline the difficulty of increasing well-being in developing countries, including China, even in the presence of sustained income growth. This is notably due to the importance of income comparisons to others, adaptation (so that we get used to higher income), and the growing inequality of income. In particular, rank in the local income distribution is shown to be important, creating a beggar-thy-neighbour effect in happiness. Wealth comparisons in China are exacerbated by the gender imbalance, as the competition for brides creates a striking phenomenon of conspicuous consumption on the housing market. Policy has to be aware of these effects. This applies in particular to those who try to use self-reported subjective well-being in order to generate a 'social subjective poverty line', which is a key issue in developing countries. However, the news is not only bad from the point of view of developing countries. One piece of good news is that GDP growth often seems to go hand-in-hand with lower happiness inequality, and thereby reduces the risk of extreme unhappiness

Cet article propose une vision du marché du travail russe permettant d'expliquer la coexistence d'éléments d'inertie et de flexibilité par un phénomène de segmentation. Plaçant l'incertitude au cœur des décisions des firmes et des employés, il montre que les travailleurs, qui ont tous une aversion pour le risque, peuvent adopter des comportements différenciés selon leur productivité relative. Certains, bénéficiant de perspectives favorables, adoptent un comportement mobile et nouent des contrats prévoyant de les rémunérer en fonction de leur productivité. D'autres, jouissant d'opportunités moins favorables, acceptent une réduction de leur rémunération réelle en échange de la sécurité de l'emploi et de l'accès aux actifs sociaux de la firme. Notre cadre d'analyse permet de proposer une interprétation des arriérés de salaire. Ces derniers constitueraient un élément du contrat d'assurance implicite noué entre l'entreprise et certains travailleurs. Nous vérifions les prévisions du modèle à l'aide d'une base de données comprenant 13 628 entreprises russes, observées de 1992 à 1997.