26
C. Lenzi and G. Perucca
The interpretation of this result is that living outside highly urbanized areas is
beneficial to SWB only if the individuals have access to the services and goods
provided by large cities. Rurality per se, on the contrary, does not necessarily lead
to higher levels of well-being.
4 The Evolution of the Association Between Urbanization
and SWB Over Time
A last issue rarely addressed by the literature on urbanization and SWB concerns
its evolution over time. Most studies adopted a short-term perspective, using empirical evidence from 2000 onwards. However, the social and economic characteristics of cities deeply vary over time, and major changes occurred in the last thirty
years in developed countries, corresponding to processes of industrial reconversion
from manufacturing to service sectors. Therefore, the last question addressed in our
research agenda refers to the role of time within the association between urbanization
and SWB. The analysis of this issue focused on two quantitative case studies, both
relative to countries that experienced deep institutional and economic changes.
The first case study is represented by Romanian regions between 1996 and 2010
(Lenzi and Perucca 2016b). In this period, following the fall of the Iron curtain and
the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country experienced a process of institutional,
social and economic reconversion from a planned economy to one which was marketbased, culminating with access into the European Union (EU) in 2007. This process
was matched by an increase in the polarization of income in favour of urban areas
and, in particular, the capital city.
The empirical analysis shows that the economic transition period (1996–2004) was
marked by a neutral role of urbanization on SWB, with the exception of Bucharest.
While living in the capital city was already associated with lower SWB, no significant
difference was found for residents in rural settings and medium-rank cities. On the
road to EU accession (2004–2010), however, significant differences emerged, and
individuals in medium-rank cities appeared to be more satisfied than those living
in rural settings, while living in the capital was still associated with lower SWB.
This period is marked by the increase in disparities in economic growth, favouring
urban areas above others. Hence, the interpretation of our results is related to the fact
that the benefits of urbanization (i.e. jobs, average income, etc.) increased, leading
to higher SWB compared to rural areas. This happened only in medium-size cities,
where these benefits were not counterbalanced by negative externalities (cost of
living, crime, etc.) which are what occurred in the capital.
The second case study involves Italian regions between 1980 and 2010 (Lenzi
and Perucca 2019b). In the thirty years considered in the analysis, Italy undertook
a process of economic reconversion from manufacturing to service sectors. The
outcome of this process was highly differentiated across regions and, in particular,
between North and South. In the former case, this was more successful than in the
C. Lenzi and G. Perucca
The interpretation of this result is that living outside highly urbanized areas is
beneficial to SWB only if the individuals have access to the services and goods
provided by large cities. Rurality per se, on the contrary, does not necessarily lead
to higher levels of well-being.
4 The Evolution of the Association Between Urbanization
and SWB Over Time
A last issue rarely addressed by the literature on urbanization and SWB concerns
its evolution over time. Most studies adopted a short-term perspective, using empirical evidence from 2000 onwards. However, the social and economic characteristics of cities deeply vary over time, and major changes occurred in the last thirty
years in developed countries, corresponding to processes of industrial reconversion
from manufacturing to service sectors. Therefore, the last question addressed in our
research agenda refers to the role of time within the association between urbanization
and SWB. The analysis of this issue focused on two quantitative case studies, both
relative to countries that experienced deep institutional and economic changes.
The first case study is represented by Romanian regions between 1996 and 2010
(Lenzi and Perucca 2016b). In this period, following the fall of the Iron curtain and
the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country experienced a process of institutional,
social and economic reconversion from a planned economy to one which was marketbased, culminating with access into the European Union (EU) in 2007. This process
was matched by an increase in the polarization of income in favour of urban areas
and, in particular, the capital city.
The empirical analysis shows that the economic transition period (1996–2004) was
marked by a neutral role of urbanization on SWB, with the exception of Bucharest.
While living in the capital city was already associated with lower SWB, no significant
difference was found for residents in rural settings and medium-rank cities. On the
road to EU accession (2004–2010), however, significant differences emerged, and
individuals in medium-rank cities appeared to be more satisfied than those living
in rural settings, while living in the capital was still associated with lower SWB.
This period is marked by the increase in disparities in economic growth, favouring
urban areas above others. Hence, the interpretation of our results is related to the fact
that the benefits of urbanization (i.e. jobs, average income, etc.) increased, leading
to higher SWB compared to rural areas. This happened only in medium-size cities,
where these benefits were not counterbalanced by negative externalities (cost of
living, crime, etc.) which are what occurred in the capital.
The second case study involves Italian regions between 1980 and 2010 (Lenzi
and Perucca 2019b). In the thirty years considered in the analysis, Italy undertook
a process of economic reconversion from manufacturing to service sectors. The
outcome of this process was highly differentiated across regions and, in particular,
between North and South. In the former case, this was more successful than in the