A comparative perspective of life quality in EU member countries in transition

Kvaliteta života je fenomen koji se počeo znanstveno proučavati unazad tridesetak godina. To je koncept koji mjeri različite ekonomske i neekonomske pokazatelje i različite subjektivne čimbenike koji utječu na čovjekov život. Zemlje Europske unije uvelike se razlikuju u stupnju ekonomskog i socijalnog razvitka, a pogotovo tranzicijske zemlje koje imaju svoje specifičnosti. Procesi koji su se odvijali u tranzicijskim zemljama za vrijeme tranzicije načelno su vrlo slični, ali se oni znatno razlikuju u svojim realizacijama u pojedinom društvenom kontekstu. Cilj ovog rada je prikazati kvalitetu života u odabranim tranzicijskim zemljama Europske unije. Kvaliteta života se mjeri objektivnim i subjektivnim pokazateljima. Jedan od objektivnih pokazatelja je BDP koji uvelike određuje zadovoljstvo životom u mnogim zemljama. Međutim, BDP i zadovoljstvo životom nisu uvijek povezani. Neke zemlje poput Poljske i Rumunjske koje imaju niži BDP imaju visoku stopu zadovoljstva životom. U Hrvatskoj razina BDP-a i zadovoljstva životom koreliraju- BDP je niži u odnosu na europski prosjek i u odnosu na tranzicijske zemlje, što prati i niže zadovoljstvo životom. Kvaliteta života obuhvaća i kvalitetu stanovanja, zaposlenja, zdravlja, ali i subjektivne pokazatelje kao što su ranije navedeno zadovoljstvo životom, osobnim odnosima, smještajem, slobodnim vremenom itd. Subjektivno zadovoljstvo u nekim zemljama ne ovisi o razvijenosti i dobrim ekonomskim pokazateljima zemlje. Tako Rumunji procjenjuju svoje vlastito zdravlje dobrim, dok objektivni pokazatelji ne upućuju na to. Visoka subjektivna procjena može biti rezultat niske razvijenosti, teže dostupnosti usluga i niže informiranosti o mogućnostima koje im se mogu pružiti. Unatoč svemu, ljudi se općenito osjećaju sretnijima u zemljama koje su učinile znatan tranzicijski napredak nego u onima u kojima je tranzicija „zapela“, što je primjer i Hrvatske. Političke odluke i intervencije koje bi trebale povećati subjektivno blagostanje stanovništva bi trebale biti od posebnog interesa za donosioce odluka, jer opće blagostanje ne utječe samo na pojedince, već i na cjelokupno društvo.The quality of life is a phenomenon that has been in the focus of scientific research for approximately the past 30 years. It's a concept measuring various economic and non-economic indicators, as well as various subjective elements which influence the people's life. Not only do the EU-countries show a great difference in achieved levels of economic and social developments, amongst them there are also countries in transition with their own specificities. Although very similar, the transition processes that took place in those countries do differ in form of their realisations that took place in different social environments. This work shows the quality of life in some EU member countries that are in transition. The quality of life is being measured according to the relevant objective and subjective indicators. One of the objective indicators is the GDP, which influences the satisfaction with life in many countries. However, the GDP does not always correlate to the satisfaction with life. Some countries like Poland and Romania have a high rate of life satisfaction, regardless to their low GDP. Croatia is one of those countries in which the GDP correlates to the satisfaction with life - in comparison to the European average and the GDP of countries in transition, the Croatian GDP is lower, therefore, the satisfaction with life is lower as well. The quality of life involves the quality of habitation, employment, health, as well as various subjective indicators like the above mentioned satisfaction with life, personal relations, place of habitation, spare time etc. In some countries the development and good economic indicators are irrelevant for the subjective satisfaction. Thus, Roumanians estimate their health to be good, while the objective indicators show a different reality. A highly subjective estimation can be the result of low economic development, low services availability and low levels of informing regarding possibilities that can be achieved. Regardless to that, people in general feel happier in those countries which have achieved a significant transition development, rather than in those countries in which the transition is „stuck“, Croatia being an example for the latter. Political decisions and interventions leading to an increase of subjective wellbeing of the inhabitants, should be the decision maker’s utmost interest, for the general wellbeing does not only influence the individuals, but the whole society