Do ethical values influence quality of life? An analysis of 187 countries

¿Influyen los valores éticos en la calidad de vida? Un análisis de 187 países

The ultimate purpose of social wellbeing is to achieve the common good and improve the quality of life (QoL) of citizens. This suggests that high QoL may be partially explained by certain ethical values embedded in societies’ cultures. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to validate the Ethical Values Construct (EVC) and analyze the relationship between ethical values and QoL across the 187 evaluated countries. The construct was validated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), and the results indicate a strong relationship between ethical values and the social QoL of the analyzed nations. We found that the EVC — comprising freedom, through political, expression, and economic rights; order, via social rule-following, interpersonal trust, and legal certainty; commitment to the public interest, involving social balance, self-sacrifice, and environmental sustainability; and private entrepreneurial culture, characterized by competitiveness, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence — demonstrates a strong connection with QoL.

Keywords:
ethical values; quality of life; ethics; human development; social indicators