Improving Subjective Well-being of the Poor in the Eastern Cape

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of income, health, social capital, marital status, employment, education and crime experience on subjective well-being within a poor community in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. It appeared that higher income is associated with higher subjective well-being and that social capital serves as an important subjective well-being predictor in all income groups. Efforts must be made to ensure that countries do not develop economically at the expense of other aspects of life important for well-being in the very poor, such as social capital.