Bienestar individual e interés por la política

Abstract

This paper provides a discussion of some determinant factors of the relationship between individual well-being and political involvement. How individual well-being influences political interest? First, political interest may to embrace different dimensions. The author suggests to keep two, one cognitive and one evaluative. A better equipment of ressources for individual it is associated to a greater (cognitive) political interest, but is doubtful his influence on attitudes toward practical involvement. On one hand, it seems may to realize a positive association. But, on the other hand, increase of “existential security”, his projection in “postmaterialist” values and, generally, a better individual equipment of ressources seem to correspond with phenomena of eroding deference toward authority and increase of unconventional forms of political participation. If democracy and political stability were simple fonction of greater individual well-being, these phenomena should be welcome. But, this relation of causality don’t had proved. If, in contrast, most likely, the relation of causality is mutual, those phenomena throw shadows on democracy’s future, and on the same individual well-being.