The effect of compulsory service on life satisfaction and its channels

Matthias Collischon, Andreas Eberl and Kerstin Jahn
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Andreas Eberl: FAU ; IAB
Kerstin Jahn: Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Nuremberg, Germany ; FAU

No 201824, IAB-Discussion Paper from Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany]

Abstract: "Compulsory military service is still a prominent feature of young people's careers in many countries. We use the abolition of compulsory military and civil service for males in 2011 in Germany as a natural experiment to identify effects of institutionalized career disruptions on life satisfaction. Drawing on data from the SOEP, we apply a difference-in-differences design (comparing young males and females) to assess the causal effect of this reform on individual life satisfaction. Our results show a significant and robust positive effect of the abolition of compulsory service on young males' life satisfaction. Furthermore, we provide empirical evidence that reductions in career disruptions, forgone earnings, uncertainty regarding the future, and forced labor contribute to this effect." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Keywords: Bundesrepublik Deutschland; Männerforschung; Berufsverlauf; Einkommenseffekte; Erwerbsunterbrechung; Glück; institutionelle Faktoren; junge Erwachsene; Männer; Wehrdienst; Wehrpflichtige; Zivildienst; Zufriedenheit; 2007-2015 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I31 I38 J18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 33 pages
Date: 2018
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eur, nep-hap and nep-lab
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:iab:iabdpa:201824

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