Quality of Life and Political Participation in theRural Areas of Cartagena, Colombia

Abstract

Why do rural citizens vote in Cartagena? Do they vote to improve their quality of life or does the quality of life determine their electoral participation? This paper explores the relationship between political participation and the Quality of Life Index (ICV) as a proxy for life satisfaction. Using data from a representative survey of quality of life for rural areas of Cartagena, we find that an increase of one point in the ICV increases the probability of voting by citizens in rural areas for the election of mayors, governors and Congress. We also find that there is no strong relationship between the ICV and other forms of participation, such as community participation.