The Relationship Between Economic Growth and Quality of Life: From the Mechanisms of Interaction to the International Context

This article examines the relationship between economic growth and quality of life within the framework of contemporary theoretical approaches and international experience. It provides an analysis of both domestic and international scholarly research on the impact of economic growth on the objective and subjective dimensions of quality of life. The findings indicate that the positive effects of economic growth are most evident in improvements in population health, increases in life expectancy, reductions in poverty, and expanded access to education and public services, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. At the same time, the study demonstrates that an increase in gross domestic product does not automatically translate into higher levels of well-being, as the outcomes of economic development depend on the quality of public institutions, the degree of socioeconomic inequality, environmental conditions, and the effectiveness of public policy. Particular attention is paid to the bidirectional nature of this relationship, whereby quality of life is viewed not only as an outcome of economic growth but also as an important driver of long-term economic development through the accumulation of human capital, the strengthening of social trust, and the enhancement of the investment attractiveness of territories. Based on an analysis of international case studies of the Republic of Korea, Norway, and Costa Rica, the article shows that sustainable improvements in quality of life depend less on the scale of economic growth than on the efficiency with which economic resources are transformed into human development, social protection, and environmental sustainability. The study concludes that there is a need to move beyond assessing the rate of gross domestic product growth toward a comprehensive evaluation of the quality of socioeconomic development.