Happiness and growth the world over : time series evidence on the happiness-income paradox
Easterlin, Richard A. ; Angeslescu, Laura
Institute of Labor Economics, Bonn
IZA - Bonn
2009
29 p.
economic growth ; international ; macroeconomics ; statistics ; well being
Discussion Paper Series
4060
Social protection
English
Bibliogr.
"There is no significant relationship between the improvement in happiness and the long term rate of growth of GDP per capita. This is true for three groups of countries analyzed separately - 17 developed, 9 developing, and 11 transition - and also for the 37 countries taken together. Time series studies reporting a positive relationship confuse a short-term positive association between the growth of happiness and income, arising from fluctuations in macroeconomic conditions, with the long-term relationship, which is nil. "
Digital
The ETUI is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the ETUI.