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No. 590

April 11, 2007

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In Pursuit of Happiness Research

Is It Reliable? What Does It Imply for Policy?

by Will Wilkinson

Executive Summary

cannot be relied on as an authoritative source for

"Happiness research" studies the correlates of

empirical information about happiness, which, in

subjective well-being, generally through survey

any case, is not a simple empirical phenomenon

methods. A number of psychologists and social

but a cultural and historical moving target. Yet,

scientists have drawn upon this work recently to

even if we accept the data of happiness research at

argue that the American model of relatively limit-

face value, few of the alleged redistributive policy

ed government and a dynamic market economy

implications actually follow from the evidence.

corrodes happiness, whereas Western European

The data show that neither higher rates of gov-

and Scandinavian-style social democracies pro-

ernment redistribution nor lower levels of income

mote it. This paper argues that happiness

inequality make us happier, whereas high levels of

research in fact poses no threat to the relatively

economic freedom and high average incomes are

libertarian ideals embodied in the U.S. socioeco-

among the strongest correlates of subjective well-

nomic system. Happiness research is seriously

being. Even if we table the damning charges of

hampered by confusion and disagreement about

questionable science and bad moral philosophy,

the definition of its subject as well as the limita-

the American model still comes off a glowing suc-

tions inherent in current measurement tech-

cess in terms of happiness.

niques. In its present state happiness research

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Will Wilkinson is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute and is managing editor of Cato Unbound.