Wealth redistribution promotes happiness

Ryan J. Dwyer and Elizabeth W. Dunn
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Ryan J. Dwyer: a Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada
Elizabeth W. Dunn: a Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, BC, Canada

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2022, vol. 119, issue 46, e2211123119

Abstract: We took advantage of a unique experiment, in which anonymous donors gave US$10,000 to each of 200 recipients in seven countries. By comparing cash recipients with a control group that did not receive money, this preregistered experiment provides causal evidence that cash transfers substantially increase happiness across a diverse global sample. These gains were greatest for recipients who had the least: Those in lower-income countries gained three times more happiness than those in higher-income countries. Our data provide the clearest evidence to date that private citizens can improve net global happiness through voluntary redistribution to those with less.

Keywords: happiness; wealth redistribution; inequality; cash transfers; well-being (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nas:journl:v:119:y:2022:p:e2211123119

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