Unhappiness and Pain in Modern America: A Review Essay, and Further Evidence, on Carol Graham's Happiness for All?

David Blanchflower and Andrew Oswald

No 11184, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: In Happiness for All?, Carol Graham raises disquieting ideas about today's United States. The challenge she puts forward is an important one. Here we review the intellectual case and offer additional evidence. We conclude broadly on the author's side. Strikingly, Americans appear to be in greater pain than citizens of other countries, and most sub-groups of citizens have downwardly trended happiness levels. There is, however, one bright side to an otherwise dark story. The happiness of black Americans has risen strongly since the 1970s. It is now almost equal to that of white Americans.

Keywords: happiness; well-being; GHQ; mental-health; depression; life-course (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I3 I31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 34 pages
Date: 2017-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hap, nep-hpe and nep-ltv
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published - published in: Journal of Economic Literature, 2019, 57 (2), 385 - 402

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Related works:
Journal Article: Unhappiness and Pain in Modern America: A Review Essay, and Further Evidence, on Carol Graham's Happiness for All? (2019)
Working Paper: Unhappiness and Pain in Modern America: A Review Essay, and Further Evidence, on Carol Graham’s Happiness for All? (2018)
Working Paper: Unhappiness and Pain in Modern America: A Review Essay, and Further Evidence, on Carol Graham’s Happiness for All? (2018)
Working Paper: Unhappiness and Pain in Modern America: A Review Essay, and Further Evidence, on Carol Graham’s Happiness for All? (2018)
Working Paper: Unhappiness and Pain in Modern America: A Review Essay, and Further Evidence, on Carol Graham’s Happiness for All? (2017)
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