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The Easterlin Paradox revisited: New insights into money and happiness

Andrew E. Clark, Richard Layard and Ekaterina Oparina


Fifty years ago, Richard Easterlin asked a fundamental question: does getting richer make us happier? His work gave rise to the Easterlin paradox: while wealthier individuals tend to be happier than poorer people, as countries get richer their populations don't get significantly happier. Ekaterina Oparina, Andrew E. Clark and Richard Layard provide fresh insights into this paradox.


25 June 2025


LSE Inequalities


https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/inequalities/2025/06/25/the-easterlin-paradox-revisited/

This Blog is published under the centre's Community Wellbeing programme.

This publication comes under the following theme: Causes and effects of wellbeing