Blanchflower, David G. and Oswald, Andrew J. . (2005) Happiness and the Human Development Index : the paradox of Australia. Australian Economic Review, Vol.38 (No.3). pp. 307-318. ISSN 0004-9018

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Abstract

According to the well-being measure known as the U.N. Human Development Index, Australia now ranks 3rd in the world and higher than all other English-speaking nations. This paper questions that assessment. It reviews work on the economics of happiness, considers implications for policymakers, and explores where Australia lies in international subjective well-being rankings. Using new data on approximately 50,000 randomly sampled individuals from 35 nations, the paper shows that Australians have some of the lowest levels of job satisfaction in the world. Moreover, among the sub-sample of English-speaking nations, where a common language should help subjective measures to be reliable, Australia performs poorly on a range of happiness indicators. The paper discusses this paradox. Our purpose is not to reject HDI methods, but rather to argue that much remains to be understood in this area.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	United Nations -- Human Development Index, Well-being -- Australia, Happiness -- Australia
Journal or Publication Title:	Australian Economic Review
Publisher:	Blackwell
ISSN:	0004-9018
Date:	16 September 2005
Volume:	Vol.38
Number:	No.3
Page Range:	pp. 307-318
Identification Number:	10.1111/j.1467-8462.2005.00377.x
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/318

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