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Happiness and the Resource Curse

Author

Listed:
  • Sabna Ali

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

  • Syed Mansoob Murshed

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam
    Coventry University)

  • Elissaios Papyrakis

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam
    University of East Anglia (UEA))

Abstract

There has been increasing interest in the so-called ‘resource curse’: the tendency of resource-rich countries to underperform in several socio-economic outcomes. More recently, several papers have looked beyond the traditional impact on economic growth and instead focused on the effects upon broader human welfare indicators. A separate empirical literature in recent decades has probed into the determinants of happiness and subjective well-being (using either country or household data). Our paper contributes to the literature by bringing these two empirical strands of research together. This is the first study, to our knowledge, that makes use of a large panel dataset to explore the links between changes in happiness across countries and several measures of resource wealth. Consistent with prior empirical evidence of a resource curse in oil-rich nations, we find that oil rents are negatively linked to improvements in happiness over time. This happiness ‘resource curse’ curse appears to be oil-specific and holds both for the levels as well as changes in happiness.

Suggested Citation

  • Sabna Ali & Syed Mansoob Murshed & Elissaios Papyrakis, 2020. "Happiness and the Resource Curse," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 437-464, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:21:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s10902-019-00080-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-019-00080-3
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    6. Mignamissi, Dieudonné & Malah Kuete, Yselle Flora, 2021. "Resource rents and happiness on a global perspective: The resource curse revisited," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    7. Yao, Xilong & Wang, Hualing & Shao, Shuai & Li, Xiaoyu & Guo, Zhi, 2022. "“Booster” or “obstacle”: Can coal capacity cut policies moderate the resource curse effect? Evidence from Shanxi (China)," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    8. Awoa, Paul Awoa & Efogo, Françoise Okah & Ondoa, Henri Atangana, 2023. "Oil dependence and entrepreneurship: Non-linear evidence," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 47(1).
    9. Jianguo Du & Jing Zhang & Xingwei Li, 2020. "What Is the Mechanism of Resource Dependence and High-Quality Economic Development? An Empirical Test from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-17, October.
    10. Paul Fenton Villar, 2022. "Is there a Mineral-Induced ‘Economic Euphoria’?: Evidence from Latin America," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1403-1430, April.
    11. Awoa Awoa, Paul & Oyono, Jean Cedric & Ngah Atangana, Bénédicte & Okere Atanga, Donald & Zeh, Inès Perolde, 2022. "Natural resource and entrepreneurship: Economic freedom matters," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    12. Zhan, Zhan & Naqvi, Bushra & Rizvi, Syed Kumail Abbas & Cai, Xiaotong, 2021. "How exchange rate regimes are exacerbating or mitigating the resource curse?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. Renz, Timon, 2021. "Development policy based on happiness? A review of concepts, ideas and pitfalls," FZG Discussion Papers 75, University of Freiburg, Research Center for Generational Contracts (FZG).
    14. Slesman, Ly, 2022. "The elusive curse of natural resources on happiness," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

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