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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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    13. 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).
    14. Awoa, Paul Awoa & Efogo, Françoise Okah & Ondoa, Henri Atangana, 2023. "Oil dependence and entrepreneurship: Non-linear evidence," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 47(1).
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