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Happiness, Social Cohesion and Income Inequalities in Britain and Japan

In: Advances in Happiness Research

Author

Listed:
  • Dimitris Ballas

    (University of Sheffield)

  • Danny Dorling

    (University of Oxford)

  • Tomoki Nakaya

    (Ritsumeikan University)

  • Helena Tunstall

    (University of Edinburgh)

  • Kazumasa Hanaoka

    (Tohoku University)

  • Tomoya Hanibuchi

    (Chukyo University)

Abstract

The above quotation is from the popular book entitled “The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better”. This text describes the relationship between income distribution and well-being in affluent countries suggesting it is mediated through psychosocial pathways shaping the impacts of economic structure upon social relationships. In this model lower income inequality is seen to result in societies with more cohesion, greater trust and cooperation and lower social stress. Wilkinson and Pickett (2009) present evidence suggesting that social and economic policies affecting the income distribution of a society can make a huge difference to the psychosocial well-being of the whole populations of this society. For instance, according to the evidence used in this book if income inequality were halved in the UK then the murder rates in the country and obesity rates would also halve, mental illness could be reduced by two thirds, imprisonment could reduce by 80 %, teen births could reduce by 80 % and levels of trust could increase by 85 % (The Equality Trust 2011).

Suggested Citation

  • Dimitris Ballas & Danny Dorling & Tomoki Nakaya & Helena Tunstall & Kazumasa Hanaoka & Tomoya Hanibuchi, 2016. "Happiness, Social Cohesion and Income Inequalities in Britain and Japan," Creative Economy, in: Toshiaki Tachibanaki (ed.), Advances in Happiness Research, edition 1, chapter 0, pages 119-138, Springer.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:crechp:978-4-431-55753-1_8
    DOI: 10.1007/978-4-431-55753-1_8
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    Cited by:

    1. Jiawen Huang, 2019. "Income Inequality, Distributive Justice Beliefs, and Happiness in China: Evidence from a Nationwide Survey," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(1), pages 83-105, February.

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