Description
How the optimism gap between rich and poor is creating an increasingly divided society
The Declaration of Independence states that all people are endowed with certain unalienable rights. Among them is the pursuit of happiness. But is happiness available equally to everyone in America? How about elsewhere in the world? Carol Graham draws on cutting-edge research linking income inequality with well-being to show how the widening prosperity gap has led to rising inequality in people's beliefs, hopes, and aspirations. The result is an optimism gap between rich and poor that, if left unchecked, could lead to an increasingly divided society. Happiness for All? highlights the importance of well-being measures in identifying and monitoring trends in life satisfaction and optimism, and demonstrates how hope and happiness can lead to improved economic outcomes.
About the Author
Carol Graham is the Leo Pasvolsky Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and College Park Professor at the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy. Her books include Happiness around the World: The Paradox of Happy Peasants and Miserable Millionaires.
Reviews
"One of Project Syndicate's Best Reads in 2017 (chosen by Kermal Dervi )"
Book Information
ISBN 9780691204550
Author Carol Graham
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Princeton University Press
Publisher Princeton University Press