Money does buy happiness, it turns out.

Two years ago the Gallup Organization polled people in 132 nations on what the economists like to call "life satisfaction" and what we call happiness. To the surprise of some, the study showed that people in rich countries are far happier than those in poor countries. There is a myth (blame French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau) that indigent peasants live in bliss and that only modern technology and stress bring misery. The Gallup responses, crunched by Princeton economist Angus Deaton, demolish such a notion.

Happiest are the Danes, Swiss, Norwegians, Canadians and Australians, according to Deaton's paper. Unhappiest are those in Cambodia, Togo, Chad, Sierra Leone and Niger. Of course the first set of nations is quite wealthy and the second set quite poor. But it's not an either-or situation. A little more income brings a little more happiness, and a moderate amount of income brings a like portion of life satisfaction. South Korea is roughly half as wealthy - and half as happy - as Finland. Russia is half as wealthy and half as happy as South Korea - but a heck of a lot happier than Togo.

There are exceptions. India is poorer but happier than China. Pakistan is much more satisfied with life than India, even though incomes are similar. And the United States underachieves in the happiness race, ranking below less-wealthy nations such as Canada and Denmark.

These are averages, of course. But you're far more likely to score high on a happymeter if you live in a developed nation. Psychologist Abraham Mazlow, who knew people can't "actualize" themselves until basic physical needs are met, figured this out long ago. Anybody who still believes economic growth isn't essential to human potential should read Deaton's paper.

For a link to the paper and an international happiness graph, click on my blog at www.baltimoresun.com/blogs.

jay.hancock@baltsun.com