Similarly, the relation between economic freedom and happiness is strongest in nations where a capability to choose is lowest. The findings show that freedom does not always breed happiness, and suggest that economic freedom deserves priority. Imperfection in knowledge and rationality has a biological basis and the resulting accumulation instinct amplifies with advertising-fostered consumerism to result in a systematic materialistic bias. This is so despite the fact that growth finances the provision of public goods and disruption abatement and even if the tax rate and abatement ratio are optimized. Recent evidence on happiness and quality of life also tends to support the conclusions.
International surveys report large differences between countries in happiness, satisfaction etc.
Indirect questions like those for extraversion and neuroticism do not confirm this. However national reported satisfaction levels correlated highly with average income, individualism, income inequality and human rights. But since all these correlate highly together it has not been possible to separate their effects by multiple regression. Religion could explain some of the unexpected findings, e.g. for Nigeria and Brazil. These results could be wholly or partly spurious and due to cultural norms for answering questions about happiness.