Poets,songwriters and politicians hate the idea,but for decades opinion-poll evidence has been clear:money buys happiness and the richer you are,the more likely you are to express satisfaction with your life.Until now,a survey of43 countries 1 on October 30th by the Pew Research Centre of Washington,DC,shows that people in 2 markeis are expressing almost the same level of satisfaction as people in rich countries.It is the biggest 3 to the standard view of happiness and income seen 4.The Pew poll asks respondents to 5,on a scale from zero to ten,how good their lives are.（Those who say between seven and ten are counted as 6.）In 2007,57%of respondents in rich countries put themselves in the top four tiers;in emerging markets the 7 was 33%;in poor countries only 16%-a classic 8 0f the standard view.But in 2014,540/o of rich-country respondents counted themselves as happy,whereas in emerging markets the percentage 9 t0 51%.This was happening just at a time when emerging markets'chances of converging economically 10 the West seemed to be 11.Rich countries did not experience 12 declines in happiness.The decreases in America and Britain were tiny（a single percentage point）,13 the share of h8ppy Gennans rose 13 points.A large drop in formerly joyful Spain ensured a modest overaU decline for the rich.14 the convcrgence happened 15 huge improvements in countries such as Indonesia and Pakistan.In 12 of the 24 emerging markets,half or more people 16 their life satisfaction in the top tiers of the ladder.This is not t0 17 the link between income and satrsfaction has been snapped.Poor countries still 18:only a quarter of the people there are in the happy tiers-half the level of the other'two groups.There is 19 a clear link between happiness and income growth.China's GDP rose at an annual average rate of 10%in 2007-2014 and its happiness level rose 26 points.20 countries,richer people express more satisfaction than their poorer neighbours.18选？