25 Feb 2019 3 min read

Inequality drives change

What's the link between happiness and wealth? And could it be behind the rise of populism?

The rise of populism looks set to continue and likely escalate. Inequality in wealth and income (both between and within countries) is an important reason for this new political paradigm. Evidence suggests people’s happiness is a function of how they’re doing relative to others, so if they feel they’ve missed out they're more likely to vote against the status quo.

John Roe

Head of Multi-Asset Funds

With failed football dreams behind him, John applies the same level of enthusiasm to investing and how to improve outcomes by battling behavioural biases. He leads on oil research, but also gets involved in a wide range of macro topics. That love of variety also explains his craft beer fascination. Hard to shut up, he’s a regular guest on Bloomberg, a conference speaker and an LGIM Director. His analytical thinking benefits from being an Actuary with an economics degree and having previously worked as a strategist at RBS.