Sudden Wealth, Gratification and Attainment: Durkheim's Anomie of Affluence Reconsidered

This paper discusses the effects of sudden increases in wealth, a relatively neglected aspect of Durkheim's theory of anomie. The effects are examined in a representative sample of persons who won between $500 and $100,000 in state lotteries. Following an incubation period of over one year, it is found that the magnitude of winnings are positively related to gratification permissiveness and inversely related to future aspirations. However, both of these immediate effects tend to be anomia-reducing, a finding which seems contrary to Durkheim's affluence thesis. The findings are interpreted in relation to changes in normative structures, and it is proposed that such changes alter the meaning of anomia as a personal-level indicator of a state of anomie in society.