The Politics of Happiness: What Government Can Learn from the New Research on Well-Being

The priority of modern politics is economic growth. But humanity’s struggle towards material security will only be worthwhile if we understand and find ways to attenuate the psychological afflictions that appear to continue into, and are sometimes directly fostered by, conditions of abundance. The problems of the thirty or so rich countries describ

Happiness did seem at least partly determined by how much subjects expected to make—but what seemed most crucial, however, was the violation of those expectations.

Leading positive psychology researchers have noted many benefits that increased wellbeing brings to families and communities. Individuals with high wellbeing can be more charitable, creative, helpful, and self-confident. They often exhibit increased self-control and coping abilities. Other benefits may include: greater productivity, higher work qua

For some time now, philosophy and psychology have existed as very separate disciplines, the latter more concerned with observing or fixing pathologies than studying how we might most happily live out our short lives. Then, recently, visionaries in both fields have again found common ground.