In Pursuit of Happiness Research Is It Reliable? What Does It Imply for Policy?

24 April 2007. “Happiness research” studies the correlates of subjective well-being, generally through survey methods. A number of psychologists and social scientists have drawn upon this work recently to argue that the American model of relatively limited government and a dynamic market economy corrodes happiness, whereas Western European and Scandinavian-style social democracies promote it. This paper argues that happiness research in fact poses no threat to the relatively libertarian ideals embodied in the U.S. socioeconomic system.

By NZBR , New Zealand.

Governance Policy Resource.