Politics of Happiness

and Mr. Bok draws liberally and impressively upon it. His conclusions are remarkable and well worth heeding... This is a remarkable, original, provocative and brilliant book. Anyone who wants to be happy, or to share their happiness with others, should snap it up at once."--Martin Sieff, Washington Times "Bok reviews a wide range of surveys that consistently associate levels of happiness or satisfaction with several demographic and social variables... Bok concludes that the scientific evidence on well-being is now robust enough for politicians to start taking action."--Felicia Huppert, Nature "[Bok asks] whether governments should really try to maker their citizens happier. Answer: yes, not through promoting economic growth, but through environmental policies, healthcare, and strengthening marriage and the family."--Glenda Cooper, Prospect Magazine "Provides insights into the mysteries of happiness."--Phillip Longman, Washington Monthly "Bok, former president of Harvard, outlines the work of 'happiness scholars' and suggests that their findings would be an 'eminently defensible way' of informing public policy, at least as valuable as opinion polls or economic indexes. Among the most significant findings he cites is that an increase in wealth does not correlate with an increase in happiness and that rising inequality has not caused a decrease. From these and other points, Bok argues for many general and specific policy measures that, he believes, would add to the sum of happiness in the United States... Readers will find him in turn provocative and quixotic."--Bob Nardini, Library Journal "[A] sweeping study of behavioural research and public policy... This is a book that leaders of developing nations obsessed with economic growth will find puzzling and troubling, but not as much as market economists will."--Stephen Matchett, Australian "Okay, I hear your protests, your gut telling you that Bok is a na?ve professor with his head in the clouds. Skeptical myself, I found his book full of surprises. Example: The growing inequality of incomes in the United States has not made Americans more dissatisfied than in previous times. Only one group is upset by this growing disparity--wealthy Americans! See what I mean? Counterintuitive conclusions, like this one, abound."--Mandy Twaddell, Providence Journal "Relatively light and accessible... Although Bok is partisan, his is a good introduction to the subject. He accurately outlines the findings of the research while questioning its shortcomings."--Daniel Ben-Ami, Spiked Review of Books "[This] is a careful, helpful book. It brings together the key findings in the area of happiness research--a relatively new discipline of the social sciences that uses surveys and polls to measure well-being... The Politics of Happiness is not a complete answer... It does however, add the methodology and reasoning of modern social science to the profound insights of ancient moral and political philosophy."--Nitin Pai, Pragati, Indian National Interest Review "Bok explores a number of new studies related to the concept of happiness and then painstakingly asks whether and how government can do much to increase human happiness... The Politics of Happiness raises a number of challenges to our assumptions."--Debbie Bruno, Roll Call "This book is clear and nicely written and provides a fascinating overview of what does--and doesn't--contribute to the wellbeing of people in the Western world."--Miriam Cosic, Australian "Bok's summary of the available research is skillful and to the point."--Tevi Troy, Claremont Review of Books "A book policymakers and people in governance should read. So that there can be more happiness all around."--Vaidehi Nathan, Organiser "This book offers a fresh look at the surprisingly not-so-elusive quality of happiness and why economic policy can make a difference where it counts. Bok has a smooth and convincing narrative style, and he weighs his arguments carefully."--Maureen Mackey, Fiscal Times