Public Happiness Policy

Abstract

AbstractWith the “beyond GDP” movements, countries have begun to newly understand the living conditions and wellbeing of their people, and in this regard, have begun to develop a framework to measure wellbeing. As a representative example, the OECD developed a framework for measuring wellbeing in 2011 based on the recommendations of the Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress (Stiglitz et al. in The measurement of economic performance and social progress revisited. Reflections and overview. Resource document. Commission on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress. https://hal-sciencespo.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01069384/document. Accessed June 15, 2020, 2009.) and consultations with member countries. Individual countries are also working to develop a framework for measuring happiness in this international trend. This effort to measure happiness is important for assessing the current quality of life and understanding what information needs to be shared for a better life, but providing information alone will not improve people’s happiness. This is why active policy efforts beyond measuring happiness are required to promote happiness.