The Economics of Happiness and Anger in North Africa

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Philosophers and intellectuals in North Africa and in the wider Muslim world, such as the fourteenth-century Tunisian scholar Ibn Khaldun, have long been preoccupied with ways to enhance human dignity, happiness, and well-being. In recent years, interest in happiness has gained momentum among thinkers in connection with economic management and development. Studies seem to indicate that happiness is correlated with better economic decision-making in areas ranging from consumption to savings and risk taking. This chapter explores the economics of happiness and anger in North Africa, first by tracing the evolution of concepts of happiness in Western economic thought and relating them to developments and prospects in North Africa. It then discusses the status and changes in happiness reporting by focusing on the World Happiness Report and concludes by explaining how political Islam and an energized secular class can contribute towards achieving happiness for economic development.