Explaining happiness trends in Europe

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Economics
• Political Science

Background:

• National happiness levels have varied across European countries since the early 1980s.
• Understanding the drivers of these happiness trends is crucial for policy-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the primary factors influencing changes in overall happiness in European countries over the long term.
• To differentiate between short-term correlational data and long-term causal relationships affecting happiness.

Main Methods:

• A time-series analysis was conducted on data from 10 Northern, Western, and Southern European countries.
• Cross-sectional analysis of recent data was also performed for comparative purposes.

Main Results:

• Long-term time-series data indicate a strong positive correlation between the generosity of welfare state programs and increasing happiness.
• Conversely, declining welfare generosity is associated with declining happiness.
• Cross-sectional analysis of recent data suggested economic growth, social capital, and environmental quality as drivers, but these lacked long-term significance.

Conclusions:

• The generosity of welfare state programs is the principal determinant of changes in national happiness in Europe over the long term.
• Factors like economic growth, social capital, and environmental quality do not significantly predict long-term happiness trends.
• Policy interventions focused on welfare generosity are likely to have the most substantial impact on population well-being.