What Makes a Good Society?

When we talk about individual happiness, there are many things that a man can do to improve his lot in life. He can get a better job, find the love of his life and start a family. But what about change on a broader scale? Are there steps the government can take to increase the happiness and wellbeing of all of its citizens?

Believe it or not, a new study has concluded that there is. What are the hallmarks of a happy society? All of the data suggests that democratic nations that offer political freedom and equal rights have much happier citizens and more stable governments.

Of course, economic concerns are also quite important. If communism taught us anything, it was that people are willing to surrender their individual rights when they are promised economic progress. We also know that too much freedom can lead to rising debts and credit card complaints.

What else? When the researchers focused on smaller segments of the population, on specific communities, they made a number of interesting discoveries. For starters, they found that people who live in villages are more trusting than those that live in cities, and that this trust and confidence in their communities make them happier and less apprehensive.

When it came to the average city-dweller, the study found that he is more focused on his work and less on family than the average rural resident. It also concluded that he is more likely to suffer from serious psychological issues, often involving dangerous addictions.