Should the state make us happy?
Is it government's job to make us feel happy? Today a ground-breaking independent report published by the Government Office for Science answers with a clear 'yes': "Government polices and choices need...to nurture the mental capital and wellbeing in the wider population, so that everyone can flourish throughout their lives."
Even more radically, the Foresight Mental Capital and Wellbeing Project suggests politicians might develop "an over-arching mental capital and wellbeing measure" based around targets for every government department.
This is a huge idea - putting emotional well-being at the heart of everything government does.
In layman's terms, this influential group of scientific advisors is arguing that Britain needs to measure how happy/unhappy we are and develop a strategy to get more of the former and less of the latter.
Politicians find all of this very uncomfortable.The last thing they need right now is a headline to the effect: "As Britain heads for recession, the politicians tell us we must be happy."
That is why cabinet minister John Denham sounds so wary in his introduction to today's report. "Mental capital and wellbeing are in many ways very personal concepts" he writes, "but Government has a role in creating an environment in which everyone has the opportunity to flourish."
A 'role in creating an environment' is a long way from the kind of interventionist, policy driven agenda the advisors envisage.
They are clear that there is a clear economic case for significant government intervention.
Improving mental capital and wellbeing could have "very high economic and social returns" they suggest. Indeed, their report reckons there are a whole range of measures government could take in which "the economic and social benefits are likely to significantly exceed the costs involved."
When it comes to happiness, they are arguing, we are able to eat our cake and have it too.
Before we dismiss all this as unworkable, unachievable or undesirable, let us look at the price of unhappiness. The report does the sums and calculates that depression costs the economy £9 billion a year in lost production through absence from work.
Mental ill-health's impact on the wider economy is put at £77 billion in England. And they suggest those costs are about to rocket. Within thirty years, dementia alone will cost the UK £50 billion a year.
I guess people feel a lot less uncomfortable about politicians reducing suffering than the idea that they might dream up some Whitehall plan to have us all smiling benignly so they hit their happiness targets.
But it is arguable that social policy is all about creating contented, prosperous, happier communities. Targets to reduce people's fear of crime or satisfaction surveys about traffic calming, anti-social behaviour or pollution are surely measures of people's quality of life. The health service is looking to do more than cure people of disease - it is about improving the physical and mental well-being of the population.
In any case, government has been flirting with the happiness agenda for years.
In 2002, government strategists published a pamphlet entitled "Life Satisfaction: the state of knowledge and implications for government". It was circulated the following month and clearly stamped: "This is not a statement of Government Policy."
Its conclusion was that "there is a case for state intervention to boost life satisfaction". Who could argue with that? But the statement implied a redefinition of political purpose. Instead of simply making us richer, politicians should aim to make Britain happier.
"Government has got to rethink it's priorities", insisted Lord Layard - Labour peer and LSE economics professor. "I am hoping that each department will review its objectives and see how closely they are in line with the idea of promoting the happiness of the people."
The 'new utilitarians' have been nudging government towards a well-being agenda ever since. Local authorities in England now have a duty "to promote well-being" enshrined in legislation. There was a committee called the Whitehall Well-Being Working Group (aka W3G) which was a cell of happy evangelists beavering away close to the heart of government.
More recently mental health professionals at the Department of Health have been working on a well-being strategy which includes ideas on how government might promote "meaning and purpose" in people's lives through 'creativity, coherence and flow'.
To some this stuff is simply common sense. To others it is a dangerous expansion of the role of the state.
As ever, I would be interested in your thoughts.
I'm 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~41~RS~)
Comments
Sign in or register to comment.
Mark : Would it offer a Quantum of Solace if I said you remind me of Daniel Craig?
Complain about this comment
LoL wonderfull blog Mark. Wonder if this will involve lost of subliminal messaging via media :D.
But what is Happyness ?
For me its doing things for people fixing pc's networks getting older people in the community on to chair based exercise courses, art courses turning things about involving people. Helping get funding for groups to do things. Next progect were doing is graffiti well the removal of it, that will make people happy so in turn we will be happy.
I could say chillin with a joint with a few friends but thats just part of it. What could they do to make me happy when im already happy? Maybe listen to advisors that tell them things and act accordingly.
What makes me unhappy ? The fact that due to life long mental health problems ill never hold down a paid job, so ill always be poor looked down on undervalued ignored dehumanised through medication. *|
So what can the state do for me very little.
Will make a very interesting blog this :)
Complain about this comment
should the government make us happy well no realy there job is to govern and provide a state that we can be happy with.
happiness starts in the person and spreads through there home, work and social activities.
when the government fails to provide a state that nertures happiness then its on us the people to elect a government that will.
i mast say these reports seem to come out at opertune times when the government needs good pr.
Complain about this comment
Well being? I'll take security. With security (money) I'd be able to do all the things that would make me happy and I wouldn't need any further help.
Complain about this comment
"Government polices and choices need...to nurture the mental capital and wellbeing in the wider population, so that everyone can flourish throughout their lives."
Who exactly are the wider population? As an 81-year old who has suffered Scotland and voted for the Conservatives all my life (until their recent lurch to the left) I wonder if people like me are included!
Complain about this comment
The government can make us happy by resigning, preferably after rescinding
(a) the smoking ban
(b) ID Cards/NIR Act
(c) all other attempts at restricting civil liberties
Or if they don't want to, then the opposition parties can do it.
Complain about this comment
Two problems with all of this. One, if the government were to pursue a 'happiness agenda' the cynical Brits would simply see it as electioneering by stealth. Two, there are whole raft of areas in which people would be lot happier if the government were simply to butt out and let everyone get on with it.
Complain about this comment
I'd be happy if the Govt left me alone until I told them I needed help. i don't need someone else telling me whats good for me. The last thing we need now are more targets, this is a thoroughly discredited method of managing anything
Complain about this comment
Well being treated as one of the herd does not help.
I would feel better if we,
Throw out the bans.
OUR vote on the Treaty was announced
No ID> cards.
An election was announced.
We could vote for all these things.
Set up the questions yes or no
As an awful lot of people have realised it is easir and less expensive to live in a small house as compaired to a superstate.
Complain about this comment
Bread and games people, bread and games.
Besides, what makes some people happy would bring misery to others - Eastenders springs to mind here, or to turn the tables, making my wife watch football. Or the smoking ban, blood sports or the 2012 Olympics.
We're all individuals with our own likes / dislikes. Trying to force a homogenised happiness upon the population would cause bitter resentment and, in my case, probably anger.
This government would be best off sticking to bringing about prosperity and meaningful employment to all in a fair(ish) society - Oh hang on, they've been trying that wheeze for eleven years now and they're still no closer to delivering.
If this is the best they can think of for tomorrow, no wonder we are where we are today.
Complain about this comment
It's not the government's job to make us happy. It's the government's job to govern and defend us from tyranny, thus allowing us the freedom to make ourselves happy with as little interference as possible.
Complain about this comment
Transparent fairness, prosperity, opportunity, know the value of every person and above all, freedom; fewer petty rules and more even enforcement.
Being a bit less tabloid-headlines driven and taking more notice of real experts would help.
If the government gives us these things then we will find our own happiness.
We should not fear the future.
Complain about this comment
like the age-old spirit of 'freedom' or 'democracy' in state policy, the 'emotional wellbeing' is to make people in all situations feel satisfied without resorting to the state for economic equality.
Ideology of all forms is remarkably tricky when it comes to masking glaring inequalities and constructing national unity.
Complain about this comment
I think the state should make us all happy to some extent. It is not entirely responsible for people's happiness either. Happiness depends on a good government, on the polticians and what they do for the people. In the UK I have experienced very strange rules and regulations that do not work.
I am a European Ethnologist /Cultural Anthropologist from Göttingen University.
My partner and I have been working so hard here in Wales - but we do not get anywhere really. This forces us to move - back to the continent. I am from Germany -and I have experienced extreme unhappiness because of the state here in the UK because ...
...
a) I became ill - did not receive good treatment; had to have an emergency op in Germany
b) I cannot be happy to hear on the BBC 10 o'clock news last night that 20,000 people might die in this state because they are feeling too cold
c) most jobs in the UK just pay for your bills - what about the little extras that make life happy and worthwhile?
d) the state /government should spend on its people
e) we pay high council tax > I do not know what for. There's no improvements in Machynlleth since I have been living here for me as a local
Every day I think about quality of life. I do not have this where I am.
The state should give the people its freedom to do what they enjoy. Because the UK government does not do this I have met so many depressed people in Wales. What is there to look forward for most? For the workers? I respect good workers in a bakery, in shops - every person. They work hard - they should play hard.
Complain about this comment
The state could make us all happy -
just by leaving us alone, and NOT trying to
'manage' everything - and everyone1
Complain about this comment
I was not "unhappy" enough apparently, to qualify for therapy or councelling for moderate depression.
With symptoms of diminished motivation,concentration or ability to organise my thoughts- I was given a bunch of websites to organise my own care plan.
Perhaps if the government spent more money on NHS therapists and councelors so that free treatment is actually available, Then I would have been much happier(stronger) and "productive" months ago.
- Seriously, can anyone really believe that a government is benevolently interested in our happiness, when its squeezing HUMANITY out and dictating "efficiency and effectiveness" best value policies which force our service workers to view humans in terms of bottom line monetary value.
Perhaps the gov could use public "happiness" data to appraise its own performance instead - now that would be useful.
If they have genuine consern for public happiness they could start with scrapping ID Data banks and fingerprinting our children to direct the billions£££ of our money back to us- Instead of into the hands of private security firms who no doubt are very happy indeed.
Complain about this comment
I don't think it's impossible for the state to make everyone happy, as it will only reflect the opinions of government ministers as to what happiness is.
The state's job surely is to govern efficiently and quietly, and provide the public with the civil liberties and state apparatus to carve out their own vision of happiness within the boundaries of the law.
Complain about this comment
The distruction of the important role of evening institutes in London (and probably elsewhere) in providing 'recreational' courses has helped to isolate older people. These courses provided huge social interaction. People who were not joiners by nature could meet like minded folk and keep their minds active by honing their skills and learning new things.
Of course stopping these courses has propelled many old people into the health service - isolation makes people ill.
Closing down post offices and stopping the weekly visit to collect pensions and meet people has contributed to this problem too.
This is not rocket science. It would not be expensive to take the quasi education rules out of institutes and make them vibrant places of meeting and stimulation again. They used to belong to the community, but they don't now.l
Complain about this comment
mrovicki .
to true far to true. But it wont fix itself it needs people to just stand up and do such things.. but who?.. the 2 parents that are worked to the bone to keep a roof over thier heads and pay thier bills??. It takes a lot of hard work to get these things running and keep them running, a lot of these community activities for the organisers take up all thier free time, even just with the simple logistics of getting bums on seats, it all racks up time and cost.
as ive said before policys have indervidualised us to the point were we have no time to look after others as we are to busy trying to stay afloat ourselves.
A few of us put togeter a group that would cater for the over 50's to get them introduced back in to the communitys and get involved away from isolation. funding was our main issue and how to keep the funding going. Its only going to get worse now as small pots of community funding are diverted by councils to support thier progects.
Complain about this comment
The answer to 'Should the state make us happy?' is if this country's government did what they where told, when they where told it wouldn't be an issue.
Complain about this comment
I think it is the state who make us unhappy.
I feel we are run by the state and the drug companies, who makes us ill with the constant weekly scare-mongering.
I also agree with dhimmi comments.
Many do not want the Lisbon treaty, but what can we do?
Trying to "denormalize" sections of society, just demorolizes more people.
If anti depressants are on the rise, we need to ask ourselves why?
Stop trying to force us all to live for an eternity which our bodies were never designed for, with all the illnesses that come with it. Then bleed us even dryer when we are forced into old peoples homes and the like.
We have all been given to many rules and regulations to remember over the last ten years, it need to stop before the government drive us mad!
Get the so called do-gooders off our backs.
Complain about this comment
I think that trying to make people happy is too large a remit and probably can't be accomplished. Happiness is the most short lived of emotions. Far easier to remove the causes of unhappiness. But legislation and enforcement of such an aim would, I suspect, be even more unenforceable than the Management of Stress at Work. Mind you the image of my local council saying "Ve haf vays of making you heppy!" has cheerd me up a bit (albeit fleetingly)
Complain about this comment
I can't help feeling that there's a bit of confused thinking on the Government's part here. "The report...calculates that depression costs the economy £9 billion a year..." But surely depression, which is a health issue, is not the same as just not being happy enough or not feeling very satisfied with life. Of course depression should be taken seriously and appropriate provision to help people out of it should be available. But that is not the same as a general, "happiness agenda".
That said, I think that the Government does have a responsibility, up to a point, to make us happy. Parliament is the law-making body of the land and we elect MPs to it in the expectation that they will act in our best interests. In considering our best interests, they need to think about our health, wealth and happiness, among other things, no doubt. It would be daft to have clowns on the NHS (and not just because I don't find clowns funny) or, God forbid, a "Happiness Tsar", but when making and reviewing policy, surely our happiness should be an important factor in the decision-making process. Often, distinctly dodgy policies are pushed through or retained on the basis of their supposed value to our economy. "It is because of our ABC that we attract overseas investment." "We must XYZ to maintain our economic growth." Etc. But perhaps on some of these occasions our elected representatives should be thinking more holistically about our interests: maybe we would prefer to be a bit happier than to have a few pounds more in our pockets.
More consieration needs to be given to trickier things like access to green space, building communities, giving more people the opportunity to maintain a reasonable "work/ life balance". Addressing the fact that many people are stressed and tired as a result of working long hours, whilst others are depressed by not having a job. Difficult to do - certainly harder than the simple numbers game of choosing to spend or save money - but surely important. Although Britain's economic prosperity has, as a general trend, increased greatly over the years, our happiness and satisfaction with life has not. Suicide, particularly among young males, seems to be sadly too prolific (as noted on your recent map posting).
Maybe it is long overdue that politicians should be thinking about our happiness.
Complain about this comment
How about abolishing money? That may help....
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS