The pursuit of happiness

According to the World Happiness Report 2013, published by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, there is an important connection between the well-being of a nation’s people and its economic and social development. Perhaps, the reason Pakistan ranks 81 out of the 104 countries in the Report is that it lacks in all of these areas. However, if we analyse the report, which calls on policymakers to take into account happiness as a key factor for targeting development, we can elucidate the factors that cause discontent among people in order to help set benchmarks for development.

Two of the six variables analysed in the report may be considered most pertinent to Pakistan: perceived freedom to make life choices and freedom from corruption. Interestingly, happiness, when explained by perceived freedom to make life choices, is almost negligible for Pakistan. Perhaps this can be explained by cultural norms wherein others frequently make life choices, such as where to settle, who to marry, and what career to pursue, for an individual. This lack of control over one’s life can potentially cause depression and leads us to a major aspect considered in the report: mental health. The report states that mental health is the most important determinant of individual unhappiness. Due to our lack of consideration for mental disorders, many cases of mental illness go undiagnosed and untreated in Pakistan, robbing people of a human right.

The above variables have stunted Pakistan’s development for most of its existence. If policymakers target individuals’ happiness through these various factors, the benefits would be many. Primarily, happiness causes individuals to be more productive, motivated citizens, which would lead to a more productive nation. The initiative to measure happiness in order to develop more targeted, direct and effective policies is a logical one and we must hope that our government will join in this venture.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2013.

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