Adrian White, from the University of Leicester’s School of Psychology, analysed previously published data to create a global projection of subjective well-being: the first world map of happiness.
The research is based on the findings of over 100 different studies around the world, which questioned 80,000 people worldwide.
The top 10 “happiest” countries:
1. Denmark
2. Switzerland
3. Austria
4. Iceland
5. The Bahamas
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Bhutan
9. Brunei
10. Canada
Damn Canadians – even though they hate their health care system, they are generally happier than the U.S., which placed 23rd.
So what do these countries have in common?
1. Public health care systems. Their citizens don’t have to worry about getting sick or how to pay for it, and are therefore free to pursue their life’s work.
2. Public education systems that allow students to go as far as their intellects will take them. They don’t enter the work force saddled with huge debt.
3. Low military spending. Denmark’s may be typical – the purpose of their military is to preserve their “sovereignty”. And since they don’t have tentacles all over the globe messing in everyone else’s affairs, it’s unlikely anyone is going to attack them.
4. High taxes. Higher than we pay, for sure. But the deal is this -they don’t have to worry about medical or education costs, and have minimum wages laws that drive wages high enough that they can all make a good living on after-tax dollars.
This all flies in the face of right wing orthodoxy. The question is, what does one do when one’s world view is shown to be wrong?
1) Turn away, or
2) Spin it.
Piece of Mindful 
Yeah, Mark, all those criterion would account for the fact that France, UK, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Poland, Cuba, Japan, <a href=”http://www.le.ac.uk/users/aw57/world/sample.html”<and about 125 other countries are lower on list than the U.S.
Do you lay awake at night making shit up? Spin away indeed.
LikeLike
Yes – part of spin would be denying any correlation whatsoever. That would be your job. But how do you explain all those people paying high taxes and yet being happy? Doesn’t this negate your entire existence?
LikeLike
No, your job in making the argument is to actually show a correlation. For the 22 above the U.S. that pay higher taxes there are at least as many below that pay higher taxes, have publicly funded health care and paid secondary education.. As a matter of fact taxes weren’t even found in the original article.
Secondly, I didn’t deny a correlation. But if you can find one within your parameters please point it out.
As your statistics teacher likely said, “show your work.”
In fact, the source article says that the studies referenced are problematic but seem to say that health, money, and education are the common factors. Still, the U.S. Scores higher than France, UK, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Italy. So the question comes from your criteria; why does the U.S. score higher?
LikeLike
Very high correlation between health, education and happiness scale. I threw in the part about taxes because enough countries with higher taxes score higher than the US to put your philosophy in question.
In fact it undoes you. The people in the countries in the top ten are all doing the exact opposite of what you advocate, and they are happy.
Just leads me to believe that you don’t know people very well, and that the libertarian philosophy (or whatever you call it these days) has so few followers because it is out of step.
LikeLike
It doesn’t undo me. Stop projecting. This is a statistical question. Nothing more. But I guess you just can’t answer a simple question. I’ll ask again:
Still, the U.S. Scores higher than France, UK, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Italy. So the question comes from your criteria; why does the U.S. score higher?
LikeLike
Just think Mark, happiness and free health care just a few hundred miles north of Bozeman.
LikeLike
This is delightful. The title of the post is “Spin away now, darlin’s”, and Budge, my ultimate darlin’, is doing just that. I asked him to explain the top ten – but no, that’s not it at all! I have to explain the position of the U.S. in relation to countries that did not make the top ten!
Priceless.
Swede – as usual, it is all lost on you.
LikeLike
Mark, ya miss my point.
If Americans are so unhappy and Canadians are so happy then why aren’t Americans moving North?
Could it be that this is BS, or is it that unhappiness trumps six months of winter?
Then again, they say when ya freeze to death, ya do it falling asleep with a smile on your face.
LikeLike
I’m not asking you to explain anything other than those countries that are lower than us but meet your criteria. You made a “statement of fact” but your facts prove otherwise. I’m not spinning anything. All I said is that your coronations don’t add up. You made the statement. Answer the friggin’ question.
LikeLike
And one more thing. You didn’t ask me to explain the top top ten. Making more shit up.
LikeLike
You don’t see yourself at all, do you. The top ten completely undo you, so you ignored them and asked me – no – DEMAND! that I explain the placement of #23.
LikeLike
I can just see Mark now: “Ignore that man behind the curtain, for I am the Great OZ.”
At least it’s nice to know he continues his nonsense to comments on his own blog.
LikeLike
You can’t answer my question. You lose.
LikeLike
I don’t even think that he can grasp the question. It is his narrow minded and shallow understanding of things that makes him happy. And frustrated by anyone (which is just about everyone) thinks deeper than he does.
LikeLike
I don;t think he can grasp the question either. He certainly won’t answer it. This from a guy who’s all about debate.
LikeLike
Dave – I was working – in a meeting with a guy all afternoon. But I did answer you in passing over at ELW. Anyway, let em get caught up here:
Swede – Russians are generally unhappy but are not moving to Denmark. If your point is that unhappy people move to happier places, well, it’s kind of not possible for the vast majority. But I like Canada alot – it’s really laid back and friendly, and we have thought about moving up there, but we are close to Medicare now and our kids are past school age, so it’s self-defeating.
Steve: I don’t even think that he can grasp the question. It is his narrow minded and shallow understanding of things that makes him happy. And frustrated by anyone (which is just about everyone) thinks deeper than he does.
Oh snap! That sounded rather childish. You need to consult Budge about insults. It requires verbal dexterity, which you seem to lack.
And finally, Dave:
The study says that health care and education were an important part of the reasons given for happiness. However, saying that people like their health and education systems does not equate with saying that good health and education systems cause happiness. But they apparently do not detract from happiness. So there is a relationship there, but I do nit know the correlation coefficient.
The study said nothing about taxes. That was me taking a dig at you.
I don’t know about countries that are lower than the U.S. or the U.S. itself, but 23 is actually pretty good. What I said over at ELC and repeat here is that I suspect that the U.S. was trending downward, that if this study were done, say, in 1966 or 1976, we might have been in the top ten, maybe even #1. I speculated that since 1980 our direction is down. But I don’t know that.
LikeLike