Happiness and government

We are hearing reports of voters’ anger during the current presidential primary elections, as high as 40 percent in one party’s nomination process. It is clear the United States is not the happiest country in the world. According to a recent Gallup “World Happiness Report” of 156 countries, we are ranked 13th in happiness. The 12 countries ranked ahead of us all have northern European style social democracies.

These governments all provide their citizens subsidized health care, pensions for their elderly and social support for the impoverished. The governments, except for Israel, are all secular, have strict controls on election financing and have more emphasis on the fair distribution of wealth.

The citizens in these countries are generally better educated, more trusting of their government, feel that they have more freedom in life choices, have a longer life expectancy and generally show a greater generosity than we do in the United States.

Based upon Gallup’s ranking, 12 counties demonstrate that a socialized democracy may be a more stable, successful and popular form of government than the capitalistic driven government currently being advocated by the conservative agenda.

George Clark

Deer Park