Happiness and Public Policy Theory, Case Studies and Implications [Hardcover]

Happiness is a private matter and individual pursuit; however, public policy does have an important role and can contribute much through various enabling means. This volume discusses the determinants of happiness and presents case studies of how public policy can help promote happiness.Introduction: Happiness as the Only Ultimate Objective of Public Policy; Y-k.Ng & L.S.Ho PART 1: A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE STATE OF WELL BEING OF HUMANITY Quality-of-life in the Modern Society Measured with Happy Life Years; R.Veenhoven PART 2: DETERMINANTS AND ORIGINS OF HAPPINESS: THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 'The 'Three Happinesses' and Public Policy'; L.S.Ho Internal and External Determinants of Subjective Well Being: Review and Policy Implications; U.Schimmack Economics and Happiness Research: Insights from Austrian and Public Choice Economics; C.J.Coyne & P.J.Boettke PART 3: AREA AND POLICY CASE STUDIES Do Cigarettes Make Smokers Happier? J.Gruber & S.Mullainathan Happiness and the Pursuit of a Life Worth Living: An Anthropological Approach; G.Mathews Psychological Approaches to the Relationship between Happiness and Public Policy in P.R. China; K.Shi, X-l.Wang, R.Zheng, W.Shi, J-f.Lu & H-x.Fan Happiness and Development: Public Policy Initiatives in the Kingdom of Bhutan; V.K.Shrotyria An Exploratory Study of Resilience among Hong Kong Employees: Ways to Happiness; O-l.Siu, S.L.Chow, D.R.Phillips & L.Lin Fun, Fervour or Fitness? Sporting Cultures and Happiness; B.Bridges PART 4: IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS Public Policy Implications of Behavioural Economics and Happiness Studies; Y-k.NgPETER J. BOETTKE Professor, Economics Department, George Mason University, USA BRIAN BRIDGES Professor, Department of Politics and Sociology and Director, Center for Asian Pacific Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong S.L. CHOW Professor of Psychology, University of Regina, Canada CHRISTOPHER J. COYNE Assistant Professor of Economics, Hampden-Sydney College, Austria HONG-XIA FlC¥