Subjective Wellbeing and Public Policy

There is a widespread idea that happiness is something to be achieved individually, a personal choice, outside of public policy. This is the traditional view, but it is changing and changing fast. Studies in the fields of economics, psychology and public opinion have shown that, although happiness is subjective, it can be measured and related to personal characteristics and societal trends. Through the World Values Surveys we can learn how subjective well-being has evolved and analyze the factors that correlate with happiness. In the past, success was measured primarily by economic growth - GDP - alone. But the data show that there are other, more important factors to consider. Happiness differs from country to country and over time, due to reasons that are identifiable and in many cases can be influenced by public policies, such as healthcare, education, family relationships or freedom of expression. This paper focuses on mapping global happiness, identifying the factors that correlate with it, and showing how public policies can help create the environment and conditions for happier citizens.

This paper will deal with the Happiness of Nations, with a special focus on Latin America. Some of the main questions guiding our analysis are: What is happiness? Why do some individuals claim to be happier than others? What factors determine happiness? Are there happier countries and cultures? How does Latin America compare with others? Are income or consumption the main variables to achieve this state? What impact did the pandemic have on people's physical and psychological health? What can we do from the personal and, above all, from public policies to bring well-being to societies? How to do it if we want to respect people's individuality and freedom?

The presentation show their importance for public policies, with special emphasis on Latin America and Latin culture.